Technical Gearbox drainplug

[carpeter]

Hi
Can anyone confirm whether the lower bolt (partly undone) in this photo of a spare gearbox (2008 Panda) is the drainplug. If it isn't I can't see how the oil is drained. I ask because while doing some maintenance on my regular Fiat I thought I would change the oil but on removing the same bolt nothing came out.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Sorry to bring bad news but that is not the drain plug. the drain plug is like a smaller version of the filler plug. it's undone/tightened using an Allen (hex) key and you'll find it on the bottom of the back end of the final drive casing. It's rear facing and just to the side of the "dog bone" engine stabilizer.

I'm not entirely sure what that bolt is that you've undone but it's highly likely that it's doing something like locating a shaft in position.

Personally I wouldn't be driving it, or even starting the engine, until I had found out what this bolt does. It may be quite alright to simply tighten it up again - especially if you haven't driven the car with the bolt slack - But???

Gearbox and final drive are in unit and run on the same oil so pulling the plug on the back of the final drive drains the whole assembly.

 

[carpeter]

Thanks PAJ, I'll check it out tomorrow.

 

[09 johno]

I took that bolt out by accident thinking it was the drain bolt :doh:, I replaced it and have done a few thousand miles since at motorway speeds without issue.

I found the drain plug eventually, it is at the rear nearside on a small vertical surface.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Hi
Can anyone confirm whether the lower bolt (partly undone) in this photo of a spare gearbox (2008 Panda) is the drainplug.

Ok, I think I just found it. I think that bolt is the reverse idler shaft retaining bolt. So if it is and you just screwed it back in without moving the car or starting the engine you're probably going to be Ok!

Of course this forum is so wonderful one of our contributors published this:
https://www.fiatforum.com/cinquecen...e-gearbox-strip-down-gars2.html#content_start
It's actually for the cinq/seichento but is more or less the same. 15th picture down shows you bolt.
Hope that helps

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Just found this on you tube. I shows a later model car but mine is a 2010 60hp 1.2 Panda and it's exactly the same as this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlZGok3plGI&t=71s
You can clearly see the reverse idler shaft bolt below the filler plug if you look at the very beginning of the clip or at about 6 minutes in.

 

[09 johno]

looking at the oil stain around that selector bolt on the video, looks like someone had made the same mistake on that car as well !

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Or just not been too fussy about cleaning up after checking the level/adding oil. As you fill 'till the oil runs out the hole you're nearly always going to get some running down the outside of the 'box?

 

[koalar]

as long as the bolt screws back in its fine. The screw thread is actually in the shaft itself


you were lucky as that end of the shaft isn't located in hole. If the shaft had moved it would be a gearbox off job

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

as long as the bolt screws back in its fine. The screw thread is actually in the shaft itself


you were lucky as that end of the shaft isn't located in hole. If the shaft had moved it would be a gearbox off job

Thank you for that koalar, another wee bit of Fiat knowledge to file away. Just goes to support what I said about not starting or moving with the bolt slackened or removed?

It's not a bad thing to get into this habit generally. You can apply it to widely ranging situations regarding cars generally, and not just "mechanical bloopers". For instance my son in law - an aircraft engineer - about 18 months ago filled his diesel Kia with petrol (they also run a petrol runabout at home) whilst refueling half way up the M6 on their way to visit us. He realized, as he was replacing the nozzle on the pump, what he had done and went into the cashier to tell him what he'd done and the cashier told him to move the car so as not to block the pump station. My son in law, knowing not to start the engine (which would have pumped fuel through the system) asked for help pushing the car to the side and the attendant told him to just drive it as it wouldn't do any harm for just that short distance! Luckily my son in law managed to get another motorist to help and between him and their family the car was easily moved. He called a Fuel Rescue provider who attended in less than an hour, drained the tank and had them on the road again in short order. Had he started the engine it would have been a garage job and much more expensive.

 

[koalar]

years ago I took a wrong bolt out and a ball bearing fell into a gearbox. Working with no manual and undoing things to see whats what.

Happens less nowadays with the power of the internet. Someone has nearly always videoed most of the common operations which gives a good reference


Google and YouTube are your friends

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

years ago I took a wrong bolt out and a ball bearing fell into a gearbox. Working with no manual and undoing things to see whats what.

Happens less nowadays with the power of the internet. Someone has nearly always videoed most of the common operations which gives a good reference


Google and YouTube are your friends

The favorite always used to be shifter detent balls didn't it. They were nearly always backed up by a strong spring so just as you removed the shaft, or whatever, the ball/s would shoot out with great force and disappear under the work bench or down the nearest drain never to be seen again!

 

[DaveMcT]

Yes, it's a big American auto "transmission" but it shows why gearboxes scare most folks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puoPXdW5Cr0

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Yes, it's a big American auto "transmission" but it shows why gearboxes scare most folks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puoPXdW5Cr0

Lovely jubbly - a "proper" automatic! Stripped down they look absolutely terrifying don't they. Not so bad when you have some idea what you're doing though. The electronics on more modern boxes is another matter though. Once the pan is dropped you can see the ruddy great filter. Change the filter and renew the lubricant at around 50.000 miles and you'll get good reliable service from it.

 

[DaveMcT]

The You Tube thread has shown quite a few bodged but supposedly reconditioned 'boxes. I love how he just throws on the ratchet gun and pops stuff to one side. I'd be making notes labelling things and still get it mixed up.

I wonder what he thinks of the FCA 8 speed auto boxes.