Auto Box - Oil Change

[RussGLAuto]

Evening gents, I'm baaaack!

That was a long tour of duty! As the great Vinny Jones would say, "it's been emotional"...

Anyway, enough of that, I left you back in Nov with a problem after changing all Glady's shocks and suspenders with Bilstein's. Got all new wishbones, but unable to remove to port forward wishbone bolt as a bit of kit was in the way. Err, the auto gearbox.

Screenshot 2022-02-15 at 18.30.24.png

Oh, is that all?

However, I reckon if I remove the auto box oil sump it'll give me enough wriggle room to get a spanner on the w'bone bolt. In my mind.

That aside, the oil pan is particularly nasty, so got an OEM replacement from CARS 245 based in Riga;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/tshopabs?ul_noapp=true

Incidentally, the only online seller doing OEM auto box sumps right now "In The World..." as JC would say.

Got a gasket, bolts and new crush washers, ATF filter and gasket at the ready to get on with the change. Might as well change the oil too... which is where I'd appreciate your thoughts on my thoughts.

Haynes says the ATF oil is Dexron ATF - note not the final drive oil which is SAE 90 hypoid gear oil. OK. After a quick google Castrol sells a classic gear oil to the same spec:

" For Automatic Gearbox use TQ Dex 11 qty 5.25 pints"

Screenshot 2022-02-15 at 18.22.27.png

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/ ... II_PDS.pdf

Any thoughts? Am I on the right track with this oil?

Cheers

Russ

[essextom]

has your gearbox sump turned up yet?

ive ordered stuff from some suppliers before who list every single vw part number but dont actually have half of the parts.

[RussGLAuto]

Hi Tom, yep, got the auto box sump. Tshopabs is based in Latvia would you believe. He has more than one if you're after one.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/142681693820

Not cheep though!

[GT_II]

The picking label on the item in his ebay listing suggests he sources from here:

https://www.volkswagen-classic-parts.co ... 010321361F

His price is competitive, so I'm guessing he gets a good trade discount.

[GT_II]

Regarding Dexron ATF, the following article is worth a quick read:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEXRON

This suggests Dexron III is backwards compatible with the Dexron II oil likely used originally in your auto box, so I guess either would do as a replacement. Other, more recent, Dexron standards are not backwards compatible.

The instruction manual just specifies the Dexron brand, so not much help.

[essextom]

The picking label on the item in his ebay listing suggests he sources from here:

https://www.volkswagen-classic-parts.co ... 010321361F

His price is competitive, so I'm guessing he gets a good trade discount.

ah thats all good then. ive an account with classic vw.de so ill buy straight from there if mine is toast. although ive not actually looked at it yet

[RussGLAuto]

Regarding Dexron ATF, the following article is worth a quick read:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEXRON

This suggests Dexron III is backwards compatible with the Dexron II oil likely used originally in your auto box, so I guess either would do as a replacement. Other, more recent, Dexron standards are not backwards compatible.

The instruction manual just specifies the Dexron brand, so not much help.

Hi GT_II, you're spot on as usual! When I went to the Castrol classic oil shop they say that Dextrin III has just superseded the II oil:

https://classicoilsshop.co.uk/castrol-dexron-ii-atf

Just ordered 3 ltrs.

Good you confirmed my train of thought, thanks again. Time to get spannering when that turns up!

Russ

[RussGLAuto]

From the Castrol shop site:

ATF Dex II Multivehicle is an automatic transmission fluid used in transmissions and power steering units of many types of vehicle where Dexron IID or Mercon performance levels are specified. Its high thermal stability and enhanced friction characteristics protect against deposits and oil thickening, reducing wear and prolonging the life of components and lubricant.

Automatic Transmission Fluid, meets Ford Mercon and Dexron IID
Suitable for Automatic transmissions, power steering units, and many MB manual transmissions
Enhanced friction characteristics and wear protection
Approved for a wide range of OEM
Dyed red for identification
Use where ‘TQ-D’ specified
This product has been superseded by Castrol Transmax Dex III. Please use Dex III where Dex II is specified.

[WreckTangle]

Not that I have actually got around to changing it yet, but I bought Amsoil Multi-Vehicle Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid for my Mk2 Scirocco. It claims to be DEXRON III and DEXRON II compatible and also lists the VW specifications. I think G 052 162 is the relevant one.

I’ve used it before on other cars. It’s a nice deep red colour too.

[RussGLAuto]

So did I get the extra space I wanted to remove the wishbone bolt...?

Screenshot 2022-03-03 at 19.58.39.png

No.

However, the ATF came out nice and red / brown. Overdue for a change. Next issue is getting the sump oil filter cover off. Screw is solid in there. Starting to damage it with my ham fisted attempts at releasing it. Just a simple philips head screw.

Any thoughts?

[GT_II]

Countersunk head screw or pan head?

[mark1gls]

Have you got an impact driver like this?

https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-too ... 78172.html

[RussGLAuto]

Or I could just apply the international standard of LEFTY LOOSY / RIGHTY TIGHTY!

[mark1gls]

I’ve not worked on an auto gearbox but reading the Haynes manual it just says “unbolt the strainer cover and remove the strainer and gasket.” So Strange it’s so hard to undo as the usual problem of rusty bolts should not happen inside the gearbox…

[mark1gls]

Oil strainer bolts should only be torque to 3 Nm so not very tight at all?
Oil pan bolts should be 20 Nm