Hi Guys,

New to the forum and need some help please. Just recently bought an 99 Uno 1.1 Mia. I am busy changing the CV's joints (both inner and outer), and came across a stumbling block. When changing the inner cv, i noticed that its not your "normal CV" (i always drove a VW golf, and the inner looks very similar to the outer, and bolts onto the gearbox), but instead on the Uno it has a "tripod" with bearings which fits directly into the gearbox, and is not fixed onto the gearbox with any bolts.Then the CV boot goes over this. Now when i removed the complete shaft, oil started running out from the gearbox, from where i removed the inner cv. Is this gearbox/transmission oil?

Once i fit the complete shaft again, should i then just top up the gearbox with gearbox/transmission oil? Also, is there anything in place that prevents this oil from running out of the CV boot once fitted. Or does the "tripod" create a seal in the gearbox which prevents this? Or should i just ensure that the boot has a tight seal?

Many thanks for any help. The car is currently standing without any CV's, and i need this fixed asap.

Thanks.

Hello and welcome to the forum :wave:

Yes the oil coming from your gearbox when you remove the tripod joint/ driveshaft is gearbox oil. Earlier models used this 'wet' design of joint and the driveshaft rubber boot is what holds the oil in the gearbox. Make sure yours is in good condition when you reassemble (if not replace it) and fill the gearbox up with oil as per guidelines. If you have a Haynes manual you'll find details of all the above in it.

Good luck!

Thanks for the reply.

Is it safe to assume that the gearbox oil has now drained completely by now, leaving the gearbox empty. As i dont have a haynes manual, would anyone know how much oil should be topped up, to fill it again.

Thanks,
Leigh

Welcome to the Forum

According to the Haynes manual the gearbox uses 2.4 litres of oil
With this being FIAT ZC90 gear oil

When I went to our local Motorfactor to get some oil we had a long debate about the type of oil that should be used
We decided that a mineral based SAE90 gear oil would do

A search on here did confirm that ZC90 oil is FIATs name for SAE 80W/90 oil

DON't be tempted to use a synthetic or even a semi-synthetic oil as it will destroy the bearings in the gearbox
EP oil will also damage the gearbox
EP90 is an extreme pressure oil and should not be used in a non hypoid gearbox

As for draining/topping up
If you look at the front of the gearbox, adjacent the radiator, you should see a couple of recessed hexagonal drive plugs [they look similar to your sump plug] on the front vertical face of the gearbox
The lower one is the gearbox drain plug
The higher one is the gearbox filling plug
By pulling out the inner CVs you've probably drained the majority of the oil, certainly from the diff casing in any case
But it would probably be just as well to remove both plugs to drain the last bit of old gearbox oil out.

Once you finished replacing the CV boots and have the driveshafts back in the gearbox put the drain plug back in
[obviously..... . . . . I will admit I forgot that ONCE!]
Then I find a large funnel attached to a clean [new] short bit of garden hose is the perfect thing for re-filling
The hose is just the right size to get in the filler hole, and not too small that it takes ages for the oil to run into the gearbox.
Basically fill the gearbox via that top filler hole until it starts spewing out of the hole....then it will be full to the right level.
Put the filler plug back in, job done

Best of luck
Jo0Lz

Can we get a picture of where the plugs are please?

I've been meaning to do my gearbox oil for a while now.

Ucof said:

Can we get a picture of where the plugs are please?

I've been meaning to do my gearbox oil for a while now.

Click to expand...

Some people are NEVER satisfied.....

Hi Jo0Lz ,

Thanks for all your help with. It will sure make my job much easier.

Cheers

Also, what is "gearbox"?

jo0lz said:

Welcome to the Forum

According to the Haynes manual the gearbox uses 2.4 litres of oil
With this being FIAT ZC90 gear oil

When I went to our local Motorfactor to get some oil we had a long debate about the type of oil that should be used
We decided that a mineral based SAE90 gear oil would do

Click to expand...

I also went to a local motor factor who looked up in his oil bible, and then found that HD40 diesel oil is suitable for my Uno 70SX (Strada based) gearbox. I've been running mine with this for the past two years with no ill effects

Further still, the Uno Haynes manual recommended 20/50 or 15/40 engine oil for some gearboxes! I ran my previous 999cc FIRE Uno gearboxes on this for tens of thousands of miles and the gearboxes were still going strong

jo0lz said:

DON't be tempted to use a synthetic or even a semi-synthetic oil as it will destroy the bearings in the gearbox
EP oil will also damage the gearbox
EP90 is an extreme pressure oil and should not be used in a non hypoid gearbox

Click to expand...

I've never heard of synthetic or semi-synthetic oil damaging gearbox bearings

EP oil yes, because it contains additives (I think sulphur is one of them) that attacks the gearbox bearings in gearboxes not designed to take this oil.

jo0lz said:

As for draining/topping up
If you look at the front of the gearbox, adjacent the radiator, you should see a couple of recessed hexagonal drive plugs [they look similar to your sump plug] on the front vertical face of the gearbox
The lower one is the gearbox drain plug
The higher one is the gearbox filling plug
By pulling out the inner CVs you've probably drained the majority of the oil, certainly from the diff casing in any case
But it would probably be just as well to remove both plugs to drain the last bit of old gearbox oil out.

Once you finished replacing the CV boots and have the driveshafts back in the gearbox put the drain plug back in
[obviously..... . . . . I will admit I forgot that ONCE!]
Then I find a large funnel attached to a clean [new] short bit of garden hose is the perfect thing for re-filling
The hose is just the right size to get in the filler hole, and not too small that it takes ages for the oil to run into the gearbox.
Basically fill the gearbox via that top filler hole until it starts spewing out of the hole....then it will be full to the right level.
Put the filler plug back in, job done

Click to expand...

:yeahthat:

Went and took some photos with my phone for Ucof
Darn phone will not connect to my PC for me to upload them
BUT did notice I was WRONG in my description of where the gearbox draing plug is
Its on the lower part of the diff casing towards the back of the gearbox
[not the front]
Will take some photos tomorrow and post them here

As for the question of sythetic oils damaging the bearings
Just consider that these FIAT gearboxes are 'old skool' designed at a time when mineral oils were the only lubricant readily available.
AND
I'm pretty sure the gearbox in our Uno has been run for a while with thinner synthetic oil put in it by the previous owner as it was leaking out past the gaskets and now wiht the correct oil it whines and chatters like its pretty worn out

Hi,

I also checked, and the drain plug is on the uunderside of the gearbox. Take it that the filler plug is on the from of the gearbox (as previously refferd to)

Anyone knows what size allen key this takes. I need to buy one, and woulndt know which size to buy, as its not in my standard set..this thinglooks huge (about 15mm?)

OK
here is a pic showing the location of the drain plug

[viewed from underneath the car]

AND
here is a pic showing the location of the filler plug

[viewed from above from the engine bay with bonnet open]

AND
here is a picture that shows BOTH
So you can get a better idea of their relative positions

[viewed from the front of the car, pic taken from just behind the front bumper]

The tool I have [which also does the engine sump plug by the way]
is actually a 12mm hex drive sump plug key/bit
that sort of looks like this . .


Hope this all helps

Awesomeness.

Thanks

Thanks Jo0Lz...your the man!

Well done Joolz, the second photo of both makes it very clear.

I have Castrol VMX in my 88 Uno 60s g/box.
It did quienten down my noisy bearings and help the dodgy synchro a bit

uno27 said:

turkey has a shortage of spare parts

Click to expand...

SO
What you looking for?
GO post in the wanted section
Wanted-Parts-Uno

:yeahthat:

Thanks for posting the links to the classifieds Joolz

Uno27, I see that you are from Turkey and appreciate that English is likely not your first language. However, could you introduce yourself to the forum a bit more please so we know a bit more about you and your interest in Unos? Also, please try and keep threads on topic. You are more than welcome to start a new thread on a new subject if you want to discuss anything Uno that way

Chas Uno said:

However, could you introduce yourself to the forum a bit more please so we know a bit more about you and your interest in Unos?

Click to expand...

Hi, my name is Ucof and my interest in Unos is a purely sexual one.
That wasn't mayonaise I found in the breather pipe...

Ucof said:

Hi, my name is Ucof and my interest in Unos is a purely sexual one.
That wasn't mayonaise I found in the breather pipe...

Click to expand...

Perv!

Hang on, so that sticky stuff I got on my hands when I removed the fuel tank from your dad's car WASN'T grease?

:yuck: