oil change - problems

[bigsteve]

Hi

As part of the rebuild I wanted to change the diff oil, easy job, well not quite.

The drain plug 15mm is at the bottom of the diff , its looks like a back cover bolt but its not.

The problem is the refill plug on my car, its half way up at the back, the rear subframe has a cut out so you can get a socket on it, best fit is 1 1/8 inch AF
remember its a Australian make.
But on my car the cut out was not big enough to get the socket on, the answer was to remove the rear diff shock, then remove the 6 rear diff mounting bolts, but a jack under the diff first, then you can raise the diff by about 5mm to get the socket on the filler plug.

my car is a early one 028, so mybe you will not have this problem.

Good luck, be brave,

I got my oil from OPIE in cornwall, you need 1.6 litres, but if you order 2 litres you have to pay £6.50 carriage but order 3 litres and carriage is free, so in effect you get the 3rd litre 1/2 price

Attachment 720

[Keith]

Thanks Steve keep em coming

Are all the electronics especialy the ECUs coming from the original rolled car?

If not you may have an exercise ahead getting the correct ZCS codes into the car, do you have a friendly ex mgr dealer local with a T4 when the time comes?

[pmessling]

if you have a spare socket, weld it on to it, makes it easier next time you come to change the dif oil

[bigsteve]

If I were to weld a socket on it would be resting on the subframe box section and will stop the diff moving within the subframe which will defeat the object of the anti tramp dampers, I say again, my car maybe a bit weired as it was a early car and it has some strange unpainted items fitted to it and may have a prototype rear axle subframe.

RE ECU, I have used ALL the ECU and control boxes from the old car , all keys and codes will be from car 028.

I have been told that I will need to have the car put on a T4 to get it to run and set up the ECU etc, does anyone know what I will need to do on this front.

[Keith]

Steve if all the main ECUs are the same it should go without needing T4 as long as you get it all plugged in properly

If for example your new shell has say rain sensing wipers and the old one did not then that might need a T4 session but you should be able to get the car up and running before doing that

Ditto if you won't have the same number of electric windows as you may need a different BCU ?

Did the old one have a sunroof if so does the new shell?

[bigsteve]

Hi Keith

Yes, new car is non SE , but I am trafering the door looms and electric windows to the new rear doors, and making a blanking plugs for the trim panels until I can find a couple electric window trim panels, if any body got a pair.

I am looking for a clear sticky pad to attach the rain sensor to the windscreen as a SE screen is £271 ( ouch ).
The fixing on the screen is held a with a clear double side sticky pad, which normally comes as part of the windscreen, then you clip the sensor to it. I have both bits so anybody got a contact at a windscreen company that can supply a very clear sticky pad to attach the fitting to the screen.

Both cars have a sunroof so no problem there.

[Keith]

Sounds sorted to me then!

[VXman]

Originally Posted by bigsteve

Hi

As part of the rebuild I wanted to change the diff oil, easy job, well not quite.

The drain plug 15mm is at the bottom of the diff , its looks like a back cover bolt but its not.

The problem is the refill plug on my car, its half way up at the back, the rear subframe has a cut out so you can get a socket on it, best fit is 1 1/8 inch AF
remember its a Australian make.
But on my car the cut out was not big enough to get the socket on, the answer was to remove the rear diff shock, then remove the 6 rear diff mounting bolts, but a jack under the diff first, then you can raise the diff by about 5mm to get the socket on the filler plug.

my car is a early one 028, so mybe you will not have this problem.

Good luck, be brave,

I got my oil from OPIE in cornwall, you need 1.6 litres, but if you order 2 litres you have to pay £6.50 carriage but order 3 litres and carriage is free, so in effect you get the 3rd litre 1/2 price

Attachment 720

I had this same difficulty when i tried to change the diff Oil. Mine is not an early car but an 2004 ZT - T.

I didn't even try to do work away round it but took the oil i had bought to the dealer when it was in for a service and asked them to do it. The car returned without the diff oil i had supplied so i assumed it had been done but somehow i cant see the dealer doing all the above without charging extra, which they didn't. Hmmmm??

[Thud]

Originally Posted by VXman

i cant see the dealer doing all the above without charging extra, which they didn't. Hmmmm??

There are other ways of doing it - I was able to remove the plug easily by tapping it round with a chisel. It's not on that tight so no danger of damage. This would probably be the first thing a garage mechanic would try so I would tend to give your garage the benefit of the doubt.