1950-1966 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
This is my own opinion, okay? Others may differ and be just as good. But...
What weight oil: Original specs call for SAE 75 or 80. Redline MTL is a good match that's easy to find (most speedshops have it.) It may work for other people, but I would NOT use heavier oils -- the rear shaft bearings are lubricated by a little cup in the top rear of the transmission case that catches oil flung off the gears and feeds it down to the bearings, and if the oil is too thick it won't "fling" far enough to make it into the cup.
How much oil: Official capacity is 1.8 quarts, but it's okay to dump in two 1-quart bottles -- the extra 0.2 quart won't hurt anything.
How to do it: Drive the car around the block a couple of times to get everything swished around, then let it cool enough that you don't burn yourself. The drain plug is in the bottom center of the transaxle -- you have to crawl underneath to get at it. There are two kinds of drain plug. If you're lucky, you have the one that has a square recess and takes a 3/8" socket drive. If you're unlucky, you have the one with a special plug that has a V-shape crossbar. To get this out, you need a special tool -- you can make one by grinding a matching V-shaped notch in a cheap socket you buy for this purpose. Remove the plug, let the oil drain out, and while it's draining, examine what's stuck to the magnet in the plug. A 'fuzz' of thin metal whiskers is OK; huge amounts or recognizable chunks are bad news. If OK, wipe clean and reinstall after the fluid has drained. Then, up on top, remove the fill plug on the upper surface of the casing near the slave cylinder. Again, it has a square recess and a 3/8" socket drive should get it out. Stick a long, skinny funnel into the hole and pour in your 2 quarts of MTL. Remove the funnel and replace the plug.
How to check it: Between changes, you can check the level through the level plug, which is on the lower front slope of the bell housing and has a square head sticking out. Unscrew it with a wrench. Level should be up to the bottom of this hole; if low, add a bit more MTL until it starts to run out the hole.
How often to do it: Basically, the more often you change it, the longer your transaxle will last. I really, really dislike removing and replacing transaxles, so I tend to change the fluid really often -- usually, every time I change the engine oil. (I mean, you've got to crawl under there anyway to drain the engine oil, and a couple of quarts of MTL only cost about twelve bucks, so why not?)
posted by 68.13.13...
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
