Hello everybody!

How to change gearbox oile? I know that there is an indicator on it to see if the level is ok & a bolt to tap it but how to change whitout taking out the whole engine.

Ole

You will have to comfortably be able to get under the car. Unless you are very slim,I would suggest that the car is either on a ramp, over a pit or, up on stands--NEVER NEVER work under a jack. The 'empty' plug is on the bottom of the gearbox; the 'fill and correct level' plug is on the right-hand side of the gearbox, between the drive shaft and the engine end of the bell-housing---it is a 13mm square. This plug is usually VERY tight, so the easiest way to remove it is to use a short 1/2in drive extension the wrong way round, i.e. the 'drive' square is put over the plug. Then put a 13mm socket over the other end of the drive and with a bar or ratchet, undo the plug. To refill the gearbox it is easier if you get yourself a large syringe to put the new oil into the gear-box. The correct level is when oil starts coming back out of the 'fill' plug hole. There is a difference of opinion as to what oil to put into the gearbox but I, as advised by "Castrol Classic Oils", use their 20/50 engine oil.

the hobbler said:

There is a difference of opinion as to what oil to put into the gearbox but I, as advised by "Castrol Classic Oils", use their 20/50 engine oil.

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Out of interest does it need to be Castrol 20/50 or will any 20/50 do?

Big Q said:

Hello everybody!

How to change gearbox oile? I know that there is an indicator on it to see if the level is ok & a bolt to tap it but how to change whitout taking out the whole engine.

Ole

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Hi Ole, you don't say which gearbox your car has. If it's the earlier, non-synchro I would go with the Fiat recommendations and use EP90. That way you get the best protection for your highly-stressed gears.

The most straightforward and reliable way to check the level, presuming you don't have vehicle lifting platform and the plug isn't overtightened, is to do this whilst the car is on on its wheels on level ground....I'm not all that slim but I can get at it easily.

I would be a bit scared at wrenching at the plug with the car on four stands and it might difficult to be sure that the car was actually level.

I suspect, any good quality 20/50 will suffice, but at the time we lived in Felixstowe and had a canal-boat which we kept at Rugby. When travelling to/from Rugby we were, at one point, only about 1-1/2miles from Swavesy where 'Wakefield House', the home of the the MG club and Castrol Classic Oils, is. I therefore used to make a slight detour and buy both the oil for the Fiat and the oil for the engine in the canal-boat (Castrol XL, a 'straight' 30 grade---it was a classic engine with no oil filter in the lubrication system). Seemed a sensible idea at the time!

Hello everybody!

I have an non-synchro gearbox. Thank you all for the reply. Have a great weekend.

Ole

Vitesse said:

Out of interest does it need to be Castrol 20/50 or will any 20/50 do?

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There's a big variation in the chemical composition of 20W50 oils and if it was also to be used in the engine, unless the oil specifically boasted about its high ZDDP content I would move on to another one that did. I don't know about the Castrol in that respect but there is definitely a lot going for this one both for the engine and the gearbox. (If you insist on using 20W50 ).

https://www.millersoils-shop.co.uk/classic-mini-oil-20w50-engine-oil

Can't, and won't, argue with that one Peter---First class oil company--we use it at the 'Classic Friendly' garage that I work at.

Big Q said:

Hello everybody!

I have an non-synchro gearbox. Thank you all for the reply. Have a great weekend.

Ole

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Will do Ole.

...and when you eventually get a synchro gearbox, maybe try this....

How much oil does the gearbox take? I've just ordered some EP90 into my local supplier.

hodgy18 said:

How much oil does the gearbox take? I've just ordered some EP90 into my local supplier.

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It's a stupid volume.....1.1litres.:bang:

Not meant as a stupid question---is that 1.1 litre 'wet' or 'dry'?. When draining a gearbox (or engine) the replacement quantity is always less than the '1st fill amount' due to not all the oil draining out. I would suggest that 1 litre is all that is required for a re-fill

Hopefully 1 litre will suffice as that's all I've ordered

the hobbler said:

Not meant as a stupid question---is that 1.1 litre 'wet' or 'dry'?. When draining a gearbox (or engine) the replacement quantity is always less than the '1st fill amount' due to not all the oil draining out. I would suggest that 1 litre is all that is required for a re-fill

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It's not stupid but it is pedantic.

When replying to a straight question I think that it's fair to give a quick and straight answer where possible. I make the assumption that someone with the genius to buy a Fiat 500 and the gumption to maintain it themselves doesn't necessarily need multiple peripheral details and issues explained alongside the answer.

So I could have said, "Buy at least two litres because one litre might be insufficient and in any case, you're almost certain to need to top-up before you get to the next oil change. "

But I didn't because I'm not that pedantic.

Touche! However Peter, I have realised that, and I mean no disrespect to any Forum member, a number of our new members are 'dipping their toes into the water', mechanically speaking when they buy a 500 so I try to give as complete an answer as I can---if that offends anybody, than I apologise.

the hobbler said:

Touche! However Peter, I have realised that, and I mean no disrespect to any Forum member, a number of our new members are 'dipping their toes into the water', mechanically speaking when they buy a 500 so I try to give as complete an answer as I can---if that offends anybody, than I apologise.

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There's almost nothing, (apart from extended flared wheelarches, pastel or metallic paint-schemes, custom interiors and instruments, Abarth replicas, tiny Italian-style, UK, number-plates, wide-wheels, white-wall tyres, rack and pinion steering, disc-brakes, adjustable dampers, propped-open engine-lids, massive exhausts and a few other things) that offends me Fiat 500-wise and I'm pretty sure that comprehensive answers don't offend anyone.

But the greater the number or words that anyone writes, the more likely they are to say something that is either contentious, irrelevant or plain wrong.....I've noticed that about my own postings in any case.

But anyway we're way off-topic now and I know that offends some people; so I'll stop right now.

En guarde, encore.

How to get on Peters "naughty" list. I've managed 5 items, can anyone better that


pastel or metallic paint-schemes. CHECK

custom interiors and instruments. CHECK
tiny Italian-style UK, number-plates CHECK

white-wall tyres. CHECK

massive exhaust. CHECK

lazylobster said:

How to get on Peters "naughty" list. I've managed 5 items, can anyone better that


pastel or metallic paint-schemes. CHECK

custom interiors and instruments. CHECK
tiny Italian-style UK, number-plates CHECK

white-wall tyres. CHECK

massive exhaust. CHECK

Click to expand...

Check (mate).

lazylobster said:

How to get on Peters "naughty" list. I've managed 5 items, can anyone better that

tiny Italian-style UK, number-plates CHECK

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I'm sure I will be adding to the list.....

fiat500 said:

Check (mate).

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I can beat that!
(1)---lowered suspension
(2)---wide mag-ally wheels (original Cromadora-Fergat)
(3)---wide wheel arches
(4)---disc brakes on front
(5)---engine cover open on props
(6)---Italian size front number plate (black and silver!)
(7)---Abarth style instrument cluster (last winters project)
(8)---Wood rimmed steering wheel (came with car--don't blame me)
(9)---Semi bucket seats (again, came with car--don't blame me)
(10)--Fully tuned 652cc engine--cam, ported head, bigger inlet valves, Dellorto FZD carb, sports exhaust, lighter flywheel and electronic ignition

I think I have remembered everything, but in my defence your honour, I did set out to build an "Abarth 695" replica, having worked for Radbourne Racing as a young mechanic. I wanted a project to keep me busy in my retirement and put a smile on my face whenever I drive it--something that I have achieved. Despite all the above work, it is no 'show-room queen'. I use it enough that some years i have to watch that I don't go above my 'insured mileage' (3,000 p.a.). I am a great believer in the adage--"classic cars should gather memories, not dust"