Gear Box Oil

[Stealth]

Hi, Any help on changing the Gearbox oil on my 88' 325i CAB would be greatly appriciated..!! Sounds a bit noisey.>!

[Toby_Unna]

changing the box oil probably won't quieten it down.

but anyway... there's two plugs on the right-hand side of the box, you need either 17mm spanner or a large hex-drive socket to fit them. the higher one is the fill plug, the lower one is the drain plug.

they may be very very tight, if they seem immoveable don't risk using a huge bar and breaking the gearbox casing!
if they come out ok remove the fill plug, then the drain plug.

not entirely sure how you're supposed to put new oil in with the box in the car though! i've only ever filled boxes before installing them.

[Brianmoooore]

Remove filler plug before the drain plug!
If you drain the oil first, and then can't unscrew the filler you are bu**ered.

[Toby_Unna]

remove the fill plug, then the drain plug.

Brian how do you get the oil into the box? a tube and a pump? never had to do this

[Fushion_Julz]

2 methods of filling the box....

1. (the simple, but slow one) fill a small oil can with a pump action...insert the end in the fill hole and pump

2. (the fast, but more involved way) remove the gearstick gaiter, the foam surround and poke a 1/4" or 1/2" plastic tube down the gap between the gearstick hole in the transmission tunnel and the gearbox...put the underneath end in the fill hole and put a funnel in the in-car end...Carefully fill from above

[Brianmoooore]

remove the fill plug, then the drain plug.

Brian how do you get the oil into the box? a tube and a pump? never had to do this

The oil usually comes in bottles with a plastic tube extension on them.
Bend the tube 2" from the end, stick it in the filler hole, and roll the bottle up. Keep going untill you get an eyefull of oil. Helps if you warm the oil first.
You can only get about half the bottles in, so I empty half empty ones into other half empty ones.