Changing Gear Oil

[Whaanga]

It's time to change the gear oil in my 73 manual transaxle. The last time I changed it, the engine/tranny were out of the bus so changing/adding new oil was easy. This time, I'm changing the oil with the tranny mounted under the bus.

Does anyone have any tricks or methods for filling the transaxle case with oil? It's in an awkward position and it's hard to get a funnel at the optimal angle.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jeff
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Late 1973 Bay w/a transplanted 914 Engine

[richparker]

Get yourself a pump, a gallon of gear oil and pump away.

https://www.autozone.com/test-scan-and-specialty-t...332794_0_0
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’71 Westy build
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[KTPhil]

Rule One: Make sure the fill plug is easily removed BEFORE you drain the old stuff out and only then find out you can't get any oil back into it!

[Wildthings]

The method of using a hose long enough to reach the outside of the van body so you can just pour into a funnel connected to the hose works well when its warm enough.

I tend to use an oil suction gun which I refill by removing the endcap and pouring it full from a 5 gallon pail. Kind of slow and requires many trips under the van to get the job done, but this has been how I have been doing it for 50 years. I have learned over the years how to be quite neat and tidy when using this method.

[aeromech]

I use a 5 gallon bucket of gear oil with a hand pump but that’s because I do this a lot, like today. In your case buy the quart size squeeze bottles and tip it horizontally into the fill port and go for it.

Quick tip: cut the nozzle so it flows better and heat the oil.
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[Nicholas D]

I just cut a section of hose long enough to put on the tip of the bottle and fed into the fill hole while my son slowly let it fill from the side of the bus. I just held the hose in the fill hole and yelled at him about doing it wrong or some such... Not really, but that's part of the fun for the kids I figure.
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71 Westfalia
73 Beetle

[mikedjames]

Some brands of gearbox oil quart bottles have better spouts and more flexible plastic bottles for squeezing out the oil.
I ended up refilling an old quart bottle several times over , as the new bottles were less easy to use.
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1974 VW T2 : Devon Eurovette camper with 1641 DP T1 engine, Progressive carb, full flow oil cooler, EDIS crank timed ignition.
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[vwmerckx]

Set the gallon of gear oil in the warm Phoenix, AZ sun for a couple of hours
Took advantage that I had the engine out - but I have done this with the engine in and just as easy.

[W1K1]

[Whaanga]

Thanks for the responses. I rigged up a ladder, funnel, and long tube. It was a very do-able job and it’s nice to know there is fresh oil in the gear box.

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Late 1973 Bay w/a transplanted 914 Engine

[richparker]

That’s crazy!
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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[Whaanga]

I was working alone so had to have a stable way to hold the funnel.

The only issue was a bee got in the funnel and when I poured more oil, the bee got stuck in the fluid - took a while before it made its way to the end of the hose. I got it out before it got entombed in the tranny case.
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Late 1973 Bay w/a transplanted 914 Engine

[timvw7476]

as mentioned above, heat it up or leave it in a warm inside space before pouring. Once did a clutch job/trans service on a Nissan in january. 35 degrees, 38 minutes to refill. True story.

[Nitramrebrab72]

Make sure to use API GL-4 not 5 or you will naff up the syncros over time.