# Manual Transmission Oil Fill Plug Stripped :(



## Wereweazle (Oct 8, 2008)

Hiya. Through a mix of PB Blaster, breaker bars, and other assorted schenanigannery I've managed to stick myself with a rounded out oil fill plug on my transmission (with the oil already drained) on my 1987 Volkswagen Quantum Syncro wagon. Don't worry, I've already fully berated myself on draining before checking the fill hole and all that. Seriously, berated hard. I was hoping to find a way of getting oil in any way short of taking out the entire transmission and drilling out the plug (which I'm considering doing if all else fails). I've read where some guys have poured it in through their speedometer cable on Suzuki's. Is this possible on mine as well? Any help/ideas will be greatly appreciated. Thank you!


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## eighty6jetta (Oct 10, 2006)

you can always weld something to the nut and turn it out , but as for filling i just use the speedo hole anyways


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## Wereweazle (Oct 8, 2008)

Okay thanks a lot.  Would you mind telling me exactly where the speedo whole is on the transmission? I found a hole above the drain plug on the opposite side as the fill plug that appears to be a vent of some sorts. I was thinking about pouring oil in that and seeing if it reached the case and poured out the drain hole. Any idea what this might be?


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## Wereweazle (Oct 8, 2008)

Ok so putting oil in that 'vent' I found only led to oil leaking out what appeared to be the seams of the transmission. Weird, but that's out. I've found the speedometer gear drive bit I've heard mentioned before. Seems super easy to fill from there, but I can't quite figure out how to get it off. It's just a cable running into a giant metal sleeve that attaches to the transmission through some sort of voodoo. Is there a certain tool I need? It seems to be cut in four places at the top suggesting some sort of toothed wrench.


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## eurowner (Jan 26, 2002)

eighty6jetta said:


> you can always weld something to the nut and turn it out , but as for filling i just use the speedo hole anyways


:what::banghead: the plug is alloy. have fun welding That one. 

You will have much better luck with a hammer & chisel and do not be afraid to use a small propane/map gas torch to heat up the casting.


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## Wereweazle (Oct 8, 2008)

Thanks all. I got it through the speedo hole. It filled fine. Unfortunately, it did not get rid of a 'dry bearing' noise I've been hearing in third and fifth that I hoped changing the oil would. And today I got in the car to find the shifter feeling 'extra sloppy.' Turns out trying to shift into to 1, 3, and 5 gives me only third gear and trying to shift into 2, 4, and reverse gives me only fourth! No matter which I try I either get third of fourth! Fantastic...


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## eighty6jetta (Oct 10, 2006)

i th ought they were steel. anyways the dry gear sound might be throw out bearing, but i only hear it when i idle


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## Wereweazle (Oct 8, 2008)

I heard the dry bearing noise in neutral, first, third, and fifth. So it got a bit annoying traveling down the highway. No one would happen to know what in the world would cause the transmission to only go into third and fourth gear no matter where I put it would they?


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## eurowner (Jan 26, 2002)

Noises:

Bad center support bearing. bad engine mounts. Bad tranny mounts. Bad shifter bushings.



Go


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