I knew the s1 transmissions were different than s2+. Mines a 79. I guess I learned one little reason why. I was about to say that I've put 4,000 miles on the car since I change my fluid through the shifter with no problems whatsoever. Saves lots of time I might add... Too bad you can't do it on later cars. I know you can't on s4's. I had to stick a tiny hose in there with a funnel and wait for the molasses like fluid to SLOWLY pour through. You can inject it with a pump too.

i have a had a couple of non RX7 cars before that you could fill the tranny through the shifter if you stick it in 5th gear with the rear end jacked up . (Nissans)

 

Well, I did not get a chance to try and break the thing loose yesterday due to it raining off and on all day. Im going to try and find me a little pipe so I can get some more leverage on it this afternoon after work. I dont have a 5/8 12 point socket, I looked yesterday. Im limited with tools. Hope I can do it with an adjustable and a pipe.

 

I used a 14mm open ended wrench on my FC. Dabbed a bit of PB Blaster on it and it popped right off.

 

Though most people don't have them handy, this is one place where an 8-point socket is really useful.

On SA manual transmissions, you can add fluid thru the shifter mount, sure... but you cannot properly check the level anywhere but at the filler hole.

A squeeze-bottle and short length of tubing makes things easer, as do the plastic hand-pumps made just for gear lube.

 

thats my trick, i'm too lazy to pump, so i just take the pointy gear oil bottle and jamb it in there

 

plastic hand pumps are okay but the best deal is pressurizing the bottle with air, and put a clear plastic tube into the bottle. Forces the fluid out lickety split no mess.

 

Crow's foot socket will do, too...

 

Will a 14mm socket work? I still have not had a chance to get back under there and break it loose, it must be the rainy season in the mountains. Raining again today.

 

No, it will not work since it is a 4-point head (square). You need an open-end wrench (14mm) or a larger (16mm or 5/8" 12-pt socket) as Doc pointed out. If you do not have a 14mm open-end wrench, you should get one. One of the most common bolt sizes on the car.

The adjustable may work. If it is really tight, the wrench may slip or possibly break (depending on how tight the plug is and how cheap the wrench is).

I would probably go for the open-ended wrench with maybe a short piece of pipe and/or a BFH. Some pipe and a BFH really can make those really tight bolts a piece of cake to get loose.

 

Okay, Ill hit lowes for the pipe and a 14mm open wrench. I guess the BFH is a Hammer?

 

adjustable wrenches are not good for high torque bolts. They have too much give to them and will open up on their own and slip off. If the bolt is marred up you can use a huge pair of channel locks.

 

I've used a vise grip and a hammer to do this before. Just make sure the vise grip is on there as tight as you can get it, square with the sides. Then take the BFH and smack it some, should pop loose pretty easily. I never used a socket on it as none really fit that well and 12 points tend to make things round whenever I use em.

 

Yea, I think Im going with the 14mm open and a pipe. Hope it dont rain this afternoon so I can get back under it and try again.

 

i've use an adjustable wrench. open end wrenches tend to spread apart and round the corners if the fastener is extremely too tight. the 8pt sockets r designed for square head fasteners. i've busted many sockets and ratchets but never an adjustable wrench. quite possible the PO used some sort of thread sealer on that plug.

 

Well it broke tonight. IT took a large adjustable, two arms and a foot long piece of pipe to get to break, the 14mm I bought was just too small, even with the pipe. When I cleaned it up you could tell someone had put some locktite or something to keep it from leaking. I did not put anything back on it but I did tighten it up a 1/2 turn with the pipe.

Last question here, the book says it takes 2.1 Quarts, I know I put about 2.3 or 2.4 in there and it still did not come out the hole. I ran out, so thats all I put in. Do you think it will cause any issues in the future. It was jacked up some on the drivers side so I could get under there, so when it was let down, it may be up to the hole level.

 

shouldn't. i ususlly only put in 2 quarts. but then again I only use redline.

edit: well I have goine through 2 trannys on this car alone maybe if i added 1/10 a quart more I'd stop shearing output shafts. lol