Gearbox Oil

[KrisB]

Whats the best gearbox oil for an EX engine (1.8 8v). 99,000 miles and same with engine oil whats the best for the mileage?

Thanks

[ianaudia4]

VW filled your gearbox with about 2 litres of 75w 90 oil when it was made. About a fiver a litre from VW.

Engine oil, I'd recommend VW Synta silver 10/40 and you'll need approx 4.5 litres. About £18 for 5 litres from VW but well worth asking for a discount for the oil, I paid £14 from my local dealer a few weeks ago.

Get a new oil filter from VW as well, this will only cost about £3, not forgetting a new washer for the sump plug.

[james butler]

Engine oil- synter silver 10/40 semi synthetic as said from the dealer.

Gearbox oil- I used hypoid gear oil made a world of difference changing the oil!
I also put some thing else in the engine oil and gearbox which made it run loads better and increased power, mpg and general feel of the drive. I've got to try remember what it was.

[james butler]

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... &langId=-1
I use this in/on everything.
The first thing I noticed was my idle speed increasing over 50 miles. Had to slow the tickover as the friction in the engine had been reduced by this stuff.
If you read the instructions it says you can practically use it in anything.

[KrisB]

Cheers fellas.

Got new filter, sump and sump plug, also had the oil pump out and gave it a clean etc. When I changed the gearbox oil on my 182 Clio the difference was so noticeable. I changed the timing belt yesterday and in the process of rebuilding the engine back. However if anyone in the Manchester area has bit of spare time would appreciate someone taking a quick look at the belt make sure its ok as I managed to change it by sliding it off and new one on. Nothing moved but I'm not convinced it was that easy lol. Plus what would be damage if it was out? any? or just run like a bag of shit?

[bengould]

Plus what would be damage if it was out? any? or just run like a bag of shit?

Depends how far out it is. Anything from running bad to destroyed valves/pistons etc.

Ben.

[mark1gls]

Before you drain the gearbox oil make sure you can undo the filler plug (on the side of the gearbox by the wheel) just in case you drain it and unable to fill it again.
Could always fill it through the speedo cable hole but can be a fiddle removing the speedo cable with out the speedo drive dropping into the gearbox and really the filler plug shows the level of oil in the gearbox.

[joshiggins]

Plus what would be damage if it was out? any? or just run like a bag of shit?

Depends how far out it is. Anything from running bad to destroyed valves/pistons etc.

Ben.

aren't the valves and pistons in 8v engines of this era safe if the timing belt breaks? (provided the engine isn't running at very high rpm)

[bengould]

Not according to autodata. And not something I'd want to risk just in case.

http://sciroccoregisterforum.co.uk/carf ... ta#p105316

[Nate]

an engine is either safe or not. engine speed doesn't really affect how far the valves open, or how far the piston travels.

mind you, there are also several engines that are only "safe" until the head gasket has been done, then the cylinder head skim makes them an interference engine

[ianaudia4]

I have had a cambelt snap on a German autobahn, it was back in the '80's in the Jetta GLi 1.6 2 door I had. I had to get recovered neary 500km (massive cost!) and then my local VW dealer stripped it down and the valves where well knackered!

Long story short as Ben says not worth the risk!