I'd like to check, and maybe, top-up the gearbox oil level in my Panda 4x4 1.2. I've had a look at a couple of previous threads on gearbox oil and it looks a bit like 'hunt the drain & filler plug'. Just wondered if anyone has experience of checking/topping up the petrol 4x4 gearbox?

I'm guessing it's just a case of topping up the oil level until it starts dribbling out of the filler hole? - but I don't want to overfill and bu***r up the gearbox ....hence my question.

Can anyone advise please?

Filler plug is on the front of the gearbox.
As you say, fill until oil is just dribbling out of the filler hole.

Here's a photo that shows the filler plug, taken from the front of the car. It needs a large Allen key to remove it. Note that the 4x4 uses different gearbox oil to the other Pandas, using a fully synthetic oil (detailed in the separate 4x4 supplement to the instruction book). Fiat (of course) suggest a Tutela oil (supplied by their own company, Fiat Lubricants), but Castrol SMX-S meets the same spec and is more readily available.

I found reaching the filler plug was very tricky from above, and instead removed the 4x4's metal sump guard/undertray and worked from under the car. Note: the undertray is very heavy: prop it on a trolley jack while undoing the six bolts that hold it (2 at each front corner and one at each back). Then lower the jack and roll the tray out on it. A good dollup of copperslip on the bolts on refitting, again using the jack to take the weight makes the task easier next time.

The drain plug is a similar Allen-headed affair on the bottom of the gearbox, near the back, although on the 4x4 I believe the oil also goes down into the transfer gear to the rear propshaft, so assume there's another drain for that...

Slightly OT. In the pic above, whats that funny coil thing?

Most Easterly Pandas said:

Slightly OT. In the pic above, whats that funny coil thing?

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Don't know (yet...). Dark and raining now but will look tomorrow!
P

Thanks for the info chaps. Looks a reasonably easy job (er..if the bolts come out OK) Think I'll take the opportunity to tidy up the rather scabby looking sump-guard tray thingie while it's off.

p.s. apologies for delay replying.... b***** work getting in the way of life as usual.

Most Easterly Pandas said:

Slightly OT. In the pic above, whats that funny coil thing?

Click to expand...

Thought I'd posted this reply before? that funny coil thing is the pipework to the hydraulic clutch release. As well as that coil, it passes through what looks like some sort of restrictor which is mounted under the front wheelarch, just above the driveshaft. (Left hand drive Panda's have a cable-operated clutch, but they use hydraulics when they make the RHD)

Herts Hillhopper said:

Fiat (of course) suggest a Tutela oil (supplied by their own company, Fiat Lubricants), but Castrol SMX-S meets the same spec and is more readily available.

Click to expand...

What's the oil grade / viscosity out of interest? Want to make sure I get the right stuff from my motor factors

Most Easterly Pandas said:

What's the oil grade / viscosity out of interest? Want to make sure I get the right stuff from my motor factors

Click to expand...

I don't have that car now, but believe it was 75W90, fully synthetic gear oil (the 2WD specified a semi-syth gear oil). Castrol have changed their range names and SMS-X is now called Castrol Synstrans.
(the handbook for my 2013 4x4 states 75W-85 grade fully synthetic gearbox oil... may well havebeen the same for the older car?)

Herts Hillhopper said:

I don't have that car now, but believe it was 75W90, fully synthetic gear oil (the 2WD specified a semi-syth gear oil). Castrol have changed their range names and SMS-X is now called Castrol Synstrans.
(the handbook for my 2013 4x4 states 75W-85 grade fully synthetic gearbox oil... may well havebeen the same for the older car?)

Click to expand...

Ta for that, I'll double check the handbook in the morning