What's the technique to make sure when changing the gear box and diff oils that the level is correct. I'm going to have to jack the car up to get underneath and do the work, and I'm prettu sure that the levels will be out. Any suggestions?

My thoughts;

Differential
Jack up rear and drain oil. Refill until it starts to overflow. Lower car to horizontal and allow excess to drain out, raise again and put in sump plug

Gearbox
Same, except I'm not sure how to measure whilst the car is horizontal (without getting underneath). You never know until you try,

Advice please?

Goodo

 

Rear Diff.

Loosen the Filler plug first & then the Drain plug, There is nothing worse than draining the Oil & you cannot fill it back up because the fill plug is Blinkin Seized !!!!

Once drained you should be able to fill the rear diff when it's on the level (unless it is excedingly Low) even if you have to jack the car up afterwards with the fill plug hand tight to get the room to tighten it fully.

GearBox

Jack up to gain access to the drain plugs, Remove plugs & drain, Lower car down then remove Dipstick (As explained later)whilst you go for a brew & it drains fully.
Jack car up replace Plugs.
Lower car to a level.
Using approx 1.5 feet of Garden Hose attached to a Funnel, Remove the gearBox Dipstick, (located behind, To the left & under the intercooler, Near the Turbo) Insert funnel & hose where the Gearbox Dipstick was removed from, Fill slowly with the stated ammount of gearbox oil. Remove funnel etc , let settle then dip. Top up as required.
When you have been for a run & the car has settled re-check & top up again if necessary.
Dean

 

Cheers dean,

The repair manual talks about applying three bond 1205 or similar to the differential drain plug threads? I'm assuming this is a liquid gasket. Is this necessary, or is it the sort of thing you can get away with no doing (like using a new sump plug washer each time for example)

I need to get me some garden hose and a funnel, now where's my nearest B&Q................?

goodo

 

I don't think you will find many people that bond/seal the plugs, they are a course thread so potentially could leak, Personally i would not bother, if you were worried you could apply some PTFE tape to the threads.
Dean

 

Cheers Dean

 

PTFE, would it melt into the threads during hard driving and the oil heats ? My stock bolts have not leaked.

 

Or read the hand book and put in the amount stated .

 

some ptfe tape plastic tape for everything