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skipweasel
6th June 2004, 13:47
Ugh - just changed the gearbox oil in my TD Monty. It was opaque emulsion, and the only description I can give of the colour is "Old man's cardy". Heaven knows how long it'd been in there - it was bang up to the level so someone had topped it up on time but never changed it.
jonhamil
6th June 2004, 21:58
how easy is it to change the gbox oil? Do you have to take the box off itself?
E_T_V
6th June 2004, 22:19
Pretty easy so long as you've got a bottle with a tube on the top to refill the gearbox, as for some silly reason they always like to put them in the most awkward position.
mgdavid
6th June 2004, 23:43
skip, I've drained boxes at over 100k miles which look like they've never been touched and the oil has been as clean as the day it went in. I suspect in your case a PO has driven through a ford or heavy floods on more than one occasion and some water has got into the box via the top bretaher tube, causing the mayo-like colour and consistency. I did in the gearbox bearings doing just that on a new one back in '89.
G Force
7th June 2004, 13:35
Ugh - just changed the gearbox oil in my TD Monty. It was opaque emulsion, and the only description I can give of the colour is "Old man's cardy". Heaven knows how long it'd been in there - it was bang up to the level so someone had topped it up on time but never changed it.


Hi. Sounds like it could be EP80 Gear oil or similar that was in it as that goes a foamy mayo colour normally. Engine oil 10W40 is what should be in a TD.

Cheers Gary :)
skipweasel
7th June 2004, 23:10
Engine oil 10W40 is what should be in a TD.
Cheers Gary :)

Which is what it's now got. The old stuff certainly smelt like gearbox oil - that sulphurous smell you don't get from engine oil. Can't say it feels any better!

As for changing it - take the wheel off and take off the inner wing panel - it's only five screws but it makes the whole job a lot easier. The drain's a 3/8" square - so just the end of a ratchet will do. The filler's a 17mm head bolt hiding behind the drive shaft. Mine was very tight - I snapped off a 3/8" extension undoing it! Takes 2 litres - so you'll need a reasonable diameter pipe to fill it with or you'll be all day. Snip a bit off the garden hose!