Servicing your auto/manual

[vnv8driver]

This is important to keep temperature down as well as to reduce or even stop gear slippage/grinding.
For both autos and manual you need to jack up the front and if you can, the back and secure jackstands under the car and let the jack down.

AUTOMATICS-
1.look at the auto pan and get a drip tray which is larger than the auto's pan.
2.remove the dipstick under the hood to allow the oil to enter the pan quicker.
3.remove all the bolts holding the pan on remebering to leave 2 bolts on each corner of the pan so it doesnt bend and tip fluid on you whilst your removing the bolts.
4.with the pan under the car and you out of the way carefully undo the remaining 2/4 bolts whilst putting preasure on the pan with your hand.
5.carefully lower the pan and disguard the fluid. if your new to working under a car then id bet youd spill some fluid but not to worry at least the old stuff is gone!
6. once the dripping has stopped, look up and youll see a rectangular piece of metal with 'jackets', this is the valve body, you will also see the filter which easily pulls off.
7.If the filter isnt that dirty, clean it, otherwise replace it.
8.clean all the gunk you can get to with a rag and pipe cleaners.
9.replace filter
10.inspect the pan gasket, it should be replaced but if it seems to be ok and not squashed/frayed just reuse it.
11.bolt up the pan EVENLY, but take a pen with you because the chances are the gasket has moved and youll need to realign it with the pen.
12.It is very important to not overtighten the bolts otherwise the cork gasket will crack. Do them up until the gasket starts to squish.
13.add .5 litre of oil under the hood through the dipsticktube, dont fill it too fast.
14.start your car and add another 4.5 litres of oil.
15.sit in the cab and with your foot on the brake go through all the gears to distribute the oil.
16.with the motor running, at operating temperature and in park or nuetral on flat ground, check the level with a rag 2 or 3 times and fill as nesessary. note that the marker on the dipstick has a 'addoil' level, the distance between the bottom of the fill line and the top of the fill line is 1 litre, this goes for motor oil as well.
17.Check for leaks and test drive your car.

MANUALS-
1.The manual gearbox has no pan, there is only a bolt on the bottom and side of the box , undo the bottom drain bolt with a regular sized pan and drain the fluid until it stops. note-the bolt is magnetic and normally picks up metal shaving that float around, inspect and remove as nessesary. This is a good way to tell how a manual has been treated.
2.replace drain plug
3.by memory the manual takes 1.5 litres of oil and to do this remove the fill plug and either use a proper pump or use a clean/brand new grease gun.
4.fill until it starts overflowing then replace the fill plug.
5.test drive vehicle

[Benboy]

Good write up except for one thing, you forgot to mention that the filter should always be replaced with a new one when trans. fluid is changed. Also recomended for engine oil changes too. Dirt and contamination in an auto is recipe for failure. Kits for auto trans. include replacement filter and a new gasket. They don't cost much. Don't waste your time trying to get the old one to seal again.

[Cane_It]

dont use gasket goo on the trans pan gasket.

cheap mod you can do is get a fitting brazed into the pan so that it has a sump plug like the engine does, makes a trans fluid job less messy if you dont have an oil pan larger than the trans pan.

always use a new filter, costs bugger all and you may as wel do the job properly.

[Cane_It]

dont use gasket goo on the trans pan gasket.

cheap mod you can do is get a fitting brazed into the pan so that it has a sump plug like the engine does, makes a trans fluid job less messy if you dont have an oil pan larger than the trans pan.

always use a new filter, costs bugger all and you may as wel do the job properly.

[KeepItStock]

good "how to" didnt know it was that simple... in a vr how often should the auto be serviced?

[vnv8driver]

any auto should be serviced at least once every year, more if its used for high performance applications.

And i cant believe i wrote put gasket goo on the trans pan, what was i thinking! -removed.
I still stand by what i said about the filter, only if it is in reasonable condition though.

[Tasmaniak]

just a more of a note of caution more then anything with the manual...always remove the check/fill plug first.

I've had issues with so many technicians in my shops draining the fluid out and then the vehicle is too old and cannot get thecheck fill plug out of it.

Also, do the fill with the vehicle on a flat surface...it's not 1.5 litres. It's full when the fluid starts to pour out of the fill plug.

e.g. The VH 5spd takes 2 litres...not 1.5

[stocky]

you can fill up the manual transmission through the centre console if you remove the shifter

[Morton]

you can fill up the manual transmission through the centre console if you remove the shifter

Easiest way by far, is to get a large long hose (just the right diameter for the fill plug) and feed it into the hole, then run it down, and up the side of the car. Then you just sit next to the car with the hose, a large funnel jammed in the end, and your bottle of oil, and pour away

[greenacc]

VNV8 Driver, Is that right about starting the engine woth only 0.5 litre fluid in the pan , then pouring in the rest ? won't the trans run dry if you do this ? I normally put about 4 Litres in before starting it up. Is there any problems doing it this way? Cheers.

[pow3rslave]

does the car need to be on axle stands to do this? how can you fill the manual box on a flat if it's on stands? do you need 4 stands/ramps?

[vnv8driver]

VNV8 Driver, Is that right about starting the engine woth only 0.5 litre fluid in the pan , then pouring in the rest ? won't the trans run dry if you do this ? I normally put about 4 Litres in before starting it up. Is there any problems doing it this way? Cheers.

you can personally put however much you want in but .5 of a litre is all thats needed to select a gear in the auto, your only suppose to pur in fluid with the motor running.

[vnv8driver]

does the car need to be on axle stands to do this? how can you fill the manual box on a flat if it's on stands? do you need 4 stands/ramps?

Ideally yes but if you have limited tools you can only use what youve got. Its not like the vcar is going to be jacked right up into the air (unless you need the room for a BIG gut)

[greenacc]

Oh dear, me and my mate gregory must be wrong again. I'll try it your way next time and add the fluid with engine running - see how it goes. thanks for your help.

[vnv8driver]

Oh dear, me and my mate gregory must be wrong again. I'll try it your way next time and add the fluid with engine running - see how it goes. thanks for your help.

The majority of the stuff in those handbooks are only references ive found many many glitches in their standard diagrams that stumbled me a few times... although the rule wouldnt change from an aut from a hilux to a commodore to a falcon.

Not that you would notice much differance, but youn will have to very slowly pour the flid in with the motor off,.

[stocky]

does the car need to be on axle stands to do this? how can you fill the manual box on a flat if it's on stands? do you need 4 stands/ramps?

as mentioned with my method. remove the shifter inside form inside the car by undoing the 4 bolts, and you dont even need the car jacked up at all once the box has been drained

[Ballzy7]

i heard that auto gear fluid can be used in manny trannys for a smoother gear change... bit skeptical myself