A Good Source of LT71141...

[CitroJim]

I've got the official procedure if you want it Ben. Just PM me..

I use a funnel on the end of a plastic tube.. I find it'll prop itself up against the air-box bracket quite happily but filling is a slow old job...

I'm lucky in having dipsticks in both of mine which makes things a little easier...

[Ben82]

Thanks Jim,
is it this one?

If so, then I already have it. The problem I have with it, is my level of understanding is far more basic, didn't even know where the gearbox was , until I was looking around for any hints to my clicking noise, when I noticed something that looked familiar from something else I was reading to do with the gearbox... and that pug guide helped me realise that "oh yes that's where it is".

Actual photos and finger pointing is quite handy for an average joe like me

[CitroJim]

That's the one Ben...

[Sam KS]

Sorry, getting my oils mixed up. Penrite MHP is LT71141 Spec. there are many others that cover the LT71141, i was having coffee with the Total/Elf state manager today discussing this exact product.

http://www.penriteoil.com.au/products.p ... roducts=38" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[CitroJim]

Sorry, getting my oils mixed up. Penrite MHP is LT71141 Spec. there are many others that cover the LT71141

No it's not Sam

It's a general synthetic ATF that can be used in some applications where LT is recommended. It is not a direct substitute for the genuine LT71141 which is made only by Mobil and the only ATF approved for use in the HP20 by ZF...

[Ben82]

I'm guessing it would be a bad idea to do a drain and refill of the existing oil (what comes out the bottom gets put back in the top) to do a "spot check" on it's condition? (i.e to try to make up my mind beforehand on whether to go for a single ~4-5l change or whether to dive in and go for the 20l barrel).

[Mandrake]

Yes it would be a bad idea IMO, not only are you putting back dirty oil unnecessarily despite doing all the work of an oil change, any dirt on the bottom of the gearbox that gets into the collection tray as the oil runs along the bottom of the gearbox is going to go back into the gearbox, which is a very bad idea.

You want a spotlessly clean funnel and pipe to put oil in the gearbox, and its usually recommended to put filter paper in the funnel as well, although I confess I've been lazy and not used a filter when changing mine. (I am pouring brand new oil directly from the bottles into the funnel though, and being very careful not to allow any foreign bodies into the funnel)

Another problem you would run into is inevitably some oil will stick the gearbox and need wiping off, stick to the collection tray, some will probably spill on the ground etc, so you would not be putting back as much oil as you drained out, and the level is quite critical.

If you're unsure about the condition of the oil then get enough oil for a single change first and then go from there depending on how dirty the oil that comes out is... have a look near the end of my V6 broken exhaust thread (probably a few pages back now) where I show photos of the oil opacity after each change...

[Ben82]

SImon, thanks, figured as much.

Finally after a bit of hunting I found the pic of your vials (about 15 pages back )

What's the suggestion for the filter paper? would coffee filter paper do the trick? (they love their filter coffee over here so is dead easy to get some )

and being very careful not to allow any foreign bodies into the funnel

I'll try to keep the swedes out of my funnel

[myglaren]

Keep an eye out for those damned mangold-wurzels too!

[CitroJim]

And turnips...

I just pour clean oil straight from the container into a calibrated jug and then into the gearbox via pipe and funnel.

I make sure said jug, funnel and pipe are clinically clean before starting and normally wash and blow dry them with solvent...

[Mandrake]

I was using a kitchen measuring jug with a scale to begin with too Jim, but I found that since I was using the 1 litre oil bottles with a built in scale it was easier to just use that to measure out the first 3.5 litres or so directly into the funnel without all the extra double handling of pouring it into a measuring jug then into the funnel... One less thing to need to keep spotlessly clean.

Then I would finish the last half litre with small top-ups interspersed with going through the measurement process... (engine idling, go through the gears before measuring etc) Because my ground is not perfectly level I'd also have to check the oil level with the car facing one way, repeat the measurement with it facing the other way, and take the half way point between the two readings! (even a small tilt affects the dipstick reading a lot) Finally I would check the level once more after a quick drive around the block.

Somewhat tedious, but after 4 oil changes in the last few months I feel like I'm an old hand at it now.

[Ben82]

Been going through the prices for my selfservice thread and saw that oeldepot's prices exclude 19% VAT.... have updated my post in this thread.. it still works out about £20 cheaper if you account for the delivery costs from both suppliers.

[PavlosV6]

Perhaps then, one should be wary of this one on eBay:

"CITROEN XM 3LTR 24V EXCLUSIVE,
W REG YEAR 2000.
MUST BE ONE OF THE LAST ONES EVER REGISTED.
TAXED AND MOTD.BLACK LEATHER TRIM,ALL THE TOYS.
JUST HAD A S/H AUTO BOX FITTED,[STRIPPED,CLEANED AND REBUILT BEFORE FITTING.ALSO A RECON TORQUE CONVERTOR AT THE SAME TIME.7 LTRS OF THE CORRECT AL4 GEAR OIL SUPPLIED.CAR DRIVES FIRST CLASS.CLEAN TIDY SILVER PAINTWORK AND ALLOYS.
CAR IS BEING IMPROVED DAY BY DAY."

Stands back and waits for Jim to pounce

[CitroJim]

Stands back and waits for Jim to pounce

I nearly did. Had I not found mine I may well have...

This one is being sold by a reputable dealer well-known in XM circles - It's one of Malcolm Savoy's...

[CitroJim]

I've only just received my barrel of LT...

I was getting seriously worried as emails to the company said it was sure to be with me very soon or that day but it never arrived...

I gave them a call in some concern earlier in the week and it turns out the first barrel got damaged by the courier - must have been very messy and smelly - who kept a bit sthum about it and sheepishly returned the damaged barrel.

The company then had no stock of LT but worked to find some and then despatched it as fast as they could with a different courier.

They promised today and they were good to their word

The XM can have a gearbox oil change now...