Change the gearbox oil easily yourself – tips and instructions

An oil change in the car is necessary, but also expensive. With many cars you do not have to go to the garage for this . With a little technical skill you can change your gearbox oil yourself and save money. We show you how the oil change works and what you should definitely pay attention to.

Why does gearbox oil need to be changed at all?

Oil is an important lubricant in any modern car to prevent friction in suspension and drivetrain . Metal components are built into the engine compartment that quickly heat up and come into contact with each other. Without a lubricant such as oil, wear would quickly occur and problems could lead to major damage to the gearbox. Gear oil prevents unwanted friction, which extends the life of the car.

Unfortunately, the gearbox oil loses its effectiveness over time. To start with, dust and dirt threaten the oil to lose its quality and function as part of the engine combustion. In addition, gradual loss of oil occurs. This loss is less likely to be detected than the engine oil leak warning on the dashboard, but should be monitored nonetheless.

Change or top up oil

Gear oil is not replaced as often as engine oil. Where the latter has to be replaced every one to two years, gearbox oil is usually only refilled once per car life . Contrary to popular opinion, this recommendation does not only apply to vehicles with traditional manual transmission. Even if you have an automatic gearbox, you should think about changing your gearbox oil after a few years.

Topping up the remaining oil can be useful when a larger oil loss is indicated. This can, for example, come to light during an inspection by an experienced car mechanic. Also during the drive there are signs that there is too little oil in the gearbox and refilling is necessary. This applies, for example, if you hear strange and loud noises when shifting gears. In this case, metal parts of the gearbox rub against each other and the gearbox oil no longer fulfills its function as a lubricant optimally here. In addition to insufficient oil, outdated gearbox oil can also cause these signs.

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Which oil do you need?

Different criteria apply to gearbox oil than to motor oil. Under no circumstances should you use the common motor oil for your car with type designations such as 5W-30 etc. The gearbox oil has a different international standard. In modern car construction, the variants GL-3 to GL-5 play the most important role. Because the choice of the wrong gearbox oil causes damage, you should inform yourself about the correct oil before purchasing.

For example, it is not recommended to choose a lower number for cars with the recommendation for GL-5 gearbox oil, because this increases the wear. On the other hand, there is too little friction if you choose the GL-5 gearbox oil if you are suitable for GL-3 or GL-4. A mistake that can lead to damage to the gearbox in the long run.

Changing gear oil and the topic of the environment

If you want to replace the gearbox oil yourself, use the same standards when disposing of the old oil as with engine oil. The drained oil is chemical waste and must be returned to the designated places in your city or municipality. Every intelligent car driver today has to act in an environmentally conscious way, just as garages are legally obliged to do so. If you otherwise dispose of your gearbox oil, you run the risk of heavy fines.

Changing gear oil – everything you need to know at a glance

When should it be replaced?

– Depending on car type

– Usually: between five and eight years old

– In case of gear noises / faults

Which oil?

– Specialized gearbox oil, not engine oil

– Check the suitability of the oil GL-3 to GL-5

How expensive will it be?

– Liter price: between 10 and 20 euros

Benefits of self-draining

– Cost savings compared to garage visit

Disadvantages of replacing the oil yourself

– A lot of work depending on the car type – Own responsibility for discarding old gearbox oil

Manual for changing gearbox oil – step by step

Whether and how you can properly change the gearbox oil in your car yourself can be found in your car manual. This will give you tips for checking this particular oil level and where the gearbox oil drain screw is located. If you are not sure that you can perform the oil change correctly, leave it to the garage. Assume that the gearbox oil change is slightly more complicated than that of engine oil.

The replacement with a manual gearbox is easier . When you have found the position of the drain screw, you can open it just like with the oil pan for the engine oil and collect the old oil down to the last drop. Since the screw is always located at the bottom of the gearbox and may be difficult to access depending on the model, you should carry out this work using a repair bridge. The traditional jack and similar aids are not sufficient for the safe replacement of gearbox oil.

When you have drained the oil and tightened the screw firmly again, filling with the new oil takes place. For this, there is usually a special screw for refilling on the side of the gearbox. After this you can start using your car relatively quickly. Driving a few kilometers and changing gears a few times for optimal distribution of the gearbox oil are nevertheless necessary.

Oil change in an automatic gearbox – clearly more complicated

With an automatic transmission , changing the gearbox oil is more of a challenge . Depending on the construction method, the automatic transmission oil can never be drained completely. A simple removal of the old oil with subsequent refill is therefore not an issue. Special gearbox flushes are therefore used by garages in modern automotive technology. This involves a thorough cleaning of the gear from old oil in the interior. Only then is new oil added.

Private car owners do not have the right tools and that is why it is not necessary to change the gearbox oil with an automatic transmission . Refilling the oil is still possible in case of gradual oil loss over the years.

Even with a manual gearbox, it is difficult to change the oil yourself without a repair bridge . A gearbox oil change is therefore only recommended for experienced car enthusiasts who have easy access to the gearbox oil drain screws.

Read more: 

1. Signs of damping problems and simple repairs you can do yourself

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3. How to perform a wheel alignment at home

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