Auto gearbox oil level

P

paddington49

New Member
Hi, I'm a relatively new P6 owner so still learning! Been reading the threads re gearbox oil level but still a little confused. I have a '76 V8 with the dipstick having just one mark, which is 'check cold' on it. Am I right in assuming that this is the correct level after running the engine and moving the selector through all the gears etc? Any help would be greatly received. Many thanks. malcolm
 
Hi Malcolm,

That will be a BW65 transmission which as indicated by the dipstick marking, needs to be checked with the fluid cold and the engine turned off. According to the workshop manual, start the engine, run through the gears, then switch off and check the level. Top up to the check cold mark if necessary.

Is your level close to the check cold mark? Above or below?

Ron.
 
Hello Ron,

Thank you very much for you help. I have had the engine and gearbox oil replaced recently and when I checked the levels the engine was above the max mark. However not worried about that as I think they put the wrong oil in and I am going to replace that with penrite 20w/60 light classic which I have been assured on penrite's website is suitable where 20w/50 has been recommended. Also going to use a K&N HP2003 filter. However back to the gearbox. When I checked the oil with a stone cold engine ( been standing a while) the level was about 3 1/2 inches above the cold mark. Following what you told me, the level dropped to 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 inches above the cold mark. I left the engine running for a minute or two at a fast tickover on choke, going through the gears 3 times, so I don't know if this was long enough. The other thing that I noticed was that the car jolted significantly going into D & R with handbrake and footbrake applied.

kind regards

Malcolm
 
Hi Malcolm,

Firstly on the engine oil and filter. I have been using Penrite 20W60 HPR30 since 2007 in my 4.6 litre engine along with the K & N HP2003 oil filter. I have driven my Rover over 200,000 miles (322,000km) since that time, and I can happily say that you will not have a problem using either product.

The significant jolt going into D and R I suspect is due to your engine idle speed being too high. It should idle around 650rpm in park when hot.
I am no expert with automatic transmissions but to me, it sounds like your transmission has too much fluid. The workshop manual states to run the engine at idle speed for a few minutes, selecting each gear position to distribute the fluid throughout the gearbox. Stop the engine, check and if necessary top up the fluid to the dipstick level mark. Your box sounds like it has possibly 1 to 1.5 litres too much fluid.

Ron
 
This sounds counter intuitive but I believe they should all be checked hot regardless of some later dipsticks only having a Cold marking. That from memory is the mark it should be when hot and gears have been cycled through in the standard procedure.

Harvey or Eightofthem would be able to confirm definitively.

If it’s checked cold then fluid that would have been circulating and in the converter can drain back to the sump and create a false overfilled reading.

Jim
 
paddington49 said:
Hello Ron,

Thank you very much for you help. I have had the engine and gearbox oil replaced recently and when I checked the levels the engine was above the max mark. However not worried about that as I think they put the wrong oil in and I am going to replace that with penrite 20w/60 light classic which I have been assured on penrite's website is suitable where 20w/50 has been recommended. Also going to use a K&N HP2003 filter. However back to the gearbox. When I checked the oil with a stone cold engine ( been standing a while) the level was about 3 1/2 inches above the cold mark. Following what you told me, the level dropped to 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 inches above the cold mark. I left the engine running for a minute or two at a fast tickover on choke, going through the gears 3 times, so I don't know if this was long enough. The other thing that I noticed was that the car jolted significantly going into D & R with handbrake and footbrake applied.

kind regards

Malcolm
Click to expand...
Hi Ron, thanks again for your
SydneyRoverP6B said:
Hi Malcolm,

Firstly on the engine oil and filter. I have been using Penrite 20W60 HPR30 since 2007 in my 4.6 litre engine along with the K & N HP2003 oil filter. I have driven my Rover over 200,000 miles (322,000km) since that time, and I can happily say that you will not have a problem using either product.

The significant jolt going into D and R I suspect is due to your engine idle speed being too high. It should idle around 650rpm in park when hot.
I am no expert with automatic transmissions but to me, it sounds like your transmission has too much fluid. The workshop manual states to run the engine at idle speed for a few minutes, selecting each gear position to distribute the fluid throughout the gearbox. Stop the engine, check and if necessary top up the fluid to the dipstick level mark. Your box sounds like it has possibly 1 to 1.5 litres too much fluid.

Ron
Click to expand...
Hi Ron,
Thank you again for your comments and confirming the Penrite oil will be ok. I feel an idiot not realising running it on choke at higher than idle speed would cause the clonking!!. I shall run the engine again until it reaches normal temperature and idle speed, then go through the procedure again to see if there is any difference. Once again thanks for your help, its much appreciated.

Kind regards
Malcolm
 
SydneyRoverP6B said:
Hi Malcolm,

Firstly on the engine oil and filter. I have been using Penrite 20W60 HPR30 since 2007 in my 4.6 litre engine along with the K & N HP2003 oil filter. I have driven my Rover over 200,000 miles (322,000km) since that time, and I can happily say that you will not have a problem using either product.

The significant jolt going into D and R I suspect is due to your engine idle speed being too high. It should idle around 650rpm in park when hot.
I am no expert with automatic transmissions but to me, it sounds like your transmission has too much fluid. The workshop manual states to run the engine at idle speed for a few minutes, selecting each gear position to distribute the fluid throughout the gearbox. Stop the engine, check and if necessary top up the fluid to the dipstick level mark. Your box sounds like it has possibly 1 to 1.5 litres too much fluid.

Ron
Click to expand...
corazon said:
This sounds counter intuitive but I believe they should all be checked hot regardless of some later dipsticks only having a Cold marking. That from memory is the mark it should be when hot and gears have been cycled through in the standard procedure.

Harvey or Eightofthem would be able to confirm definitively.

If it’s checked cold then fluid that would have been circulating and in the converter can drain back to the sump and create a false overfilled reading.

Jim
Click to expand...
corazon said:
This sounds counter intuitive but I believe they should all be checked hot regardless of some later dipsticks only having a Cold marking. That from memory is the mark it should be when hot and gears have been cycled through in the standard procedure.

Harvey or Eightofthem would be able to confirm definitively.

If it’s checked cold then fluid that would have been circulating and in the converter can drain back to the sump and create a false overfilled reading.

Jim
Click to expand...
Hi Jim,
Thank you very much for your help & comments. After i change the engine oil ( in case its the wrong one) I shall go through the procedure again when the engine etc is hot. I will also try to find a way of contacting Harvey for his opinion as well. Tanks again for your help. Malcolm
 
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