TheHaflinger.com

Still recovering from could easily have been a disaster...

In preparation for an MOT test tomorrow and a trip to Holland for the Dutch Treffen next week, I thought that I would change the engine oil, grease all of the nipples, and check the gearbox and hub oil levels.

So, I drained the engine via the sump plug & the oil filter drain plug, noting the different colours which slightly surprised me but thought no more about it. Replaced the oil filter and threw 1.75 litres of oil back in. Dip stick was over reading significantly (book says capacity is about 2 litres), but thought that the oil just needed to drop down to the bottom.

Checked the four hubs (all need a very small amount of gearbox oil), and was surprised that the gearbox dip stick was dry. It was at this point that I realised that I had accidentally drained the gearbox rather than the engine

Had I driven off without discovering this then I doubt I'd have reached the end of the drive tomorrow.

Lesson learned...

Aren't you lucky you have a gearbox dipstick - Lurch does not have that luxury!

Hope you have now put the CORRECT oil in the relevant parts of the engine / gearbox / hubs / Oil bath etc.....

Try not to get confused with the 3 drain plugs that exist under the engine / gearbox next time....

I think you would probably have realised there was something wrong because it would have made different noises from normal.

John

I _think_ all is correct - EP80W90 (from memory) in the gearbox & hubs, and straight 30 in the engine. I didn't change the oil bath oil, but would have put straight 30 in that too had I done so.

Need to get the brakes working more evenly tomorrow, then it'll be off to the MOT. Fingers crossed!

Best of luck with the MOT. At least everything is visible and quick to check.

Johm