The gearbox oil should be changed every 40,000 miles.

The manual gearbox on a 1998, 1.9D takes around 1.85-2 litres of 75W80 oil.

As always, take care when working under a vehicle. Apply the handbrake, put the vehicle in 1st gear, chock the rear wheels and use axle stands. It's probably wise to wear safety specs to as splashes of oil and other engine bay crud are not fun on the eyeballs

Warmer gearbox oil drains quicker so you may want to do this after a run out.

Raise up the front of the vehicle (either jack or raise on ramps, etc).

You will need an 8mm square drain plug key and a torque wrench if you're doing things by the book. Also handy is a funnel with a flexible filler pipe. A blowtorch is optional to rework the copper washer, or you may just replace it with a new one.

  • Undo the drain plug carefully, being ready to catch the 2 litres of oil which will fall out. Mind that you don't lose the copper-crush washer in the old oil.
  • Whilst the oil is draining, take the copper washer aside and use a blowtorch to heat it until it is cherry red then drop it into some cold water. This should anneal it so that it can be used again.
  • Clean the plug, add the copper washer (or a new one) and refit in to the empty gearbox.
  • Tighten the plug to 30Nm

At this point the vehicle may be dropped again, however, if you drop anything whilst working in the engine bay then you may need to get back under again.

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