a little bit puzzled

[billythefish]

I changed the engine oil today and that was no problem, I then went to change the gearbox oil ( 4 speed ) which I did after a good long run and only managed to get around about pint of oil from the gearbox when in fact it should hold around two and a half pints.
Anyway, I jacked the car up at the back to try and empty the gearbox and then at the opposite side at the front, but all that came out was around a pint.
I then decided to fill the gearbox standing the car on level ground and all it would take was around a pint of oil before it started dripping out, now according to my manual the gearbox should take around two and a half pints because it is a four speed box?
Has any one any idea why this has happened.
:shock::shock:

 

[Steve Hennessey]

Billy - surely the drain plug is at the bottom and there's no need to jack it up??This is a mystery.

 

[billythefish]

Yes steve,
the drain plug is at the bottom near the front and I am just completely baffled by this unless the gear box is clogged up with something but the oil that came out was not all blacked up but nearly new.
I know that you fill the gearbox from the side and when the oil begins to overflow that is the sign that the box is full, this is what happened but it only took around a pint!

 

[billythefish]

I know you can buy engine flush but I've never heard of cleaning a gearbox out by flushing it out!
all I can thing of is there is some shit in there that is preventing all of the oil from coming out.

 

[reidalpine]

billy! If you put it in Reverse first, it usually helps drain it better... -R.

 

[angel]

Which type of gearbox do you have? Could it be the aluminium 334 type? (Your description of the drain plug being towards the front reminds me of that gearbox). If yes, there is one more plug at about the centre bottom of the gearbox.

 

[billythefish]

Angel my friend,
My father once told me, that in your life there will be many times when you will look foolish son but each time you will learn more and more, this is I'm afraid one of those times.
As you have said it is the 334 type gear box and I wrongly assumed that it only had one plug at the front, while the other was out of view because of the under plate.
I would like to thank yourself and every one else that replied to my bit of a puzzle.
Billy

 

[angel]

...but each time you will learn more and more...

...about that dreaded French engineering, I should add :-D