Well I have another one then !

[Hell Razor5543]

Redhead at the steering wheel of a Dante Red Xantia, expertly driven on the Red line (causing Red numerals on the Police speed device)!

[CitroJim]

I like how you put yet there. Redhead with a Xantia, sounds like a dream.

Redheads are loads of trouble by reputation... I have two red-headed Xantias and it hods good... One of mine has a magnetic attraction for big West Country rocks!

[white exec]

I once had an scary experience with a ginger p*ssy. Never again.
Our three are now grey, silver and white respectively.

[CitroJim]

Yes, ginger equals feisty

[Mandrake]

struggling to get oil into this thing !...any "sure fire methods" chaps

Are you trying to pour it into a cold gearbox ? That could be an issue...

You'd normally do an oil change when the gearbox is fully up to temperature both to drain as much as possible and also check the level when it's hot, and that probably helps the oil flow a lot better once it gets through the dipstick tube and starts warming up.

But if the gearbox has been sitting out in the cold for days it may be cold enough to turn the oil into treacle...

You can't run the engine at all with the oil drained out of the gearbox either to warm it up as that could damage the gearbox.

So you might just have to be patient, just pour in a funnel full at a time and go away while it slowly goes down (making sure debris like leaves can't get in there) or perhaps warm up the oil a bit before pouring it in. Even when the gearbox is hot it is a slow process to pour the oil in as it runs in quite slowly. (10-15 minutes for 3-4 litres)

As I said earlier, you really need the gearbox hot to do an oil change properly...

[wurlycorner]

Yuck, that gearbox oil certainly not in the best of health!
Hopefuly changing that should make a world of different (and I also hope your red head is a (well maybe ony a little) bit less dirty than that! )

[Stickyfinger]

UPDATE: (not on the RedHead)

Two oil changes later (the 2nd BLACK as the first, 3rd dip was red, I took it for a short drive (love country lanes....don't tell BiB)....after about 3 miles the box started to slip and quickly lost drive. I pulled in and noticed that no gears would drive, like clutch slip. There was a very slight change from a silent and smooth box to a faint WIRRing.

Park locks the box, Reverse does not generate drive either. About 5 mins later a short drive was possible but it soon "slipped" again. A few waits/restarts later I got it back.

Parked it, kicked it and walked off to feed the chickens, put the Pony to stable and give him a carrot, that is where I am at with it.

[wurlycorner]

Have you cleaned/changed the filter yet?

[Stickyfinger]

no, not yet. I thought I would describe the symptoms (now I have experienced them) before pouring more oil in and doing more work

[CitroJim]

I will be bringing you a manual on the 'box next week Alasdair... In fact we should have a bit of time to have a crafty look at it before the main event

[Mandrake]

Could be a blocked filter in the low pressure return supply to the pump. This can restrict the flow enough that the pump cant pump enough volume to maintain the rail pressure under "use" changing gears and transmitting drive, when the pressure drops below a certain point all the clutches release and you end up freewheeling as if you were in neutral.

Sounds similar to an AL4 I looked at a few years ago (thread somewhere on the forum) that did the same thing - worked ok for a couple of minutes after starting then lost all drive until you switched the engine off for a few minutes. On an AL4 you can connect a Lexia and I could actually see the rail pressure start at normal pressure and progressively fall until the clutches let go at just under one bar.

There's no ECU on a 4HP14 to measure rail pressure of course but the same problem with a blocked filter could cause similar symptoms I would think. So if the filter can be got at and removed on that box just by dropping a sump pan I would give that a try.

[Stickyfinger]

sounds the same as mine, switch off, wait 5mins then a short drive, rinse/repeat.....sump off tomorrow and a (petrol ? ) wash then ?

[Stickyfinger]

Well, I tried to move it up onto the ramps today....it will not move one inch........


SCRAPPING it if it does not move tomorrow.

[elma]

It is all Harry Potter to me...

I like hitting things with hammers

I do hope you've tried everything first.

[Stickyfinger]

Only those things that do not cost money, even when fixed the car is only worth £250 ......IF that.

Scrap hammer is hanging high