E30 Zone

Car in question is a 316i touring with manual gearbox.
Haynes says to check level whilst car is on level ground, my problem is that without having the front end up on ramps
there is no way I can even reach the filler plug to undo it, let
alone getting the new oil container anywhere near enough
to top it up.
Suggestions, please.

Put it on ramps then jack the rear up to the same height?

Ben

Put it on four ramps.

Find someone with a pit?

IIRC,the filler/level plug is about halfway down the side of the 'box,so unless the turd is stood on it's bumper,you will be able to get enough oil in to keep it happy.
I use an oil syringe for the job.

And I use ATF,BTW.

daimlerman wrote:IIRC,the filler/level plug is about halfway down the side of the 'box,so unless the turd is stood on it's bumper,you will be able to get enough oil in to keep it happy.

A mate of mine used to work for Land Rover R&D. He was once sent to investigate the high number of diff. failures reported at a military establishment who bought a LOT of their products.
Cause of the problem was diff. oil being changed on a single pair of ramps.

Diff level plugs tend to be on the back, not the side.

Ben

BenHar wrote:Diff level plugs tend to be on the back, not the side.

Ben

Gearbox, not diff.

Brianmoooore wrote:

BenHar wrote:Diff level plugs tend to be on the back, not the side.

Ben

Gearbox, not diff.

Brian, you brought up the diff, not me.

Brianmoooore wrote:
A mate of mine used to work for Land Rover R&D. He was once sent to investigate the high number of diff. failures reported at a military establishment who bought a LOT of their products.
Cause of the problem was diff. oil being changed on a single pair of ramps.

Ben

daimlerman wrote:IIRC,the filler/level plug is about halfway down the side of the 'box,so unless the turd is stood on it's bumper,you will be able to get enough oil in to keep it happy.
I use an oil syringe for the job.

And I use ATF,BTW.

Can also be topped up "beer bong" style with a hose running down the gear stick area once the padding is removed, pop funnel in end fill with oil and raise arm to get flowing... Look under car every so often and remove when flowing out of filling port.

BenHar wrote:
Brian, you brought up the diff, not me.

I did, but that's because I don't have an example of gearboxes failing through being incorrectly filled, whereas I do have anecdotal evidence of diff. failures.

Brianmoooore wrote:

BenHar wrote:
Brian, you brought up the diff, not me.

I did, but that's because I don't have an example of gearboxes failing through being incorrectly filled, whereas I do have anecdotal evidence of diff. failures.

And I was pointing out that diffs are usually filled from the rear which means that they will be more affected by the angle than a gearbox filled half way along it's side.

I put it on ramps and jack the rear up onto axle stands when I do it.

Ben