915 Fill Plug

[ninelevenick]

Today I finally managed to free the over-tightened filler plug on the 915 transmission. The car is level on jack stands, but when I removed the plug, a steady stream of oil came out. How can this be? Shouldn't the oil be level or a bit below the bottom of the fill hole? Now I'm second guessing the location of the drain plug. The one pictured here is what I think it to be. I replaced it with a new 17mm socket type plug. Green oil came out, which indicates Swepco 201 was used to fill the tranny sometime before I took ownership of the car. Not much oil came out, but maybe 1/8 of a cup or a little more did.

Is this the correct filler plug?

[GaryR]

You're fine, most likely it was last filled from the top (vent hole) and they put in the whole gallon, which is about a pint too much. The correct fill level should actually be coming back out the fill hole when you have enough oil in there and the tranny is level... if that makes sense. 1/8 cup is nothing, at least you know it's full and the oil looks fairly clean. The oil I drained out of my project's 915 was muddy brown and stunk...

[GrantG]

Yes, that looks like the correct plug. However, Swepco 201 is Blue, not Green. Drain completely & Fill it with 3 Qts of Swepco 201 and you'll be set.

[DRACO A5OG]

+1 Swepco.

Retarded Dealer Wrench placed Mobil Synthetic. Tried to explain the horrble growling sound was normal. Needless to say I have never gone back.

Ended up changing it myself. Very easy, but you need a pump.

[ninelevenick]

Thanks, guys, that makes me feel a little bit better. I assume the two hex head plugs located on the opposite side of the case are the vent holes.

Yes, that looks like the correct plug. However, Swepco 201 is Blue, not Green. Drain completely & Fill it with 3 Qts of Swepco 201 and you'll be set.

Yeah, I have a new container of Swepco that I bought 2 years ago, but the seized plugs have pushed the oil change back. I still can't unscew the drain plug. The 17mm socket hex is all buggered up, and I can't get a firm grip on the outside of the plug with my vice grips.

[ninelevenick]

Ended up changing it myself. Very easy, but you need a pump.

A gravity feed type method won't work?

[zippy_gg]

Originally Posted by Snipernick

I still can't unscew the drain plug. The 17mm socket hex is all buggered up, and I can't get a firm grip on the outside of the plug with my vice grips.

Have you tried gently heating up the transmission body around the plug, but away from the plug?
You can also apply a cold wet rag to the drain plug to keep it cooler than the tranny housing.

[ninelevenick]

Have you tried gently heating up the transmission body around the plug, but away from the plug?
You can also apply a cold wet rag to the drain plug to keep it cooler than the tranny housing.

I haven't tried heat, but I have little chance of using vice grips because I cut out a section of the outer wall so that I had a groove for a chisel. The chisel just eats through the soft plug. I'm thinking that I may have to buy a socket and drive over to the local muffler shop and have the welder weld the socket onto the plug.

[kidrock]

I had the same problem when I changed my trans fluid recently, the plugs were real motherfeckers. I used the handle from a cheap floor jack as a cheater bar...worked like a charm!!! All you need is a little leverage.

+1 on the Swepco 201, it's dark blue...not even close to green. And, it's about the gooiest, stickiest fluid I've ever seen. Keep spills to a minimum.

Gravity feed will drive you crazy, the stuff moves so slow. You'll be there for at least 2 hours, I guarantee it. Use the pump, dude.

[redranger]

when I cracked my fill plug open, it poured out heavily as well, thought I had opened the wrong plug. When I refilled it, I just filled it until it started coming out, took a little under 3 liters.

You definitely need a pump to get swepco through. I used one like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/TRANSFER-WATER-GAS-OIL-FLUID-AIR-NEW-SIPHON-PUMP-KIT_W0QQitemZ160352281232QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Def aultDomain_0?hash=item2555bda290&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Worked great. Filled it in about 5 minutes or less.

As for opening plugs that may have seized, try soaking them heavily with liquid wrench or pb blast, let it soak overnight. Also, you might need to put a pipe on the end of the wratchet for increased torque, I did.

[ninelevenick]

Thanks for the advice about using a pump; I'll definitely pick one up.

Placing a pipe over the grips gave me leverage, but the grips just twisted off without budging the fill plug when I used this method. I was able to successfully remove the seized fill plug because the case doesn't obstruct the vice grips. I pounded on the grips with my hammer to "shock" the seized threads, and then it finally broke free.

The drain plug is surrounded by obstructive protrusions from the tranny case. I cannot get a firm grip on the plug.

[DaveE]

I used these....http://www.mysears.com/Craftsman-10-pc-Damaged-Bolt-Nut-Remover-Set-Low-Profile-Bolt-Out-reviews



...to remove a drain plug from an Audi oil pan. They work very well.