The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

I just drained the Sprint gearbox.

According to the repair manual the capacity is 1.9 litres. I drained 1.5 litres of quite black knackered oil. I guess that is what it is.

However when I refilled I used a suction gun in reverse - something a lot like this http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/Produc ... 7/SPO82509. Despite the fact that mine has a capacity scale up the side I didn't keep a precise record of how much I put in... duh ... but there is no way it was 1.9 litres. I did keep a vague eye on it and I reckon probably 1.7 litres.

I had left the gearbox draining overnight prior and jacked up the rear to level it vs the axle stand its currently on at the front.

What are other peoples experiences? Does the repair manual actually show the wrong capacity?

thks

If the car is horizontal and the level is at the bottom of the filler plug hole...in fact you can squirt a bit more in and get the plug in before it drains down...then you have enough...

All you need to worry about.

Jonners

_________________
Note from Admin: sadly Jon passed away in February 2018 but his humour and wealth of knowledge will be fondly remembered by all. RIP Jonners.

I recently changed the diff and gearbox oil in my Mazda and despite owing an oil suction gun I chose an alternative method.

Firstly the car will need to be securely raised and supported, must also be level. Take a funnel and on the end put a length of clear tubing, consider securing with tape. Then with the aid of an assistant poke the end of the tube into the filler hole of axle or gearbox and have the assistant slowly fill the funnel with oil until it starts to drip out of the filler hole. When you know you're getting close to capacity then reduce the amount you tip into the funnel to reduce the oil pouring out when you're full.

So much easier than using a suction gun!

_________________
Mark

1961 Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier Sportswagon
1980 Dolomite Sprint project using brand new shell
2009 Mazda MX5 2.0 Sport
2018 Infiniti Q30

You have mastered making the oil in the funnel flow upwards against gravity perhaps?

Doesn't gravity work differently down under? Here is an illustration of the setup https://goo.gl/images/0cIlHH

Perhaps I should have added that the other end of the tube goes into the filler hole.

_________________
Mark

1961 Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier Sportswagon
1980 Dolomite Sprint project using brand new shell
2009 Mazda MX5 2.0 Sport
2018 Infiniti Q30

Of course gravity works differently here. You are upside down. Obviously.

What you have here is worthy of Professor Branestawn; and if you don't know who he is then google is your friend, I hope.

Have you actually used this arrangement on a Sprint? I see what you are trying to suggest there but I'm just sceptical you could route the pipe satisfactorily to the filler hole and expect any useful amount of flow. But it is an intriguing idea.

The suction gun worked really well though. Just sayin'....

cheers

On the Mazda I went down through the engine bay to the filler which is roughly in the same place as that on a Sprint. I haven't yet tried it on a Sprint but will do so I'm sure. It is not as fast as the suction gun but given the potential to make mess that's not necessarily a bad thing.

_________________
Mark

1961 Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier Sportswagon
1980 Dolomite Sprint project using brand new shell
2009 Mazda MX5 2.0 Sport
2018 Infiniti Q30

I found that compared with previous efforts squeezing those smaller tube ended retail oil bottles, the suction gun worked well both in terms of withdrawing oil from the container and then injecting it into the filler hole in a controlled manner.

But you are pretty much guaranteed a spill at some point forcing a need for newspapers spread over the floor etc