auto box fluid change

deian · Post by **deian** » 13 May 2007, 14:02

Hi,

The box is a 4HP20. It will need an oil change, whether say sealed for life or not. I will do it myself. The plan is to drain it by removing the drain plug, my dad has a hand operated suction thing to properly suck oils and even water from mechanic machines. I've read on the technical document there is about 8 litres of oil in the auto box, and only 3 litres will come out, hence the need to suck the remaining 5 litres out.

But before medling down there with the critical oil, what kind of oil is it? And where do I refill it?

I took the airbox off yesterday and saw the autobox oil dipstick, and not far from it a blue turny thing that may be the filling plug, it turns but doesn't come off, i didn't want to pull it incase i broke anything critial.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deiz92/496117689/

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 13 May 2007, 14:57

As far as I can find out the fluid is only available from dealers, its part number is 9736 22 @ about £15 per litre

You'll only be able to get just over 2 litres out each change due to most of it remaining within the torque converter. Drain it by simply removing the sump plug then refill via the dip stick hole using a funnel/tube.

When refilling make sure the level is correct when hot as over/underfilling will damage the box. As a guide, refill to the bottom mark on the dipstick when cold. Level checking is done engine running with the gear lever positioned in park.

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 13 May 2007, 16:19

The blue turny thing is the breather. It will pop off with gentle persuasion. Under this is a steel funnel which is a interference fit in the gearbox housing and also pulls off with a little more persuasion. Both parts are available as spares. On later boxes there is no dipstick so you have to use the breather hole to refill.

When I changed mine I managed to coax 4 litres out of it. I think I may well do another change soon as I'm taking the old girl back to the motherland in June to do a bit of house hunting, so there will be a couple of thousand miles of péage to deal with.

deian · Post by **deian** » 13 May 2007, 16:44

Mine has the dipstick, so I reckon I will fill it down the dipstick hole as dickie suggested, but if filling down the breather is easier i will do this.

The oil sounds expensive from the dealer, surely there must be something cheaper somewhere else, the oil is Esso LT71141.

I will suck out most of the oil with a sucking thing. So hopefully it will be mostly virgin as compared to half n half (or even 2/3 vs 1/3)

rossnunn · Post by **rossnunn** » 13 May 2007, 17:46

Out of interest, how much would a dealer charge for this to be done?

deian · Post by **deian** » 13 May 2007, 18:55

IF they do it?? It's supposed to be sealed for life. But it would be 'interesting' to find out.

I'm looking for that Esso LT71141 oil, quite hard to find isn't it.

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 13 May 2007, 19:49

deian wrote:IF they do it?? It's supposed to be sealed for life. But it would be 'interesting' to find out.

I'm looking for that Esso LT71141 oil, quite hard to find isn't it.

Got mine at a Cit dealer, they should hold it in stock.

deian · Post by **deian** » 13 May 2007, 19:55

But it's expensive isn't it, i'm gonna buy 8 litres of it, because i plan to suck ALL of it out someway or another. How much did you pay for it?

Does it actually say it's Esso L71141 on the bottle?

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 13 May 2007, 20:38

deian wrote:But it's expensive isn't it, i'm gonna buy 8 litres of it, because i plan to suck ALL of it out someway or another. How much did you pay for it?

Does it actually say it's Esso L71141 on the bottle?

Hmm, you'll only get all of it out if you remove the gearbox etc

I'd be wary about poking tubes inside the box as you run the risk of pushing contaminants inside.

I paid £27.97 for four litres on Friday and that was with a discount. Sorry about the price on the previous post I thought the bottles were one Litre but having pulled one out I see they're two litres. Bearing that in mind I knew I got just over two bottles out last time so you'll get about four litres out as Stempy suggests.

On the bottle it say "Esso ATF 4HP20 AL4".

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 13 May 2007, 20:45

deian -

try a google on 'Esso LT71141'
the interesting result is the many links to discussion forums on VW, Audi, BMW where owners have exactly the same problems : box sealed for lifetime according to dealers

The ZF box itself is known to be reliable, but worldwide spread of the 'sealed for life' statement seems to be an OEM user (car manufacturer) statement, simply to increase sales

I'd recommand you try a customer enquiry directly on ZF-UK agent's homepage to clarify the question. I'm sure they could also advice on a couple of alternative fluids other than 'Esso' or 'Citroen' if asked.

After all ZF would be highly interested in satisfied customers to stay in business

deian · Post by **deian** » 13 May 2007, 20:51

I've also done the google search too, and got the links to the forum thread relating to bmw's and vw cars.

I think i will have to email ZF to find out more, failing that it will have to be the dealer stuff

as for poking tubes inside, i will make sure it will all be clinically clean, and it won't go in far, the point is, if i want to use a suction pump then i will have to create a seal where the drain plug is or it will suck in air around the plug rather than suck the oil out, i will see how much oil i will get as it goes into the suction canister....

http://www.sealey.co.uk/PLPageBuilder.a ... uctid=8516

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 13 May 2007, 21:30

I know this doesn't really help, and in effect it's only half the story;
in the Bristol Trade-It free ads newspaper a few years back there
was ALWAYS an ad on the front of the Motoring section offering auto
gearbox fluid transfusion - the guy had a mobile kit and would change
the fluid at your home or place of work etc...

Went quiet after a while - not sure if there was no demand or there
were 'complications' with gearboxes he'd done!

So, the job of a complete fluid change is/was available if you know
where to look!

Andrew