[Mk2] [Turbo] Changing Gearbox Oil

[Mike]

Hi folks,

I'll be changing the gearbox oil very soon and I just wanted to get some advice from people on here really.

For example, what size of tubing will I need to refill the box from above the engine bay?

[swaggansway]

garden hose attached to funnel

look for the big green book 'bgb mr2' its the bible

as for oil I use the usual red gear oil! if u got LSD n ur box is a wee bit crunchie there is better stuff.....do a search

u fill til it comes out of the bolt hole(which u remove ....white sticker onit)

halfhour job m8 at most

[ryan]

I had a MR2 specialist do mine last month. I needed 3 bottles of MT90 from Opie oils (£63 quid). Its improved the quality of gearchange, the old oil was a bit milky looking

[swaggansway]

milky...... must have had moisture in it. good thing you changed it!

[ryan]

milky...... must have had moisture in it. good thing you changed it!

Yeah, found it weird how moisture had got in

[swaggansway]

condensation.... years of heating and cooling....maybe

[ancient mariner]

important thing to note.
a few people have posted to say that they have drained the old oil.
only to find that they have been unable to remove the filler bolt.
so it is best to make sure you can remove this,before draining. paul.

[Shmed]

important thing to note.
a few people have posted to say that they have drained the old oil.
only to find that they have been unable to remove the filler bolt.
so it is best to make sure you can remove this,before draining. paul.

+1

Old oil is better than no oil......

I needed 3 and a bit bottles of the MT90

[jimGTS]

you can put new oil in via the top breather as well....

[Mike]

you can put new oil in via the top breather as well....

Could you elaborate please Jim, sounds like a simpler method.

Thanks for all the advice folks

[jimGTS]

There's a wriggly breather bolt on top of the gearbox close to that coolent elbow/neck thing.
You can unbolt and fill up here instead.

You'll still need the side bolt open to know when it's level, it just saves you threading a hose into the gearbox at the side at the same time.

[pta]

Since there is LSD should there be some kind of additives or special oil used instead of plain MT-90?

[jimGTS]

LSD is a sealed unit, you cant change this out....

[pta]

Is is originally a viscous unit? I thought it has clutch plates and the transmission oil will lubricate it.

[toxo]

Is is originally a viscous unit? I thought it has clutch plates and the transmission oil will lubricate it.

Stock turbo LSD is viscous.

[pta]

ok - since it is viscous unit...

It seems that MT-90 contains additives for LSD. Those are needed if using clutch type aftermarket LSD, because it need oil that has low friction.

On the other hand the syncros need more friction. Therefore I think that Redline 75W90NS is a better choise than MT-90.

I also found a recommendation from RedLine that instead of MT-90 one should use 75W90NS in Camry 4x4 and Celica GT4. AFAIK Celica shares the same gearbox with MR2 Turbo.

Because the limited-slip unit is viscous-coupled, the additives in 'limited-slip' lubricants (i.e. without the 'NS' suffix) serves no purpose.

Opinions?

[Shmed]

Not a technically formed opinion, but my experience of Redline MT90 is not all that good. Used it in my last box, and that got totally fuct in less than 500 miles. I'm not blaming the oil necessarily as the box was second hand, so I could've just been sold a duffer! I'll be seeking advice on which oil to use on my overhauled box, but am considering an alternative 75/90 full synth oil.

I've got pics of my nailed box somewhere. My diff got screwed too, not sure if that is related to the oil either though.

[toxo]

Celica does share the same gearbox BUT it has a feckin massive transfer box where the diff should be.