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Re: DrGonzoPOW's 1981 325i - A Few Niggles....
Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 11:47 am
by DrGonzoPOW
Ill check all that stuff, thanks for the info
Re: DrGonzoPOW's 1981 325i - A Few (more) Niggles....
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 1:13 pm
by DrGonzoPOW
Ok, so changed the slave cylinder this morning and although i had to bend the s**t out of the pipes to get the new one in place it looks to be working ok.
When i was underneath the car however....i noticed a few bits of oil on the back of the gearbox and above the propshaft coupling. Its looking like a seal maybe leaking.
Is it just called a propshaft seal ? and how much of a job is it to change ???
Re: DrGonzoPOW's 1981 325i - A Few (more) Niggles....
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:16 pm
by nas80
you have to take the flange off the back of the gearbox.
it would be easier taking the GB off and doing that id reckon. Unless you got a ramp i suppose.
Re: DrGonzoPOW's 1981 325i - A Few (more) Niggles....
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 3:33 pm
by DrGonzoPOW
Rollocks, was hoping i wouldnt have to take the box out
Re: DrGonzoPOW's 1981 325i - A Few (more) Niggles....
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 4:46 pm
by Jason_323i
Normally it is the selector seal leaks first, before the prop seal.
Jason
Re: DrGonzoPOW's 1981 325i - A Few (more) Niggles....
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 8:05 pm
by murran
you needing your mechanic friend dave? lol.
first off id get a can of brake cleaner and get all the oil off so its nice and clean. take it for a run 10/20 miles then have another look to pin point it.... as said could be either the flange or selector seal.
mines leaking a little, as in the back of the box is damp/wet but until it starts leaving noticable patches of oil on the drive im not touching it. tho ive checked the level and its fine.
tbh if i were you id check the level is ok and get a nice clean bit of plywood to put under the car where its normally parked at home. if its not really leaving any drips to speak of on the plywood over say a week (is this your daily driver?), then id ignore it.
Re: DrGonzoPOW's 1981 325i - A Few (more) Niggles....
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 8:22 pm
by DrGonzoPOW
I have'nt noticed any oil underneath it to be honest but ill try a piece of wood underneath like you say. Tis a good idea.
May be needing a mechanic friend if it needs changing tho

Maybe a noob question, but how do you check your gearbox fluid level ? Tar
Re: DrGonzoPOW's 1981 325i - A Few (more) Niggles....
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 8:28 pm
by drjim
He was my mechanic friend first and I need him more!
Re: DrGonzoPOW's 1981 325i - A Few (more) Niggles....
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 8:41 pm
by murran
theres a two bungs on the box... a drain bung in the bottom of the box..... and a level bung in the side of the box (on the n/s i think?). both are a 17mm allen key and will be tight.
buy a litre bottle of gearoil 75/90 or whatever.
the car needs to be levelish surface. cant really do this jacked up at one side.....
basically you top it up via the level bung, the bottle comes with the a pipe built on the cap of the bottle stick the pipe in the hole on the box and squeeze the bottle..... till the oil overflows back out when it stops overflowing put the bung back in. done.
Re: DrGonzoPOW's 1981 325i - A Few (more) Niggles....
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 9:51 pm
by DrGonzoPOW
drjim wrote:He was my mechanic friend first and I need him more!
Haha, you two should start your own wheel dealers show!
Ill give that a whirl, cheers Murran
Re: DrGonzoPOW's 1981 325i - A Few (more) Niggles....
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 9:53 pm
by drjim
I found it was impossible to get the oil bottle into the tunnel to pour into the filler hole, so I bought a cheapo garden sprayer from B&Q, stuck plastic hose on it and pumped the oil in to the filler hole.
Can get a bottle in on the slug, but not with the M20 box.
Re: DrGonzoPOW's 1981 325i - A Few (more) Niggles....
Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 12:45 am
by murran
extend the pipe? at work weve got like a big metal seringe.....
like this...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Double-Action ... 4cf5317582
but its just a simple pull the plunger out to draw fluid/oil in, then push the plunger in to pump whats in it into the gearbox etc.
Re: DrGonzoPOW's 1981 325i - A Few (more) Niggles....
Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 12:51 pm
by DrGonzoPOW
Double action, ppphwoar
Re: DrGonzoPOW's 1981 325i - A Few (more) Niggles....
Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 4:46 pm
by nas80
i got a length of clean garden hose and ran it up past the gap on the side of the gearbox into the engine bay
then stuck a funnel on the end and put the other end in the gearbox.
i put an oil catch pan underneath the gearbox - waited till gravity did its work - and i heard drips and then got underneath and did up the cap with an enormous alen key.
Re: DrGonzoPOW's 1981 325i - A Few (more) Niggles....
Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 6:31 pm
by murran
^^^^^ what nas said!