Drifting STi

This is kind of embarrasing but I checked the manual, service manual, searched threads, got under the car and I still can't find the thing. Anyway.....when I do find it, what gear oil and wieght should I use?

xsboost90

hahaha..under the back of the car, drivers side i believe of the trans, there are two large 19mm screws, allen screws. The bottom one drains the fluid out. Put that one back in and fill in the upper one till it overflows out of the top hole, then its full. I use Redline fluid from paragon-products.com but mobil one can also be used or at least is a popular equivalent- not sure what weight- i believe 75-90 but check paragon for trans fluid and that will tell you.

Dave in Chicago

Assuming it's a manual transaxle (stick), one checks the level by by removing the top of two hex-head plugs in the side (17mm if I recall). Level should be about 1 finger width (say, half an inch) below the opening to that hole.

If you don't know when it was last changed, buts bet is to drain and replace it anyway. Cheep, easy (relatively) and good for transaxles.

Always remove the upper plug first before draining. Too many folks pull the lower one only to find the top one butchered or rounded out (no way to fill it back up then).

If it's an automatic you have, just ignore the above as I have never even seen a 944 with an automatic.

Dave in Chicago

Simultaneous posts... I need to learn to type faster...

xsboost90

haha, the auto is much easier. Self explainitory really. i think it IS 17mm though.

Dave in Chicago

17mm allen head (strange size sold by sponsors here as well). I have not had enough coffee this evening...

For the record, I just filled the 968 tranaxle with Mobil 1 gear oil and it seems to be quieter. That surprised me. Maybe the lack of interior bits is distorting my perception?

SDGuy

NAPA sold me a 17mm allen wrench packaged as a "VW Transmission Wrench" for $6.50. I had to use a one foot piece of 1" pipe as a leverage bar since the PO had those plugs in tight. Transaxle oil change is as easy (and less messy) than an engine oil change. My 86 NA needed about 2 1/3 quarts of Redline MTL Synthetic. The advice to loosen the top filler plug first is important. Also get a 5 foot length of 3/4 inch clear tubing at the hardware store to use as a filler tube with a thin tip funnel. Route the filler tube over your left rear tire to the filler hole and use two people to avoid a mess. The clear tubing really helps you know the tubing has emptied.

Techno Duck

I have the allen key needed for the drain/fill plug. If you want to borrow it, let me know. I have changed the fluid before also, so if you need a hand i can help.

For a non LSD car, i used Redline MT-90. Cured my 2nd gear grind when shifting. You can get it at SKSpeed. They have two stores on Long Island, one in Lindinhurst and one in Rockville Center.

ibkevin

,

Sorry Drift, I couldn't resist That's the best one I've seen in a long time.

Dave in Chicago

While we're on the subject, you'll want to take a look at those plugs before starting the job. Previous owners/wrenches will likely have taken anything from ViceGrips to hammers to them. My 944 plugs were just about unusable.

The solution is simple. Get a plug or two from one of the sponsors here. They are only a buck or two as I recall. No fun putting one back in that may never come back out.

Also, you will find that heat and previous gorillas will likely have tightened the bloody things to a ridiculous level. Proper torque is 24 ftlbs on both plugs.

Drifting STi

You guys are just great! Thanx so much for pointing me in the right direction. BTW I have a manual Transaxle

Techno Duck, Thanx for the info. I havent been on the boards for a while, I forgot how good you guys are.

pearldrum944

$6.50 at Napa? I looked all over for a 17mm wrench and finally found one at sears for $12

IceShark

It is best if you can find an allen drive socket rather than using a allen key with a pipe over it as a lever. Then you can use a proper brealer bar on it and it is easier to make sure you have the allen drive in square to the hole and keep it that way. But finding just 1 17mm drive can be hard so some guys cut off a section of a key and weld it to an old socket, which works fine.

If you round the plug flats out you may have to drop the transaxle to get them out, which is a lot of work if you just wanted to change the oil. One guy not olny rounded out the filler plug but also cracked it ..... I don't know how he ended up getting that out.

The reason these plugs get so stuck is the hole is 17mm straight thread but the plug is 17 mm tapered pipe thread. You can really jam those two mismatched thread types together without too much effort.

Spider

When I bought my 17mm allen key @ Sears, the total w/ tax came to $9.44. I chuckled to myself as the sales girl ringing it up gave me an odd look.

RedlineMan

Deyuuuuh;

In the driver's seat!