Replacing the R.65 Gearbox Oil Rover 200 Series
Doing an oil change on the Rover 200 with R.65 gearbox is straight foreward can easilly be done working at ground level, to release the 2 x 17mm drain and refill bolts, ring spanners were used for this, the drain bolt which is usually magnetised, may have a small amount of swarf attached to it, this in most cases is normal, after allowing gearbox oil to drain off, drain bolt was then wiped clean and replaced including new copper washer.
If the oil has never been drained off, it can be assumed both bolts, especially the drain bolt is going to be difficult to remove. Laid under front of the vehicle with foot on ring spanner and a good push soon resolves that problem. Each of the 17mm drain and filler bolts, require being tightened to 25Nm or 18lbf ft torque, or hand tight plus, .
Oil used in the 200 gearbox is a SAE 75W-80W to an API GL5 viscosity, takes around 1.75 litres up to correct level, the filling procedure used was to insert into the filler hole a clear plastic tubing which is attached to a base removed old redex container.This was then gradually topped up with new oil running directly into gearbox, this hands free method eliminates using the messy squeezy pack way when working in a restricted space.
Location of the filler and level bolt, viewed from inside engine compartment. This gearbox oil change is based on a vehicle parked on level ground, and a standard ride height, or use of a pit or service ramps would maybe have to be another option.
To achieve the correct fill level, or any other filling process, is when the oil just begins to trickle out of the filler level hole, this gear box oil change, was on the Rover 200 in early 2005. And shows at the time bluecol antifreeze was being used in the cooling system.
An option taken of not to change the gearbox oil on the 2004 MG-ZR was decided on the basis of most modern gearboxes being 'filled for life' at the factory, the above should fall into this category, Basically doing any future oil changes, may not always result in it being as good or superior in quality, as the original factory filled oil that could now have been drained off.
So monitoring the performance of the gearbox over the last 8 years and more, and with no signs of oil leaks, or any oil staining being evident on any part of the casing, and with a good combination of smooth and positive gear changes, this option on the vehicle has still remained.
Rover 200/MG-ZR Technical and Information Pages (c) 2004-2018.
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