r.bartholomew

Hi all, Time to throw myself on your expertise please! I have an early 2004 Focus Petrol 1.8i with a Manual gearbox., It's done a 150k miles so trying to look after it as it's in such good condition, I turned to thinking about an oil change for the gearbox. Haynes Manual states there's no Oil Drain Plug - and as I do not own a syphon- or want to disturb a drive shaft - I asked a mainly Vauxhall garage friend what might be done.
He claimed that there was, in fact, a drain plug below the filler plug, but it wouldn't drain all the oil as it was rather highly situated.

I managed to 'start' the 1/2" plug easily, but then it just spun without unscrewing any further, and - a big worrying 'AND' - I cannot get it to screw back up again!!.
I have test driven the car and there's no oil leakage at all - but naturally I wonder if at some point it might lose the contents whilst driving with dire consequences!

ANY advice as to what this apparent 'plug' might be would be very welcome, and although I really don't think I have stripped the thread on it (I did not use much force at all), what does one do in such a situation?

Over to the experts?, Cheers, Richard

Colin_P

Just leave it alone but keep an eye on it.

The best thing you can do to that car if it is not too late is to rust proof it.

r.bartholomew

*****************
Will do! - made another 10-mile run this morning and no leak yet, but - -- - ???

Rust-wise she is pretty good, the underside I did again (Jenilite - tons of it! - then flexible underseal)last year and the MOT man reckons it looks fine two weeks back, but I must waxoil the inside the doors before the weather changes ,
Thanks, Richard

steveo3002

look very closley at the inside door bottom edges , the sealer on ours has started to lift and rust was settting in

i scraped it back as neatly as i could and wire brushed the rust then repainted it ,not pristine if you lean down and look but hopefully should save the doors for a few years

_Jimmy_

Maybe you undid the filler plug?

H3lsing

So the top plug won't go back in? must have ringed the thread.

steveo3002

that drain plug in the piccy ...is it some sort of cap over the top ? prise it off?

H3lsing

That's where you top up the gear oil. It unscrews with a 7mm allen key.

steveo3002

the one with the drain arrow pointing at it in post 6 ...it doesnt have any where to use a tool though??

H3lsing

Mole grips or vice works well I found.