Fluid for the gears

Orla K · 26-01-2009 5:27pm #1

or it might be the power steering. I need to get some sort of fluid for it but I'm just confused. The only thing that I know is that it's a manual car. I don't know if it's got power steering, the manual is only making me more confused. How can I know which type of fluid to put in? It's a 96 Corsa if that'll give you any clues. I want to be sure what to put in before I do anything.

Anan1 · 26-01-2009 5:34pm

What makes you think it needs fluid?

Orla K · 26-01-2009 5:43pm

Anan1 wrote: »

What makes you think it needs fluid?

Mainly because I lifted the bonnet and checked them all, it needed more oil, coolant and gear/steering fluid. I topped up the other two, I just don't know what to get with this one.

Anan1 · 26-01-2009 5:51pm

Can you turn the steering wheel easily with the engine running and the car stationary? If so you have power steering, if not you don't. It's highly unlikely to be gearbox oil you need, as manual gearboxes don't tend to have dipsticks. Have a look at the lid of the reservoir that's low - is there a picture of a steering wheel on it, or any reference to steering?

meathstevie · 26-01-2009 5:56pm

If it has a hydraulic clutch you could be mixing up gear oil ( the lubricant in the gearbox, normally changed when clutches are changed or the gears get rough ) and brake fluid-clutch fluid which is basicly hydraulic oil for the brake and clutch controls.

Plug · 26-01-2009 5:59pm

What is the symbol on the cap? what colour?

Orla K · 26-01-2009 6:01pm

I rang my brother who gave me the car. It has power assisted steering not power steering. I wouldn't rely too heavily on that information because my brother is working shifts, he was asleep when I rang him and wasn't far off when I was talking to him.

Orla K · 26-01-2009 6:05pm

meathstevie wrote: »

If it has a hydraulic clutch you could be mixing up gear oil ( the lubricant in the gearbox, normally changed when clutches are changed or the gears get rough ) and brake fluid-clutch fluid which is basicly hydraulic oil for the brake and clutch controls.

What???

Plug wrote: »

What is the symbol on the cap? what colour?

I left the car at my fathers place, it had a bunch of letters and/or numbers on it and it was a dark colour

Plug · 26-01-2009 6:05pm

Orla K wrote: »

I rang my brother who gave me the car. It has power assisted steering not power steering. I wouldn't rely too heavily on that information because my brother is working shifts, he was asleep when I rang him and wasn't far off when I was talking to him.

Power assisted steering is power steering:D Is the thing thats low say 710 on it?

Anan1 · 26-01-2009 6:05pm

Don't worry, they're the same thing.:)

Orla K · 26-01-2009 6:14pm

Plug wrote: »

Power assisted steering is power steering:D Is the thing thats low say 710 on it?

I thought it would have been the same, I didn't really want to argue with him incase I woke him up too much.

I'm going to have to check the 710 thing tomorrow so, if it does say it what does that mean?

Darragh29 · 26-01-2009 6:24pm

I detect a bit of panicking here OP... Unless you have a specific problem with your gearbox, for example a problem getting the car into gear when driving, (and even if you go, changing gear oil is unlikely to resolve it), you don't need to include the gearbox oil in the list of levels that need to be checked on your car...

All you need to worrry about, and from what I can make out you've already checked these, are:

Engine oil level (check this with the dipstick)

Engine coolant (look at level in plastic bottle)

Windscreen washer (fill it up)

Get someone to show you where the brake fluid reservior and power steering fluid reservoirs are and that's all you'll need to worry about.

Orla K · 26-01-2009 6:31pm

Darragh29 wrote: »

I detect a bit of panicking here OP... Unless you have a specific problem with your gearbox, for example a problem getting the car into gear when driving, (and even if you go, changing gear oil is unlikely to resolve it), you don't need to include the gearbox oil in the list of levels that need to be checked on your car...

All you need to worrry about, and from what I can make out you've already checked these, are:

Engine oil level (check this with the dipstick)

Engine coolant (look at level in plastic bottle)

Windscreen washer (fill it up)

Get someone to show you where the brake fluid reservior and power steering fluid reservoirs are and that's all you'll need to worry about.

Not so much panicking just very, very confused. I think it was empty so I should really put some in. It's also going for the NCT on Friday so I think for that it would be better if I had some in.

Anan1 · 26-01-2009 6:33pm

Orla K wrote: »

Not so much panicking just very, very confused. I think it was empty so I should really put some in. It's also going for the NCT on Friday so I think for that it would be better if I had some in.

Just be careful - putting the wrong fluid in the wrong place can cause major problems.

Plug · 26-01-2009 6:35pm

Orla K wrote: »

Not so much panicking just very, very confused. I think it was empty so I should really put some in. It's also going for the NCT on Friday so I think for that it would be better if I had some in.

Theres far more to an nct than a few levels, you'd be better off bring it in to a garage.
try check the lights at home, see if the tires are bald etc.

Darragh29 · 26-01-2009 6:43pm

Orla K wrote: »

Not so much panicking just very, very confused. I think it was empty so I should really put some in. It's also going for the NCT on Friday so I think for that it would be better if I had some in.

The only way you can tell if the gear oil needs to be topped up, is if you put the car up on a lift and get in under it and take out a special bung nut and check the oil level. It cannot be "topped up" like the engine oil, coolant or brake fluid can be topped up.

Orla K · 26-01-2009 6:57pm

Anan1 wrote: »

Just be careful - putting the wrong fluid in the wrong place can cause major problems.

I asked the guy in a shop for some and this is what he gave me (what's bothering me on this is the word automatic)

http://it.tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2n8oief&s=5

you can't see it but it has recommended for power steering units

Plug wrote: »

Theres far more to an nct than a few levels, you'd be better off bring it in to a garage.
try check the lights at home, see if the tires are bald etc.

It has two new tires and the lights are working fine, I'm also going somewhere tomorrow to get a new spare wheel. It was looked at.

Darragh29 wrote: »

The only way you can tell if the gear oil needs to be topped up, is if you put the car up on a lift and get in under it and take out a special bung nut and check the oil level. It cannot be "topped up" like the engine oil, coolant or brake fluid can be topped up.

This is were it's letting me put in the stuff.
http://it.tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2lc0mqr&s=5

Darragh29 · 26-01-2009 7:00pm

That looks to me like a power steering reservoir.

Orla K · 26-01-2009 7:10pm

Darragh29 wrote: »

That looks to me like a power steering reservoir.

That manual confused the hell out of me.

Alright, the stuff I got for it, is it the right fluid or will I have to go back and get the right stuff.

rebel.ranter · 26-01-2009 7:24pm

Usually (I think Citroens are different) you put ATF or automatic transmission fluid in the power steering resevoir. As Darragh29 says, that pictures you showed looks like the power steering resevoir.
Are you sure it's low?

Orla K · 26-01-2009 7:34pm

rebel.ranter wrote: »

Usually (I think Citroens are different) you put ATF or automatic transmission fluid in the power steering resevoir. As Darragh29 says, that pictures you showed looks like the power steering resevoir.
Are you sure it's low?

Well I have to admit it, I wasn't the one checking it. What I did was when I was cleaning out the car someone visited and I said to them that the bonnet was a bit jammed, I got it open and he then decided to have a good look at the car.

It wasn't used for a few months so that might be why it was low.

Oh and thank you all.

Darragh29 · 26-01-2009 7:55pm

My best advice here OP is to get someone know knows what the power steering reservoir is, what the brake fluid reservoir is, etc, to show you what where they are and how to check them for the correct levels. You seem a bit mixed up with regard to what goes where, so you'd need to get someone to show you and maybe you write down the information.

It is very easy when you are going into a task like this without the right basic info to get bamboozled and next thing you know, there is engine oil in the windscreen washer or brake fluid in the coolant. In can happen very easily and I've had a few customers come into me after galloping into something simple like checking the brake fluid level, crossing their fingers, and next thing they know, there are fairy liquid sudz coming out of the engine!

Take a step back and get someone to show you what is where and how to check the levels. Take the time to familarise yourself with the components, in the safe knowledge that you are getting the right information. Write it down, make a diagram or whatever, then your informed and you'll worry less about what you are doing...

Fluid for the gears

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