R33 Det Gearbox Help

[Faawks]

Does anyone have any tips about removing the side plug in the gearbox?
It has a 1/2 inch square hole in it which I assumed was for a 1/2 inch breaker bar but I couldn't get it undone for the life of me!

Does anyone know a better way to undo it? or should I just take it to a mechanic so he can do it on a hoist? (I only have ramps)

Cheers

[KiwiRS4T]

^Tried a piece of pipe on the end of the breaker bar to extend the leverage?

Warning! Undo the filler first - you don't want to drain it and then find you can't get any oil back into it (maybe you are referring to the filler anyway!?).

[Duncan]

Good tip!

If you find the 1/2" end is rounding off the plug a little you can buy 13mm square drives which will fit more snugly. And you could try heating the plug with a torch.

But yes, sometimes not having the room to swing a long bar means you just can't DIY it without getting on a hoist

[Ben C34]

My ghetto ramp method to get more height involves putting one ramp on the kerb. Driving up on it and bam. Car is higher. So long as you are happy to lie in the gutter (which I am)

[GeeDog]

You can fill the gearbox through the shifter hole if you can't get the fill plug out - just need to know how much to put in. Consensus seems to be around 3.8 litres, which just happens to be the same as 4 quarts if you buy Redline oil.

[Faawks]

Thanks for the help guys!

Yeah I meant filler, sorry.

Unfortunately there's no room for adding a pipe on the end, but I dare say that I'd end up causing some damage forcing it like that.

I do have a little blow torch, might give that a try.

I leant a long time ago when I was about 16 to never drain the oil on anything until you know you can fill it Haha.

I'll look into the 13mm square drives too, always good to have a backup.

If all else fails I'll go the mechanic route or fill it through the shifter hole.

Thanks for all the info guys!

[iruvyouskyrine]

Filling through the shifter hole I find is much easier anyway. When you get the filler hole loosened, move the car to a flat surface then remove the plug. Fill through shifter hole until it just starts to overflow through the filler. Then it's full.

Saves buying a pump or trying to use a funnel and some hose

[Faawks]

Too true! That actually sounds much easier lol.

How hard is it to get to the shifter on the R33?

Do I remove the centre console?

[GeeDog]

Just remove the bit of the console with the boot attached. Remove the ashtray, remove 1 screw behind the ashtray the unclip the plastic trim that holds the boot. Under that is a rubber boot, held on by 4 bolts, and under that boot is another small rubber boot, which just lifts off. Remove the circlip & the shifter lifts out. Getting it back in is a bit of a job, as the bush tends to move sideways when trying to mate it - persist & it will go in. Filling is easy with a funnel or the top of a coke bottle.