Changing Gearbox Oil

Not sure I'd bother, my guess is that most cars run their entire life without a gearbox oil change.
There are no nasty combustion products/deposits to get in there, and once the box is run in it will remain pretty stable, often there is a magnet on the drain plug to collect the debis from running in or wear.
Unless you make a habit of running through deep water or doing a lot of high load work, I just wouldn't bother.

If you insist, then you may find there isn't a convenient filler plug and you have to squirt it in sideways from a combined filler/level plug which leaves you angsting about whether you've put in enough.
Get under and have a look, the drain should be fairly obvious but will prob be, small inaccessible,tight,dirty and have some weird pentagonal head which requires a 4 dimensional wrench with a universal joint, it will also be threaded in the oposite direction to whichever direction you think it is.
Del

Thanks Del for taking the time to answer my question. i'll check it out, sure it will keep me out of the pub. have a nice day.

Kind regards

magicbus.

Yep, I change the gearbox oil in my Jetta every 200,000 miles whether it needs it or not. Still slick as butter.

Just an important note here for owners of older diesel Jettas (circa 1991) : Through real expensive experience, I found out that for my model of manual 5 speed transmission, there was a very specific procedure outlined in the VW service manual : To change the oil on that specific transmission you must do the following :

1 drain the oil through the bottom plug

2 fill through the side filler plug until level with the side plug, put the plug back.

3 Remove the SPEEDOMETER cable from the top of the transmission and ADD an additional 1 liter of oil (I think it was a full liter but that should be checked again) through that hole and put back the speedometer cable.

Got the manual after the third transmission failed within a few days. My small garage VW mechanic was not aware of that procedure. The first one died out around 475 000 km. The other ones failed very shortly as I got them used and with no oil for the installation - they were only filled to the filler plug.

While I am sure that this procedure is very unique in the automotive world, it can be worthwhile to double check for any vehicule.

I think that's ample justification for leaving it alone and spending your 'oil money' on beer instead.
Del

I hadn't heard that. I will have to check with Mr. Bentley. Thanks !!

I have an '87 with the same (I believe) five speed, the 020 tranny. The ratios are a bit different for the oil burners but otherwise the same.

If you are talking about manual transmission gear box. There is a drain plug on the bottom of the case. The fill plug is on one side or the other about half way up. Fill it until it starts to run back out the fill hole.

Like Del said not many people change it. Most that they do is check the level. The fill plug is usually large enough to get a finger it to get a sample to see. If its clear would not worry about the change.

Thanks ozzb for taking the time & thanks for the info, I'll give it ago.

kind regards

Magicbus.