Auto transmission identification / fluid drain

[catlotion]

I want to drain my transmission as I'm suspicious that a dexron type has been put in. However, I'm unable to locate the sump plug!I've poked about on the sump bottom butcan'tfind anything. I intend to drop the sump anyway and replace the gasket, but now paranoid that the gearbox isn't a BW35 as I thought.

I've got lots of history with the car and the engine was replaced in 1989 but there's no mention of a gearbox change. It's a 1971 mk 1.

The other thing that's a bit confusing is I was checking the connections on the inhibitor/reverse light switch and it seems different to those on the diagrams I've seen (coming out of the box sideways) - my switch sits vertical with the connectors on the top...?

I don't want to drop the pan and find I've got the wrong gasket!

does anyone have anyideas please? photo attached of sump if anyone can shed any light on the mystery...

cheers,

Toby

[GATS]

imported post

hi toby, stop worrying, there is no plug in the sump, if you want to empty your oil you have to use the oil cooler pipe on the side. and forget the diagram, the inhibitor does stand upright, and is not like the drawing, at least on the mk2. paul

[marshman]

imported post

Hi Toby,

Don't know what box it is but the sump does not look like the one on my BW35 box. I know it quite well as I spent most of yesterday afternoon removing it from the car. It could be that it is a BW35 box from a different car and so has a different sump. There should be two strengthening bars, I forget what they are called, fitted to the front of the gearbox going to two brackets on the rear of the engine sump. One of the other guys on the forum, Russ????, can help identify it. There is a pic of my sump on another recent thread called "BW35 ATF Leak". Hope this helps.



Roger

[catlotion]

imported post

thanks guys! I'm still unsure what to do - drop the sump and then realise I can't get a gasket to replace, or just change the fluid using the cooler pipe... mmm..

it's strange if it's not a BW - I may try and read the identification plate through the transmission tunnel cover plate with a mirror or something (I can just see the end of it)

:?

[Guest]

imported post

Hi Toby, it is a BW 35, the inhibitor is correct, on the BW 65 it sticks out sideways. It's very likely that the sump gasket on most 35s is the same.

I incline to agree with Roger, the sump at least is probably not a Stag one, it should have a drain plug and the steady bars. It may be worth casting about for a used one of the right type. To drain this one, loosen then removethe dipstick tube, that'll get the level low enough to remove it. I would be reluctant to disturb the oil cooler pipes.

As you probably know, it will get VERY messy, tons of newspaper and rags. Enjoy. Martin.