what is this cover on my tranny?

[stevej37]

Planned on changing the trans oil in my 84 Carrera this am.
Took the fill plug out....easy with a breaker bar. Went to the drain plug and found it rounded out. Tried filling the spaces with tin foil...no luck.
Chisel didn't budge it...no thickness to the inny plug.

There is a 4X3" cover on the bottom right side of the trans with four 13mm nuts holding it on.

What is this for? And why couldn't I detach it to drain the fluid?
Or is the cover fastened to something inside the tranny also?

I can take a pic of it if needed.

[stevej37]

pic of the cover plate.

[stevej37]

Hoping it's just a cover and not attached to something else. Should work to drain the oil.
Ordered the gasket for it..will find out a week from now when it arrives.

[David Inc.]

The other side of it has a shift fork that connects to the main gear shift rod and linkage. I don't know whether or not it can be taken apart without messing something else up, but I might wait for input before diving in.

[GH85Carrera]

It is too late now, but the first rule of transmission oil changes is remove the fill plug first!

Good luck in removing the plug. And do not tighten it up super tight.

And I suggest when you order the new plug, order a new daring plug wit the magnet in it. The differential throws oil right on it. I catch a few bits of fine metal goo on the fill plug and the rain plug on every change.

[stevej37]

^^^ that's what my first post said...I took out the fill plug first. It came out easy.
The drain plug will have to wait until I bring it to the shop for them to do it...it's been rounded to the point of useless by the prior owner.

David...I searched the threads the past two hours for info on the shift fork cover and all I could find so far is 'yes' it is doable, but two things to remember before starting.....leave the gearshift in neutral and have a new gasket ready because the old one never comes out whole.

Thanks guys...I welcome any advice.

[pampadori]

never seen a fastener that would succumb to a hammer and chisel/drift. use a heavier hammer maybe or perhaps an air hammer?

That cover you mention - use new nylock nuts as the studs are a source of leak and the nylock helps to stop the leaking.

[john walker's workshop]

Weld an old socket to the drain plug. Never had much luck with a hammer and chisel. Get a new drain plug. The cover has the guide fork for the shift selector bolted to it. Remove in neutral and be sure to re-engage the selector on reassembly. You won't get all the fluid out this way. Maybe wait until your shop gets the drain plug out.

[stevej37]

^^^ Thanks..I hadn't thought of the nylock nuts. The gasket will be here Friday.
Mean-time it's driveable because I put the fill plug back in.

The 17mm plug is an inny and the walls are too thin. The chisel wanted to slice right through it like an orange peel. If the plug were an 'outy' I think I could have got some purchase with the chisel.

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by john walker's workshop

Weld an old socket to the drain plug. Never had much luck with a hammer and chisel. Get a new drain plug. The cover has the guide fork for the shift selector bolted to it. Remove in neutral and be sure to re-engage the selector on reassembly. You won't get all the fluid out this way. Maybe wait until your shop gets the drain plug out.

I have no welder at home because I never learned welding....oh well.
I do have a dipstick oil extractor that I figured on using when the fork cover is off.
Should be good enough to get almost all out.