Gearbox Oil Change

[Jay95R33]

G'day all,

Just did a gearbox oil change on my R33 GTS-t and I thought I'd share it with everyone.

My box was crunching into second gear for the first 4-5 changes first thing in the morning (it get really cold here), so I thought that the synco's in second were stuffed. As well as that there was a whining coming from the gearbox for the first 2-3 minutes of driving in the morning.

I changed the oil and what a difference !!!!!!

Cold gear changes are sweet now, and no whine for the first few minutes of driving.

I used Castrol VMX80 gearbox oil, the difference is great, smoother gear changes, and when normal (warm) driving the car seems quieter than before, even though I didn't think it was noisey before.

To do it is easy.

Do the following after a drive so the oil is hot (and will flow out better).

Use a trolley jack and jack up the drivers side of the car.

Use axle stands under the chassey to make it safe.

You'll see the drain plug on the gear box about 1/4 way from the back of the box. A 1/2 inch rachet fit's nicely into it. You'll also see the fill plug on the drivers side and it's the same size as the drain plug.

Make sure you loosen the fill plug before you drain the oil. You don't want to find out that you can't get the fill plug out after you've drained all your oil!!!!

Drain the oil. Put the drain plug back in and then remove the fill plug. I used a pump to get the oil into the fill plug as it's a tight fit.

The gearbox took close to 4lt of oil. Basically you fill the gearbox until oil comes out the fill hole. Make sure you have the car as close to level when you fill it. I know it hard if you have to jack one side of the car up.

Put the fill plug back in. Lower the car, and that's it.

Easy, and has fixed all my worries.

BTW: the VMX80 was about $29, and the little oil pump thing was $12.

J

[PLAYAR]

how often should you change your gearbox oil?

[skyzerr33]

every 80,000 to 100,000 km's

now to get me a trolley jack

[Jay95R33]

I forgot to mention... When you take the drain plug out it has a magnet on it. Make sure you clean it real good before you put it back in.

J

[Guest MrLolly]

hey jay, i recently did mine and my 93 model 33 has its fill plug on the passenger side

also, no need to buy a special oil pump, just get one of those little plastic pumps that are used for getting fuel out of a can and into the car, cost $6, all you need to do is shorten the collector hose so that it fits into your four litre bottle

rod

[Jay95R33]

MrLolly,

Thats cool.. Cheaper=more money in pocket

So the 93's have the plug on the left side... Hmmm, I wonder if there was a ger box change between 93 and 95??

J

[MrGTST]

Hiya Guys....

I basically have the same problem as Jay95R33 ... that is for the first couple of changes after you start the car going from first into second .... second gear grinds.... then it stops after a couple of gos....

So my question is ( and feel free to make fun of me as I have only had my 95 R33 GTST about two weeks ) Does the skyline have a dipstick for the gearbox ( manual ) ???? I had a look but couldnt find one??? Or is it self contained or something??? Do I just go straight for the dumping of the oil????

Help! :confused:

Brett

[Jay95R33]

G'day Brett,

Naaa, there isn't a dip stick for the manual box. It's a sealed unit (except for a small breather I think), so your only option is to drain the oil and put fresh stuff in.

You can top it up, but it's best to drain the old.

It really is straight forward. The hardest part was jacking up the car, and then pumping that little pump thing about a zillion times to get the 4 litres in her.

J

[MrGTST]

Thanks for that....

Another question.... where is the jack spot for the R33??? I ask because with all my bodykits I dont want to put pressure on something I shouldnt.... ( I had a commodore before and it was dead easy )..... I should also go back to the import dealer and ask for a jack as I dont think I got one with the car...

P. S All you Perth guys should put out a message when you organise another cruise .... I would love to be part of a HUGE skyline cruise.... that would be fun .... and a great chance to learn some stuff

Thanks Again

Brett

[Jay95R33]

Cool,

You should be able to use the normal jack spots that are near the sil, your side skirt should stop a little bit before it so you can get your jack in there without causing damage.

Once up, put your axle stands under the chassic rails.

Yeah, go back and get a jack from your dealer, other than being stuck somewhere with a flat and no jack, I think you have to carry a jack by law (stupid hay), but if you get a cop that's had a really bad day he could get you for it.

J

[MrGTST]

Hey thanks again!!!

I will have to go and buy some axel stands, some good oil ( whatever the good oil is? ) and go get my jack!

Brett

[Cake]

yeah same with mine when its cold it wont go into 2nd or back to 1st or grinds... unless i pump the clutch in neutral a couple of times... could need oil change i guess? Also this could be unrelated but if i start the car up and its really cold, and reverse, once the clutch starts grabbing sometimes it will squeal very loudly, sounds like its slipping... doesnt happen once its warmed up, anyone know what this could be?

Chris

[Jay95R33]

Hmmm, the squeeling - does it sound like a bearing squeeling? It could be your thrust bearing on the way out. Not sure.

As for the 1-2 crunching, yepp, that's what mine was doing and the oil change made it all sweet. It was getting bad enough for me to forget about 1st gear for the first few take off's (use second), but after the oil change it goes between first and second like a dream now.

J

[RadiuM]

Originally posted by MrLolly

also, no need to buy a special oil pump, just get one of those little plastic pumps that are used for getting fuel out of a can and into the car, cost $6, all you need to do is shorten the collector hose so that it fits into your four litre bottle

ohhh if i only knew that when i had to change the diff+gbox oil on my escort.. i was under the car with a 250ml sunscreen bottle squirting it in..

thankgod i have patience

Shaun

[XrSiSt]

Originally posted by thejackal

how often should you change your gearbox oil?

Originally posted by skyzerr33

every 80,000 to 100,000 km's

So if within 11 thousand K's mines done this, is it because

I've been driving it way too hard? :burnout:

or was it just crap oil they put in when it was complied? :confused:

(my car has only done 50 thou)

Or is my box on it's way out? :bonk:

[matlowth]

They all seem to do it (crunch that is).

I've changed my oil a few times since I bought it 2 years ago... I use the VMX80 stuff in my car too... Works a treat!

As Jay said, the hardest part is pumping the oil into your gearbox... Man your arm gets tired!

A lot of compliance places don't even change the gearbox/diff/brake fluids anyways, just to save a bit of cash... I know the place I took mine didn't. You'll be surprised how much of a difference an gearbox oil change can make!

matt

[Cubes]

With the VMX80 bottles snout i found that a length of garden black hose fits perfectly.

I then held the bottle upside down with the hose attached near the bellhousing and it was pretty easy to fill up.

Well it was easy as I had a Pit to do it in so it may be a little harder laying under the car but still easier than a sunscreen bottle.. heheh

[Swordfish19792002]

dont worry I found some info on the Gearbox oil....

[KamikazeR33]

jayson i had the redline shockproof in mine $25 a L mind u

and now i have the same stuff u have, and mine crunches slightly into 2nd when cold

the redline stuff was great... next time in gonna buy some again

also when i refilled it i poured it through where the gear lever goes... didnt seem to do anything wrong that way... makes life easier i fink

anyone got any probs wif the way i did it?

[Cubes]

You will be suprised how much smoother Nulon G70 gear treatment makes the gearbox with a couple litres of VMX80.

Since I had a VL Commodore that are renowned for diff whines i've used G70. The diff would whine like fark so I slapped a tube of this stuff in and a few hundred km's later the whine was so quiet you had to have the radio off, windows closed and silence to hear the whine.

My old VS V8 5 Speed manual used to crunch a little when cold. I slapped G70 in there and the crunching when cold dissapeared.

Same with the Skyline Box.. grabby feeling when cold is now gone.