refilling Tranny and OD with oil

[sammyb]

Is it just me, or do other folks with TR3s with Overdrive never seem to be able to get the specified 3.5 pints of fluid into the system?

Does the OD not fill up unless the car is moving? I know it says drive, then top-up, but I have about 2.5 pints in there, and it's already flowing back out the hole.

Any suggestions would be great.

(By the way, sorry for the long absence from BCF. I have been neglecting my TR3 this year...but I'm back now!)

 

[Geo Hahn]

Did you drain it only thru the usual drain plug or did you remove the big brass plug & clean the filter?

 

[Harry_Ward]

Welcome back,

I assume the car is on a level surface. Sometimes if you pump it in too fast dependent on the oil wt. you are using it will for some reason flow back out the plug and appear to be full. I've noticed this to occur with heavier wt oils more frequently than light. Let it sit a while to burp and try again. You are about a pint low if you got it all out to begin with. Once full it's a good idea to run it, bleed it, and refill prior to taking it off the stands. Be real careful though.

 

[TR3driver]

Also, do you have the car level ?

It does take a long time for the oil to run back into the OD, but as I recall I can usually get 3 pints (US) in there and then top up again the next day. BTW, my book says drain & refill is only 3.3 pints.

 

[MGTF1250Dave]

Aloha Sammy,

Welcome back. Good advice from everyone and I have nothing to add. Just wanted to say hi.

 

[sammyb]

Thanks guys.

Yes, I did remove the oil from the OD via the BBP (big brass plug) /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif It is also level (it's on the ground -- it is easier for me to take the tranny tunnel out and fill from above than to try to fill from under the car on jack stands.

It is heavier oil -- I had 30wt ND in there, but the OD was slipping when cold and not engaging at all at warm, so I'm going heavier.

If you all have experienced this slow fill issue, that makes me feel much better. I'll go out and check to see if it will take more now.

 

[Geo Hahn]

...it is easier for me to take the tranny tunnel out and fill from above than to try to fill from under the car on jack stands...

2 ways to avoid removing the tunnel or raising the car...

I fill the TR3A with a funnel and a short tube run down from the engine compartment -- the funnel being alongside the fuel pump. You can just see the drain plug looking down in there.

On the TR4 I had the tunnel off so I cut some holes for oil change and OD service. Of course that's cardboard so a bit easier to work. For the oil hole I used a plug like the one for getting at the front U-Joint zerk, though some use a jack-hole plug which allows a larger hole.

 

[TR3driver]

Or, you could always convert to the early (pre-50K) gearbox top cover, with the dipstick. That's what that hole in the RH side of the tunnel is for.

I believe it will bolt right onto the late TR3 box. For a 4-synchro TR4-6 box, you'll need to rebuild it with the later shift rails & forks from your old top cover.

 

[sammyb]

I should admit that under the nice carpet, my metal gearbox cover is only held in with two screws. (Who needs bolts /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif ) It's really easy to take out and put back in for just this reason.

By the way, I wound up jacking the front of the car up just a little. It's backed into the garage, which means there's just enough slant for water to run out, which means if there's any front spring settling, the oil will pool away from the OD.

So with a little jacking, it took all 3.5 pints. Now to see if the OD will work without slipping!!! (Otherwise, there's a rebuild in the future.)

 

[toysrrus]

Hi There Sammy;

Just a note of Welcome back to the BCF:

I would love to see a pic of the Ferrari & Your TR3:

Please either post them here or email myself at: toysrus@ptd.net

Regards, Russ /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/banana.gif