MatraSport Forum

Each model => Espace => Topic started by: brian on October 07, 2008, 11:04:36 am



Title: gearbox oil ?
Post by: brian on October 07, 2008, 11:04:36 am
hi guys
can anyone tell me how to top my gearbox oil up on a 2.2 dci the race 2001 model? I lost some when the driveshaft popped out last week changing the strut bearing  :-[!! not much just about 200 mil and it still drives ok but id rather be safe than sorry ? oh and what type of oil would be best? thanks
brian


Title: Re: gearbox oil ?
Post by: Martin Tyas on October 08, 2008, 01:02:56 pm
The filler plug is located on the top left of the gearbox end plate.... it's a white plastic plug that looks a bit like a wing nut with a rubber sealing washer.
It is accessible with just the engine under-tray removed but you don't gain enough access to actually pour oil in... you would have to have a means of pumping it in. Also unless you have access to a vehicle hoist, or are of VERY slim build you would have a problem getting under the car whilst keeping it level so that you get the correct oil level  ;)
SO... the best way for the home mechanic to do it is to jack up the left hand front side of car whilst it's on level ground and after removing the LH front wheel, remove the plastic inner wing panel to expose the end of the gearbox and the filler plug is then very easily accessible. Before checking or topping up the oil level and after you've removed the road wheel, lower the jack until the vehicle is back on the level.

Unlike many gearboxes you don't fill it until oil overflows back out of a combined filler/level plug. The PK1 box when fitted in the 2.2dCi Espace requires to be filled with oil to a level no higher than 22mm BELOW the filler plug.
To measure the oil level I made a dipstick from a piece of wire clothes hanger but any bit of stiff wire would do. Make a 90 degree bend about 30mm from one end and then make a mark 22mm down from the bend. I made a finger-sized ring on the other end of the wire so that not only did I have something to hold it with but also so that I could make sure it was vertical within the gearbox when taking a level reading.

As for the oil.... it should be ELF Tranself TRX 75W-80 which is an extreme pressure, high performance synthetic gear oil and about £15 per litre from Renault but I got 5 litres for £23 from a local Total/ELF oil distributor when my drive shaft oil seal was leaking and I drained and changed the oil at the same time.

I must learn to take photos when I do these jobs then it would be much easier to share the procedures with others and also save time with having to describe it.... but hope it helps

Martin


Title: Re: gearbox oil ?
Post by: brian on October 08, 2008, 01:45:53 pm
 :)thanks Martin , thats a great help , will follow your advice  ;)
cheers
Brian


Title: Re: gearbox oil ?
Post by: colin4255 on July 21, 2009, 01:21:05 am
Martin is right about the oil - ONLY ever use the right one. My local garage changed a leaking inner CV boot, lost some oil, then re-filled it with an oil that had the right API etc. Next day when it was cold I could barely get it into gear! We figured it out by asking the dealer. The gear oil is VERY specific!

Martin gives excellent instructions too! I saw how hard this stuff was to replace.