How much fluid/oil is needed for gearbox

Engines, Transmissions & Final Drive questions and answers

Moderators: timk, Stu, zombie, Andrew, The American, Lokiel, -alex, miata, StanTheMan, greenMachine, ManiacLachy, Daffy

Relapse
Driver
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2016 3:15 pm
Vehicle: NA8

How much fluid/oil is needed for gearbox

Postby Relapse » Wed Jul 20, 2016 2:44 pm

Hey guys, did a service on my car a few days ago.
when changing to gearbox oil i accidentally spilt half a bottle.
Thus i only put 1.5 quarts of gearbox oil in.
Will this cause any problems or damage?
Obviously it would be ideal to just go get another bottle and top it up, but finances and time are rather limited right now, so i would prefer not to unless it will indeed cause trouble.
Sorry for what might seem like a noob question, dont have much experience with cars.

93_Clubman
Speed Racer
Posts: 11852
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 11:35 pm
Vehicle: Clubman
Location: Melbourne

Re: How much fluid/oil is needed for gearbox

Postby 93_Clubman » Wed Jul 20, 2016 3:01 pm

The Mazda MX5 NA8 Owner's Manual states manual transmission capacity is two litres.

User avatar
smy0003
Racing Driver
Posts: 1870
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2013 12:35 pm
Vehicle: NA8
Location: Melbourne

Re: How much fluid/oil is needed for gearbox

Postby smy0003 » Wed Jul 20, 2016 3:04 pm

Probably best to top it up.
You might get away with it, you might not. Gearbox oil is cheap for a small bottle.
[b]Then: Sunlight Silver NB8B
Now: Chaste White NA8

User avatar
hks_kansei
Speed Racer
Posts: 6154
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:43 am
Vehicle: NB8A
Location: Victoria

Re: How much fluid/oil is needed for gearbox

Postby hks_kansei » Wed Jul 20, 2016 7:03 pm

2 litre box
1 litre diff.

Not that you measure, just pump it in until it dribbles out the fill hole.

4 litre bottle of oil is about $30 and will do the diff and box with a bit to spare
1999 Mazda MX5 - 1989 Honda CT110 (for sale) - 1994 Mazda 626 wagon (GF's)

Relapse
Driver
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2016 3:15 pm
Vehicle: NA8

Re: How much fluid/oil is needed for gearbox

Postby Relapse » Thu Jul 21, 2016 2:00 am

looks like i had better buy some more oil and fill it to the top i guess.

also can anyone tell me if i need to replace the shifter oil as well?
i assumed the gearbox and the shifter base would be connected but this video shows otherwise. just not sure if it would be the same for a 99 nb 5speed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmbN5JTeiNQ

User avatar
beavis
Forum sponsor
Posts: 1405
Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2009 12:31 pm
Vehicle: NB8B - Turbo
Location: Melbourne

Re: How much fluid/oil is needed for gearbox

Postby beavis » Thu Jul 21, 2016 9:53 am

Gearbox
Use GL-4 grade oil (75-90)
Requires about 2litres

If 5 speed, you should suck out and replace the turret oil
If 6 speed, you do not need to replace turret oil.

Draining:
Remove the FILL plug first, then remove drain plug.

Filling:
Fill until oil spills out the fill hole.
You can only fill a 5 spd via the fill hole.
You can fill a 6spd from the turret or via the fill hole.

Diff
Use GL-5 grade oil (75-90)
Requires about 1litre

Draining:
Remove the FILL plug first, then remove drain plug.

Filling:
Fill until oil spills out the fill hole.
Turbo NB Build Thread | BeavisMotorsport.com | YouTube.com/bbeavis | Cars: NA6, NA8-VVT, NB-Turbo, ND-2L

User avatar
greenMachine
Forum Guru
Posts: 4053
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: NB SE
Location: Sports car paradise - Canberra
Contact:

Re: How much fluid/oil is needed for gearbox

Postby greenMachine » Thu Jul 21, 2016 10:53 am

Not much! Anecdata follows ...

Broke the racecar gearbox (6-speed) on the dyno recently, after an extended session (nice of it to wait :roll: ). Couple of other things made me wonder whether it was the gearbox, or/and something else. So when I got the car home, I put it up on the stands and drained the gb oil through a flyscreen mesh, to see what/if anything came out in the oil ... nothing in the oil, oh wait, actually, no oil either ... :shock:

I measured approx. 1/3 cup of oil came out of the gearbox, no gb oil outside the box, no oil stains under the car, no gear oil smell, no idea when/how the oil disappeared. It was installed 8 years ago, filled with Redline.

I do not recommend under-filling your gearbox, but on this experience the gearbox seems remarkably tolerant of low oil.

:mrgreen:
I never met a horsepower I didn't like (thanks bwob)

Build thread

NB SE - gone to the dark side (and loving it 8) )

User avatar
Okibi
Speed Racer
Posts: 10898
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2003 11:00 am
Vehicle: NB SE
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Contact:

Re: How much fluid/oil is needed for gearbox

Postby Okibi » Thu Jul 21, 2016 8:37 pm

If you had access to a car like this, would you take it back right away? Neither would I.


Return to “MX5 Engines, Transmission & Final Drive”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 58 guests