Thread: How To: Change Manual Transmission Oil

Here are a few steps on how to change the manual transmission oil. This is not that hard of a task, but if you have never changed the manual transmission oil it's hard to know where to even start from.

• Transmission Oil
  Capacity (from FSM): 3.6-3.8 liters, (7-5/8 - 8 US pt, 6-38 - 6-3/4 lmp pt). In English, 4 1qt bottles will be needed, and you'll have some left.
  
  Most people would suggest Redline MT90, the choice is up to you. You can get it fairly cheap at GoFastDepot.com
  
  
  If you don't want to use Redline MT90, check the FSM (Factory Service Manual) for the specifications of the oil that can be used for the transmission.
  
  
• Wrenches
  For drain plug:
  [img]http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Sentra%20SE-L/Maintenance/Transmission/Oil Change/Cimg2233.jpg[/img]
  
  For fill plug:
  [img]http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Sentra%20SE-L/Maintenance/Transmission/Oil Change/Cimg2235.jpg[/img]
  
  
  
• Sealant
  FSM has these listed: Genuine anaerobic liquid, Three Bond TB1215, or equivalent
  
  
• Funnel and a hose or little Fluid Oil Pump
  I highly suggest a Fluid Oil Pump that can be found in Advance Auto Part for about $6. Using the pump will help you get the oil in a much shorter time, it took me about 10 to pump all the transmission oil.
  
  Product Website
  
  Get it from Advance Auto Parts
  
  [img]http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Sentra%20SE-L/Maintenance/Transmission/Oil Change//Cimg2238.jpg[/img]
  
  
• Oil Drip Pan to pour the old oil into
  I used the normal oil drip pan that is used for engine oil.
  

1. Take a drive in your car to warm up the transmission fluid. This will help it exit the transmission quicker.

2. Take off the fill oil plug, it is found facing the front of the car. This way if the fill plug gets stuck you can still drive the car, instructions on doing that are in Step 3. Thanks NismoSER for the tip :biggthump

[img]http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Sentra%20SE-L/Maintenance/Transmission/Oil Change/Cimg2236.jpg[/img]

You will have to use this wrench:
[img]http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Sentra%20SE-L/Maintenance/Transmission/Oil Change/Cimg2235.jpg[/img]

If your fill plug is stuck, you can always use the Speed Sensor hole to fill the oil back up.


3. Loosen the Transmission oil drain plug and let the oil empty out into the oil drip pan. It might have a pretty bad odor. While the oil is draining cleanup the plug and remove and dirt or debris from it.

Use this wrench to loosen the drain plug:
[img]http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Sentra%20SE-L/Maintenance/Transmission/Oil Change/Cimg2233.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Sentra%20SE-L/Maintenance/Transmission/Oil Change/Cimg2228.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Sentra%20SE-L/Maintenance/Transmission/Oil Change/Cimg2234.jpg[/img]



4. After all of the oil has been drained, apply some sealant (as listed in the Equipment Needed section above) to the drain plug and tighten the bolt according to the FSM torque numbers.
FSM Torque Numbers: 25 - 34 N-m (2.5 - 3.5 kg-m, 18 - 25 ft-lb)

[img]http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Sentra%20SE-L/Maintenance/Transmission/Oil Change/Cimg2237.jpg[/img]



5. Plug the hose from the funnel pump to the fill plug and add about 3.6-3.8 liters (7-5/8 - 8 US pt). The way you can check if you have enough is by putting your finger in the hole and if you feel the oil right up top, then you have enough. (Note - if your front is jacked up, the oil levels are not going to be even)

[img]http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Sentra%20SE-L/Maintenance/Transmission/Oil Change/Cimg2238.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Sentra%20SE-L/Maintenance/Transmission/Oil Change/Cimg2239.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Sentra%20SE-L/Maintenance/Transmission/Oil Change/Cimg2241.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Sentra%20SE-L/Maintenance/Transmission/Oil Change/Cimg2246.jpg[/img]

The finger method of checking if the oil is full. Thanks Mike for the pic :biggthump


For the pump to better fit the MT90 bottle you can cut bottle tip at about 4 ribs. You can see this indicated below with a yellow pointer. Thank You for the tip BBYE V8




6. Add some sealant around the thread of the fill plug, then tighten the plug. Thats it!

Big thanks goes to Sentrixx and AztekSE-R for telling me how to do this. Also big thanks to Serban and the GoFastDepot.com for the great prices!

I like that little pump.

Works really well

So how many bottles do I need? Two or three bottles?

That's what she said!

You will need 4 bottles. 1 qt per bottle usually, so do the math and you got 4 bottles. I will specify that though..



LOL that reminds me of Austin Powers...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h1AzpB_soI

I know this is old, but can you re-upload the pics or something so they work? Thanks!

Yes +1 on the re-upload!

Sorry guys moved them and forgot to update

Thank you!!!!!