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Spitfire 1500 diff oil drain/change.


DerekS

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My apologies to anyone who may have posted this method or idea before but I seem to remember one or two questions being asked about this in the past...

I've been wanting to change the diff oil in my Spit 1500 for a long while and despite several attempts and there being no drain plug,  haven't succeeded till today. I bought one of the cheap vacuum brake bleeding kits off ebay late last year and quickly realised that they were not as effective as promised due to air ingress at the bleed nipples. Basically, I've used the kit today, with a piece of 4mm diameter nylon pipe rescued from an old aerosol can to go in to the bottom of the diff through the filler plug hole. Ok, it was a bit of a fiddle getting the tubing past ​the gearing in to the bottom of the casing, but it is possible. Always aware, of course, that if anything gets jammed or "lost" inside then it's a bad moment. But, a bit of patience, (it does take time to draw diff oil through a small bore tube) and an old plastic measuring jug confirmed that I'd got out as much as possible. Why there isn't a drain plug on the diff is another question. The temptation to get the drill and taps out...

I hope this will help someone.

Derek.

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Derek.

 

You are probably not the only Triumph owner to ponder upon such a question - it's a Q I have often asked myself.

 

I presume it was a cost saving exercise, but would it really have saved that amount of money ?? Perhaps it was a cunning way of running a diff in to the gound with knackered unchanged oil over a period of time so a new unit had to be purchased !! However I doubt that is the answer.

 

It was probably a basic case of just not having one, simple as that.

 

Hopefully somebody may be able to shed some definitive facts on the topic.

 

Well done on the ingenious oil removal method - perhaps a Dragons Den pitch in time to come ?? :D 

 

Regards.

 

Richard.

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Lets say in general you dont get drain holes when there is no contamination

 

If you drain diffs or gearboxes the oil is often as clean as when it went in

metalic particles lay in the bottom ...why do they do that ?

 

there again they put a drain in the gearbox probably left from a previous era

 

Try to find a transmision drain on a modern car .

 

theres no carbon or fuel nasties breaking the oil base down so gearbox and diff only need topping up

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Easy enough to fit a drain plug, some people do it at home or indeed a few people supply diffs with them in. And Marcus uses 2 magnetic plugs, he reconsthe filler gets more swarf than the drain plug.

Richard, if you have the diff out get Pete to drill/tap it. He has the correct tap somewhere in his garage.....

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I've just been underneath again greasing the u/js, there is actually a lump on the bottom of the diff casting that looks as though it should have a plug in it. Basically though, I'm not over confident how thick the casting is at that point; I suppose you only need enough for a few threads and not too big a diameter either but once you've drilled it there's no going back. I've also been having a play with the mystery extra diff mount spacer washer. I'll put a post up later, it'll help you get to sleep tonight...

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I've just been underneath again greasing the u/js, there is actually a lump on the bottom of the diff casting that looks as though it should have a plug in it. Basically though, I'm not over confident how thick the casting is at that point; I suppose you only need enough for a few threads and not too big a diameter either but once you've drilled it there's no going back. I've also been having a play with the mystery extra diff mount spacer washer. I'll put a post up later, it'll help you get to sleep tonight...

Hello Derek

                  I have done this twice Spitfire,TR6 and the casting was plenty thick enough as to what size or thread just use what ever you have(not to small say 5/16",8mm 1/8" bsp, up)

 

Do not worry about swarf as you can flush it out with parrafin etc and I fitted a small bar magnet into the drain plug(just in case I loose a tooth or part of better than going around with the oil not really likley but belt and braces?)

 

Roger

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Re olde oil

it does go off, and it goes like a thick goo, an it teks some shifting too

and it does get water in, as its frae condensation

 

and this comes frae every time it gets hot then cool doon

As t,suck,n stuff oot, im afraid t,tell ye, that there be moer sheite left in there than ye think

 

No only that, but the bronze stuff that come oft thrusts, { if they still there }

will no be get,n picked up by a magnet, even if ye got one int fill hole.

Which, actually collects moer sheite than a bottom plug ive fun oot by actually working on em

 

So, wot ye done by putting new oil in, is that the new oil will meb,e shift some of the caked on sheite

and this loosened sheite will then fin its way aroond the diff, causing moer wear, than ever,

 

Get a drill, and drill the bottom, { oil will NOT go every where wen yer drilling }

bung a magnet ont drill shank too, it helps

and any wee bit of swarf that does go inside, will soon be on its way oot, as oil flows oot

whenst drill bit is took away

 

Ive got a rogues gallery of diff parts,all rusted away, whilst been int oil

OR, moer to the point, eaten away, by the acids int oil, where CW/Pin sits

nearly all bearings that ev no been turn for a while a fooked, cos they get pitted whenst  in same spot for a while

 

it also pits wherenyer oil seals sit,

so new oil seals no work as good as they   shud, thats why 2 some times go in,!!

 

And, yer oil needs changed 2 or moer times a yer

esp if yer useing Comma, , castrol, , it goes black, and like thin pish in a v v short time

In me own, it wer useless pish after 4-500 mile of warp 1 speeds on back roads

Stuff I use noo, dont, its great. butt only after going thru all the others sheite

CT ladds will no aboot this, as ive bunged pics and things up aboot this effect

 

As to bolt holes acting as a drain, Nope

Unless ye drill at 90 degs frae the inside into bolt hole

And, that wee 5/16th wol, will tek an hour or so for oil t,drain oot,!!!

been there fun it oot

 

Summary, drill / tap bottom, it easy

then change oil 2 times a yer, simples

 

 

 

an finally, Oil is cheeper than a diff

 

M

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