Changing S14 Manual Transmission oil--Need I take it to a shop?

[MarkEmark]

Hi, somewhere, somehow, I thought that you filled up the transmission oil via the center console where the shifter is when the shifter is removed...well, my FSM confirmed that I was mislead. To check AND to refill the transmission oil, you use the same hole...on the bottom of the transmission....you stick your finger in it and make sure that the oil is flush with the bottom of the hole, and then you have the right level. BUT, if I were to jack up the car to get under it and drain the damn stuff, the oil level would be off, and it would be off as I filled it up! Consequently, I wouldn't get a valid reading. So, I don't have any means of supporting the car on 4 corners (nor would I want to go through the process of doing it just to change some oil!) Should I take it to a shop to have them change it? Or should I just fill the transmission with the recommended amount of oil (I think its 2.5 qts) when the car is jacked up and hope that the level is right? i don't want too MUCH transmission oil in there...On a side note...my car has 91k miles, and i doubt the transmission oil has been changed more than a few times...would switching to a synthetic gear oil damage/eat away at my seals? Should I go with semi-synthetic or just stick with regular stuff?THanksMarc

[R240NA]

You're thinking WAY too much. It's very easy. Pull the plug on the bottom of the transmission, as well as the driverside fill plug. Lower the car down, either on the ground or blocks, stands, anything to level it out. Drain the fluid well. Put the drain plug back in, pull the shifter, and fill. Once it's full, the fill plug will pour out the excess. Put the fill plug back in, install shifter, and go. Takes less than 20 minutes to do. Unless your car is seriously low you'll have no problems. Taking it somewhere will be more money than it's worth. To help in shifting, add a half quart of ATF when you change it, it helps to break down deposits and smoothes things out really nicely.

[MarkEmark]

I've never pulled the shifter, so I wouldn't know where to put the transmission fluid (thats tomorow, when I get my b&m short shifter Once you remove the shifter unit, is there a hole where you just pour the oil into it? Why doesn't my FSM tell me this? On another note, I went to get manual transmission fluid today. The FSM recommended 75w90, Autozone had 2 bottles of the same brand of 75w90 oil, and then 2 bottles of another brand, and I didn't want to mix and match. So I went to the Nissan dealership across the street and told him it was for a 240sx manual transmission, and they said they use 80w90. So he came back and gave me 80w90 GM Axel lubricant, and says it works really well...I'm a little uneasy about this...axel lubricant? Anyone ever heard of this??? Should I return this stuff and go and get two of the castrol 75w90 bottes, and one bottle of exxon 75w90 oil (they are both NON synthetic..)?Marc

[R240NA]

I've never pulled the shifter, so I wouldn't know where to put the transmission fluid (thats tomorow, when I get my b&m short shifter Once you remove the shifter unit, is there a hole where you just pour the oil into it? Why doesn't my FSM tell me this? On another note, I went to get manual transmission fluid today. The FSM recommended 75w90, Autozone had 2 bottles of the same brand of 75w90 oil, and then 2 bottles of another brand, and I didn't want to mix and match. So I went to the Nissan dealership across the street and told him it was for a 240sx manual transmission, and they said they use 80w90. So he came back and gave me 80w90 GM Axel lubricant, and says it works really well...I'm a little uneasy about this...axel lubricant? Anyone ever heard of this??? Should I return this stuff and go and get two of the castrol 75w90 bottes, and one bottle of exxon 75w90 oil (they are both NON synthetic..)?Marc

You'll see with the shifter out. It sits right inside the transmission, taking it out gives you a large hole to pour into. The FSM wouldn't be detailed since you can fill it either way, a Nissan tech will have a fluid pump, you won't. The shifter hole is easier to get to. I use Mobil1 75w90 full synthetic, with Mobil1 synthetic ATF. Don't mix brand fluids, even the same weights oils might break down differently. Nissan usually reccomends Penzoil 80w90, but it's hard to find. The Mobil1 has worked great for me. Valvoline makes a synthetic that works good too from what a friend has told me.

[MarkEmark]

thanks...the only reason I don't want to go to synthetic is because my car's never seen synthetic oil in any part of her for the first 92 k miles of her life...I heard that switching to synthetic will break down old seals and just expedite leaks that otherwise were slow, forming, or non-existent...So can I use the 80W90 Axel Lubrication or what?

[PabloHoney]

Ok, so my car has 120K on it..put in Redline full synthetic transmission fluid...shifts like never before. Smoother than it ever has been. Spend the money, get the Redline, you will appreciate it later. 75W90 for the transmission.

[TachyonS14]

You use a socket wrench without the socket :-)

[stutt944]

why the crap is it 1/2"??

[WongFeiHung]

How do you remove the shifter?

[stutt944]

1. twist knob off
2. remove stereo/ac/shifter trim
3. use phillips head screwdriver to remove metal trim holding down the rubber shifter boot
4. use needlenose pliers and squeeze together metal ring on the shifter ball to remove shift arm
5. in the hole that just opened up, add oil
6. reverse process to reinstall shifter

use nice zip ties where necessary to secure bootsif you're installing a short shifter you will need to remove the plate into which the shifter mounts, as it is a replaced part of the short shift kit.

[TachyonS14]

This short shifter install should help you with taking off the shifter, enjoy

http://www.zilvia.net/installs/obxss/doc.asp