Manual Transmission

danguyon

Member
Hello all
I am new here.
I have a 2002 Protege5 with Manual transmission.

According to the owner's manual protege5 has a same reservoir for transmission and brake oil.

I have about 110,000 miles on the car and its running great but I haven't change the gear oil yet.
Every time I had a brake service my mechanic has filled the brake oil, without draining/replacing it.

The brake service is due again. Should I change the gear/brake oil this time?
Would there be any harm if I don't replace the oil?

Thanks
 
Whoa, whoa whoa........ I think you misread the manual. The brakes and the CLUTCH share the small fluid reservoir and requires brake fluid. The inside of the transmission requires a gear oil (don't know which). If you dumped gear oil in the brake fluid master cylinder, you would probably have a hefty repair bill on your hands to fix that boo-boo.

Back when I was young and dumb, I confused the power steering fluid reservoir with my brake fluid reservoir. I put some kind of power steering conditioning fluid into the brake fluid reservoir. The result was that my brake master cylinder died and I almost rear ended several people.
 
Last edited:
You are right! :)

It is clutch and the brake oil.
So I guess a normal procedure to flush the brake oil is while changing pads, I should drain the oil.
Is there any valve for it ?
Do I really need to drain it, or can I just fill it up after 110,000 (mostly freeway) miles?

What about the gear oil, does it need replacement?
Where I can find the drain plug for that?

Thanks
 
You are right! :)

It is clutch and the brake oil.
So I guess a normal procedure to flush the brake oil is while changing pads, I should drain the oil.
Is there any valve for it ?
Do I really need to drain it, or can I just fill it up after 110,000 (mostly freeway) miles?

What about the gear oil, does it need replacement?
Where I can find the drain plug for that?

Thanks

Some vehicle manufacturers say that brake fluid is good for the life of the car. Personally, I don't subscribe to that. I give my brakes a good bleeding when I change the brakes (30,000-50,000 miles). And yes, each brake caliper/cylinder at each wheel has a bleeder screw. You don't really need to "drain" it. And actually by doing so (sucking it dry and then adding more fluid) will create alot more work because you'll have to bleed out way more air doing it this way. When you replace your brakes, bleed the lines, add more fluid accordingly.

The gear oil should also probably be serviced. Again, I've seen some manufactures says that it's good for the life of the car. There is a drain plug under the transmission somewhere. It's a big bolt on the lowest point of the transmission.
 
transmission fluid should be changed. Use 75w-90w. This is the correct transmission fluid. You will need 3quarts of ur perfered trans fluid. I would get either royal purple, amsoil, or redline. These seem to be the best though some people are doing some funky stuff by mixing syncro and Lucas. You will need a 23mm socket, funnel with a hose. The fill plug is located on the front of the trans case facing downward at a 45deg angle. That's why u need the funnel with hose. The drain plug is under the trans case. Can't miss the plugs there the big 23mm bolts. Or u could take it to a shop and they'll charge u around $100 for an easy job.
 
You are right! :)

It is clutch and the brake oil.
So I guess a normal procedure to flush the brake oil is while changing pads, I should drain the oil.

Thanks

fluid. Terms 'oil' and 'fluid' aren't 100% interchangeable; this may contribute to confusion. All oil is fluid, but not all fluid is oil. 'Oil' usually implies the primary purpose is to lubricate. Often the term 'fluid' is used for what goes in a hydraulic system, e.g. brakes, automatic transmission, power steering. But those fluids also lubricate. Hope this helps.

You can suck fluid out of the master cylinder reservoir with a turkey baster or such. If you do that and refill a couple of times you do a pretty good job of renewing the mix- it can make the pedal feel better.
 
BG fluid systems has a 'Brake Flush' machine which i have at my shop, works by pressurizing brake fluid via a sealed cap and attatchement, start at RR and attatch vacuum hose to bleeder and let er rip til the fluid drops to next line. Works great. Even freed up acouple of locked up calipers.
 
it's good to do fluid, oil, changes or general maintance at the specified intervals but not an absolute must except oil and tranny. Try to keep those as close to scheduled maintance time as possible. For all other fluids, brake, coolant, power steering etc if it has changed from original colour (become murky or dirty or on the verge of being sludge) at the scheduled change time or before then change it, but sometimes it's still good and you don't have to.
and just to note, the bleeder screw if you're not sure is a little brass screw(looks sorta cone shaped on the tip) with a green (coloured) rubber/plastic cap.
 
Back