How to change the oil in an Opel Vectra automatic transmission
Changing the oil in the Opel Vectra gearbox most often involves repairing the automatic gearbox itself or replacing it with a new one during operation to eliminate oil leaks, since it must be drained for operation. The oil is automatically poured out by the manufacturer once for the entire service life of the vehicle. It is recommended to entrust changing the oil in an Opel Vectra automatic transmission to professionals, but in some cases this operation can be solved independently.
Functions of ATF oil in an Opel Vectra automatic transmission:
- effective lubrication of surfaces and friction mechanisms;
- reduction of mechanical load on components;
- heat removal;
- removal of microparticles formed due to corrosion or wear of parts.
The color of the ATF oil for the Opel Vectra automatic transmission allows you not only to distinguish between oil types, but also helps to detect in case of a leak from which the fluid is leaking. For example, oil in an automatic transmission and GUR. has a red tint, antifreeze. green, in the engine. yellowish.
Causes of oil leakage from an automatic transmission in an Opel Vectra:
- wear of transmission oil seals;
- wear of the shaft surfaces, the appearance of a gap between the shaft and the sealing element;
- wear of the sealing element of the automatic transmission and the speedometer drive shaft;
- automatic transmission input shaft clearance;
- damage to the sealing layer in the connections between parts of the automatic transmission: pan, automatic transmission housing, crankcase, clutch housing;
- loosening the bolts connecting the above parts of the automatic transmission;
Low oil level in the Opel Vectra automatic transmission. the main cause of clutch failure. Due to low fluid pressure, the friction clamps do not press against the steel discs and do not make sufficient contact with the other. As a result, the friction linings in the Opel Vectra automatic transmission become very hot, charred and destroyed, which significantly contaminates the oil.
Due to lack of oil or poor quality oil in the Opel Vectra automatic transmission:
- the plungers and channels of the hydraulic unit are clogged with mechanical particles, which leads to a shortage of oil in the bags and causes wear of the bushing, friction of pump parts, etc.;
- Overheat and wear steel gear discs;
- overheated and burnt rubberized pistons, thrust discs, clutch drum, etc.;
- The valve body wears out and becomes unusable.
How to fill oil in an Opel gearbox
Auto Opel Vectra A
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Opel Vectra
A 1989
Episode 10 Handjob or how to change the oil
when you don’t know how! VK group
Check the oil level in the automatic transmission. Opel Vectra can be used with a dipstick.
The oil dipstick has two pairs of marks. The upper pair Max and Min allows you to determine the level in hot oil, and the lower one. in the cold. Using a dipstick, you can easily check the condition of the oil: you need to drip the oil onto a clean white cloth.
When choosing an Opel Vectra oil for replacement, you should follow a simple principle: it is better to use the oil recommended by Opel. In this case, instead of mineral oil, it can be poured with semi-synthetic or synthetic oil, but in no case should you use an oil “class lower” than the prescribed one.
Synthetic oil for the Opel Vectra automatic transmission is called “non-replaceable”; it is poured for the entire service life of the car. This oil does not lose its properties when exposed to high temperatures and is designed for a very long period of use of the Opel Vectra. But we must not forget about the advent of mechanical suspension due to the wear of couplings with very significant mileage. If the automatic transmission has been operated for some time without oil, it is necessary to check the degree of contamination and, if necessary, replace it.
Methods for changing the oil in an Opel Vectra automatic transmission:
- Partial oil change in Vectra Opel gearbox;
- Complete oil change in Vectra Opel gearbox;
Partial oil changes in the Opel Vectra automatic transmission can be performed independently.
To do this, just unscrew the sink on the tray, drive the car onto the overpass and collect the oil in a container. As a rule, up to 25-40% of the volume leaks out, the remaining 60-75% remains in the torque converter, that is, in fact, this is an upgrade, not a replacement. To update the oil in the Opel Vectra automatic transmission to the maximum using this method, 2-3 changes are required.
A complete Opel Vectra automatic transmission oil change is carried out by auto service specialists. In this case, you will need more ATF oil than the Opel Vectra. Washing requires half or twice fresh ATF. The cost will be more expensive than a partial replacement, and not every auto repair shop provides such a service.
Oil is poured through the filling hole (where the dipstick is located), we monitor the oil level in the automatic transmission using the dipstick until it is cold. When changing the oil in an automatic transmission, it is important to check its level after driving 10-20 km, already on a heated automatic transmission. If necessary, top up to level. The regularity of oil changes depends not only on the mileage, but also on the nature of driving the Opel Vectra.
It should not be directed according to the recommended mileage, but according to the degree of oil contamination, systematically checking it.
If while driving you feel that the gearbox is not working as usual (the car is slipping, periodically shifting, does not engage or engages gears with jerks), then you need to urgently check your gearbox. These symptoms indicate a possible breakdown. Changing the oil in the Opel Vectra B gearbox is the first thing the car owner should do if any malfunctions are detected.
Shocks in the transmission, a drop in power (traction) while driving, and the appearance of a transmission emergency signal on the instrument panel are some of the few signs that your gearbox needs care. Often, such problems appear in cars whose owners have never or have changed the MTF (manual transmission fluid) or ATF (automatic transmission fluid) oil for a very long time. Regardless of which transmission - manual or automatic - your car is equipped with, the symptoms of abnormal transmission operation will be the same.
Opel Vectra B
From time to time it is necessary to check the MTF or ATF level in your transmission. If the car does not warm up in winter and is driven with a cold gearbox, this will also lead to further problems. Remember - untimely replacement can lead to costly repairs.
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Instructions for changing oil in manual transmission
Let's look at the instructions for changing the MTF in Opel Vectra B cars for the F13, F17, F18 and F23 gearboxes. The transmission identification code is located on top of the transmission housing.
Tools
To change MTF fluid in a car you will need:
- a set of wrenches (in particular, prepare wrenches for “13” and “16”);
- flat screwdriver;
- thread locker;
- regular pharmaceutical syringe;
- transmission pan gasket;
- container for waste liquid;
- acetone.
Well, of course, you will need oil. For manual gearboxes, it is strictly not recommended to use counterfeit oil made in China - this can lead to further breakdowns in the gearbox. Opel SAE 75W-80 MTF is best suited - you need two liters of fluid.
RAVENOL 75W-90 oil for Opel Vectra gearbox
Steps
Let's start changing the oil directly:
- Take a “16” wrench and unscrew the bolts securing the engine crankcase protection to the body.
- We remove the protection.
- We take the key to “13” and unscrew 3 bolts out of the 10 available on the front part of the manual transmission pan (after unscrewing the bolts, the front part will hang down a little, so the liquid will drain in this place).
The remaining 7 bolts need to be loosened (but not completely unscrewed) to drain the MTF cleanly. Opel Vectra manual transmission pan from below - Next, you will need a container to collect the used consumable element - take it and place it under the pallet.
- Then we take a flat screwdriver prepared in advance - you need to insert it between the pan and the body of your manual transmission and slightly bend part of the pan.
- Having done this, MTF will begin to flow out of the box in a thin stream. When it is glass, you need to unscrew the lid completely and wipe it from accumulated dirt and waste liquid, as well as remnants of the rubber gasket. To do this, use acetone or another solvent.
- Then we clean the gearbox housing where the pan is attached to remove gasket and MTF residues.
Open gearbox Opel Vectra - Next you need to put the pan cover back in place. We take a pre-prepared thread lock and gasket, place it on the cover with the red side and tighten all 10 bolts as tightly as possible.
- Now we need to remove the front left wheel. For greater convenience, you can also remove the battery and its support.
- The wheel has been removed and now, using a key set to “13” (it will be more convenient to use a long ratchet), unscrew the MTF level control plug in the box, which is located on the left side of the manual transmission housing.
Manual transmission oil level inspection hole - Under the hood of the manual transmission we find the breather and unscrew it.
- The MTF is being replaced.
To do this, take a medical syringe and fill in the required amount of MTF (up to two liters) through the breather. To prevent oil from leaking out of the hole, you need to place the left side of your Opel Vectra on a jack. Opel Vetra manual transmission breather - After wiping the plug, put it back using the key to “13”.
- We tighten the breather.
- As for cars with the “F23” gearbox marking, here the MTF is replaced in the same order. Only some of these manual transmissions have a slightly higher fluid level in the box as standard. Therefore, when changing the “consumables”, when the MTF level has approached the control hole mark, the plug (which is located under the bottom, on the box) needs to be tightened and about half a liter of liquid must be added through the breather. As a rule, control plugs in Opel Vectra B models are marked with a yellow mark.
Which manual transmission pan gasket should I install?
Original number of pan gasket
0370034, average price 335 rub. As an analogue, you can also choose Hans Pries (Topran) 206470346 - 144 rubles.
Replacement frequency
The oil in the Vectra's manual transmission is changed every 80-90 thousand km.
In order to change the oil in a manual transmission we will need:
- the oil itself;
- differential cover gasket;
- thread locker;
- Key to 11;
We climb under the car and remove the engine protection, if any. After which we have direct access to the box cover, or rather, the differential cover!
We unscrew all the bolts with a 11mm wrench, then carefully lift the cover and drain the oil.
When all the oil has been drained, remove the cover and in front of us is the differential gear.
There may be parts of the old gasket left at the ends. Which will need to be removed. I used a regular knife.
Afterwards we clean the cap from old oil.
We take out the plug with the magnetic core. Let's examine it. If everything is fine, we continue working.
Many automakers make gears for life, but it is inevitable that the lubricant will need to be changed over time. If you periodically replace the transmission fluid, this will significantly extend the life of the device. As a result of oil aging, rapid wear of parts occurs, which can lead to rapid failure of the gearbox. In addition, a fluid replacement procedure may be required in case of repair work. In the Vectra, changing the oil in the manual transmission is not provided by the manufacturer; for this reason, the design does not include a drain plug for the gearbox housing. But such inconveniences will not prevent the procedure from being carried out if the need arises. To carry out an oil change, it is not necessary to involve specialists; the motorist can do it on his own, with the exception of a number of cases where a serious breakdown has occurred requiring repairs and a complete replacement of the fluid.
Changing the oil in the Opel Vectra manual transmission is mandatory for the efficient operation of the gearbox.
Instructions for changing automatic transmission oil
Replacing transmission ATF in an automatic transmission is in many ways similar to changing the oil in a manual transmission, but there are some differences, which we will consider further.
Tools
If you replace the ATF in an automatic transmission with an Opel Vectra B, you will need slightly fewer tools (in the automatic transmission, the fluid is drained through a special hole).
To replace ATF in an Opel automatic transmission we will need:
- set of wrenches;
- new gasket;
- container for used ATF;
- funnel;
- new oil filter.
You can also get a compressor to blow out the filter.
Steps
The frequency of replacing ATF in automatic transmissions is not indicated in the operating instructions. In order for the car to last longer, specialists at service stations recommend replacing the ATF at least every 40 thousand km.
- First you need to warm up your automatic transmission to 60 degrees.
- Then we drive into a pit or overpass and turn off the engine.
- Then you need to crawl under the bottom of the car, find the automatic transmission and unscrew the drain cap on it.
- We wait until all the ATF has drained.
Opel Vectra automatic transmission waste oil pan - Next, using a key set to “13”, you need to carefully unscrew the bolts securing the pan (there will still be oil in it).
- We wait until the main part of the ATF (about 4 liters) is drained. Attention! In total, the Opel Vectra automatic transmission contains about 7 liters of oil. At home, it is impossible to completely drain it. This is only done when the gearbox is completely disassembled.
- We remove the gasket and install a new one.
New gaskets for automatic transmission Opel Vectra - Then we remove the filter and wash or blow it out of dirt and put it in place, or install a new filter component in its place.
- We tighten the ATF drain plug, put the automatic transmission pan in place and tighten it with bolts.
- Then insert a funnel into the hole to check the ATF level and pour approximately the same amount of liquid into the box as was drained.
- Now we start the engine and, with the brake pedal pressed, alternately switch all speeds with a delay of about 5 seconds.
- Check the fluid level in the box again and add if necessary.
- You need to make a short trip (up to 10 km) and check the oil level again using the dipstick.
Oil leaks and breakdowns
An attentive owner will notice any leak or other breakdown of the manual transmission in the Opel Vectra immediately. If an oil puddle has formed on the asphalt, you need to look for a leak.
The main causes of breakdown and oil leakage:
- The drain plug at the bottom of the transmission is not fully sealed
. One of the most common causes of oil leaks. You can fix the problem in 5 minutes; - The oil dipstick is installed incorrectly
. Vehicle drivers do not pay enough attention to the correct installation of the oil dipstick when checking the fluid level. An incorrectly installed probe does not completely cover the channel. When the oil heats up, it flows out through the resulting space; - reverse sensor
. Installed on the gearbox. Insufficient tightening will result in fluid leakage. Solution to the problem: tighten the sensor and the leak will stop; - The oil in the box has been overfilled
. Car mechanics do not recommend overfilling. There is a generally accepted opinion: overfilling a box with liquid is worse than underfilling it; - leakage through the cover
. The sealing material of the cover has become worn. The gasket needs to be replaced. Chips and cracks are repaired with epoxy resin. This composition evens out any surface damage.
When to change
The degree of aging of gearbox oil can be influenced by many external factors, for example, harsh climatic conditions, the driver’s driving style or the quality of roads in the area where the car is operated. The fluid can be replaced as planned every 70–80 thousand km. mileage, but often the need arises earlier. Regularly checking the level and monitoring the condition of the lubricant makes it possible to more accurately determine when a procedure is required and prevent premature wear of device parts. An urgent need to update the MTF transmission fluid arises when signs of device malfunction are identified. If during driving there were shocks in the transmission and other evidence of unstable operation, changing the oil in the Opel Vectra B gearbox is a mandatory action to solve the problem.
