Ford Type 9 oil change?

[supersportsp]

With a typical Ford Type 9 trans, is it considered a no maintenance item (ie sealed for life) or do you want to change out the fluid on it? They don't appear to have drain plugs, and I have read in some places you simply might just want to top them off.

 

What about a complete change out though? Do you suck out the old fluid out of the top plate and replace it with new stuff?

[pi7ot]

My T9 has a drain plug on the bottom.

If you pull the drive shaft and raise the front with an engine hoist (pulley type) or a cherry picker it won't hesitate to drain that way either.

 

There is a plate just behind the bell housing on my unit that has a vent tube. I fill via this opening.

I use Redline MTL.

The Box gets warm so I change the fluid.

 

m

[JohnCh]

Pi7ot, sounds like you may have a modified gearbox. The standard units have a single drain/fill plug on the driver’s side located about 3” up from the bottom and a similar amount from the front of the case. Some folks modify the case with a drain plug on the bottom, or add one to the removable top plate to make life easier.

 

BGH recommends a semi-synthetic 75W90 GL4 (NOT a GL4/5 blend), which I’ve never been able to find in the States. Instead I use Redline MT-90 (MTL is also a GL4, but slightly thinner 70W80). Interestingly, BGH strongly recommends against using Redline, as they claim to have seen rapid wear in boxes using it. From my conversations with them, it's not clear if there is evidence to support this, or if they've just seen a couple of bad boxes that happen to run Redline, so are now leary of the brand. I’ve run Redline gearbox oil in my cars for about the last 15 years with no problems, so I’ve opted to stick with it here.

 

-John

[supersportsp]

I definitely do not have a drain plug at the base. JohnCH is right in that some owners have modified the Type 9 with one. And I can see why on the Caterham. There is literally zero room between the driver's foot well and the side of the trans where the fill plug is. Seems like it means a transmission drop if you want to service it.

 

That is unless others have serviced it successfully from the top plate. I can get at this pretty easily. Thoughts? Suggestions?

[blami]

I've changed my fluid many times (I've had my Seven since 1993) and I've always simply removed the top inspection plate (10 small bolts I believe, need to be removed).

 

Suck out the old fluid and replace with new fluid. Try not to overfill---use the drain bolt located on the side of the trans. as your 'full level" mark.

 

There is a gasket between the inspection plate and the trans. but you should be able to reuse. If not this gasket and others are available from BAT (British American Transfer)

phone # 941 355 0005. http://www.batinc.net

 

 

Bart, 93 Caterham HPC

[supersportsp]

I've changed my fluid many times (I've had my Seven since 1993) and I've always simply removed the top inspection plate (10 small bolts I believe, need to be removed).

 

Suck out the old fluid and replace with new fluid. Try not to overfill---use the drain bolt located on the side of the trans. as your 'full level" mark.

 

There is a gasket between the inspection plate and the trans. but you should be able to reuse. If not this gasket and others are available from BAT (British American Transfer)

phone # 941 355 0005. http://www.batinc.net

 

 

Bart, 93 Caterham HPC

 

Thanks for the great info Bart. So, while you are filling it you watch from the top plate opening to see when it hits the side drain plug mark?

 

What oil are you running in your car?

[blami]

Yes, watch as you fill, a small flashlight is helpful to see the fill plug---bring fluid level to the bottom of the plug. It also helps to have your car level.

 

I have used different Redline fluids over the years. For general road and even light track use I would suggest Redline MT-90 manual trans. lubricant.

 

Bart

[supersportsp]

Yes, watch as you fill, a small flashlight is helpful to see the fill plug---bring fluid level to the bottom of the plug. It also helps to have your car level.

 

I have used different Redline fluids over the years. For general road and even light track use I would suggest Redline MT-90 manual trans. lubricant.

 

Bart

 

Thanks Bart and John for your help. Between John's blown up Type 9 view he sent me and Bart's info I deem this mystery solved. I hope to change out the fluid this week. Thanks guys!

[Sandfire]

I've been working on my 2005 Caterham recently. Air filter, oil change, clutch box oil. All started because breaks were not really stopping the car anymore so I had to bleed them and the problem is fixed.

 

I am replying to this old post because I spent a day trying to find the gearbox drain and it would appear from this thread that the T9 gearbox doesn't have a drain. So I pose the question - Do I need to mess with it? Sure I crunch gears once in a while, but that doesn't necessarily mean I need new gearbox oil. Bleeding the breaks, however, made a HUGE difference. Like, now the car stops. So I'm wondering.

 

Any thoughts from the group? Are people really removing the inspection plate from the top and sucking out the gearbox oil?

 

Thank you

 

Sandfire

[wemtd]

IIRC oil fill level is flush with the side plug. It is my understanding that ford designed it to not require fluid exchanges.

Dumping half your oil out the tail shaft when you pull the engine does not count as scheduled maintenance. It's just one of those things we all do but the T9 does not require.

[coffee break]

The oil in the gearbox shouldn't need changing in the same way as engine oil. It isn't dealing with combustion products like the oil in the engine. As long as the tranny isn't getting any crap coming in, it shouldn't need to be changed to remove the dirty fluid.

[papak]

On the advice of another owner, I welded a threaded bung in the right front corner of the cover to facilitate future servicing of the gearbox. Once you have filled the gearbox, you can mark a dipstick for reference. The right front corner is a location where the dipstick will reach the bottom of the case without screwing anything up. I have suctioned out the gear lube in the past through this port.

 

I eventually got got tired of the oily residue that accumulates on the top of the cover. The box is vented through a small hole in the cover that is baffled by an internal plate attached to the upper selector shaft pivot. I recently welded an AN-4 bung in this location (after drilling it to size). I attached a 12” SS hose using a 90 degree fitting and a straight fitting at the other end. To this I attached a cross drilled cap and secured it to the frame in front of the tunnel opening. Now everything stays clean and dry.