Transmission manual oil fill

[Bobby Gee]

Where is the transmission fill plug on a 1993 Festiva 5 speed?

[WmWatt]

On top of the transmission. Remove the speedometer cable. First unscrew the knurled thingy, then unscrew the 10mm bolt. There is a projection on the housing which is the full indicator. Be carefull as the tab which holds the bolt can break. To fill peope use a long nose funnel. I taped a hose to an ordianary oil fill funnel.

PS Almost missed this. Belongs in repair and maintenance forum below.

[Bobby Gee]

Thank you so much

[ricko1966]

I take out the bolt holding the speedometer drive down with a 10mm box end wrench . I put visegrips on the speedometer cable hex and pull up on the vise grips you may have to twist, wiggle and tap on the vise grips but I've always been able to pull the drive this way.Full mark is on the Speedo drive, fill with the method of your choosing. Barely start the drive back in the hole with your hand twist it push it whatever you need to do to make the bolt hole line up, start the bolt by hand.Now get a piece of conduit, old lawn mower blade long extension,whatever set it on top of the Speedo cable hex and tap down with a hammer to seat the drive finger tighten again, seat again,snug it with a wrench.I do all this from the topside and guarantee you will never break the hold down this way.

[DerekShellman66]

Wow cool post, thanks for sharing!

[Boater Bob]

How many qts for trans refill and what is the best trans fluid? Redline? or?

[1990new]

How many qts for trans refill and what is the best trans fluid? Redline? or?

For manual transmission My 1990 shop manual say 2.6 US qts of Mercon; Auto trans calls for Dextron II or Mercon III 6.6 US quarts.
Transmission in my 92 Aqua (Tootsie) was still working fine at 350K plus miles.
This is what I use in both manual and auto transmission Festivas (Cheap and does the job fine)
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Super-Tec...Quart/17133890

[BLACKESTSHEEP]

HI guys, did you guys just reach in from the top of the engine and stick your hand down there to where the top of the speedometer cable is on top of the transmission, and use a 10mm wrench to get the top of the speedometer cable off? Or did you guys remove the air filter housing and other parts of the engine to clear out some space to get in there? Or did you guys come in from beneath the engine? I'm apprehensive to stick my arm down in there and mistakenly pull or damage another wire down here, and want to be careful of not breaking off the 10mm bolt tab that seems easy to snap off that you guys mentioned. Any help, thank you in advance .

[WmWatt]

Other people do it from above but I've only done it by putting the front end up on jack stands and working from below. Ialso find it more liesurely lying on my back on the ground under the car. It's really restful under there. Probably my arms aren't the right dimensions for doing it from above. Thing is, on jack stands the transmission is not level so I put the front end back on the ground to fill and check level from above and then back upon stands to reattached cable. You have to top up the transmission whenever you remove a front axle but I can count the number of times on the fingers of one hand, if I counted, but I didn't. LOL

[BLACKESTSHEEP]

Thanks ! I'm trying first to come in from the top side first, I got the speedometer cable hex screw off, but having trouble getting the smaller 10 mm bolt off, its dirty with old grease and such, and having a hard time getting a wrench in the small confined space in there. I'll be back at it later today . I agree with you, probably much more comfortable lying underneath, cause I'm bent over in an awkward position leaning over the left front end trying to get in there from the top side lol. If I cant get it top side, I'll go underneath as a secondary attempt as you suggested. I got an 89 carbed manual, with 130,000 , this is the very first time the manual transmission has ever been checked or refilled, but car and shifting thankfully still run smooth so far.

[1990new]

I bought my first festiva in 1990 new and have owned 7 others since.. I have removed the speedometer gear housing many times to check the level and also when I changed cv axles or replaced transmissions.
The first time I took one out, I broke off the little aluminum arm that the bolt goes through to keep it seated. It was not seated all the way down when I tried to use the bolt to seat it. You have to be more careful putting it back than taking it out. You must also be careful to not lose the little nylon washer at the end of the cable.
Having the right tools makes the job much easier. I suggest that you invest in a 1/4 ratchet set and then buy a long 1/4 extension. This 1/4 wobble head extension set make it a lot easier.

https://www.harborfreight.com/21-pc-14-in-drive-sae-socket-set-63466.html?_br_psugg_q=1%2F4+inch+socket+set

https://www.harborfreight.com/super-long-extension-set-3-pc-67975.html

Also you must clean all the grease and dirt off that area very well so you don't let it get down in the hole and into the fluid. Spray it with gunk or some type of grease cleaner then use a old paint brush and a rag to wipe it all off.
I find it much easier to remove the gear if I leave the speedometer cable attached to it (and you you don't have to worry about losing those washers or get dirt down in the top where the cable goes in).

It is also easier to twist press down and seat it back in with the cable attached.

[BLACKESTSHEEP]

Thanks a bunch for your detailed help. Yes, this is my first time doing this job, so any help is appreciated. I am having the exact problem you mentioned, and having a hard time removing the 10 mm speedometer bolt. I sprayed some PB blaster on there yesterday, and yes, your right, I need the right tools to do the job, it'll be easier for me if I get the correct socket set and those extensions too. I didn't even think of that. I at first unscrewed the top knurled hex speedometer bolt and that loosened right up, but I kept tugging on the actual black speedometer cable to pull it out from the speedometer gear housing, and it seemed like it was locked in there, and I was hesitant to pull on it any more. I did also see the little nylon washer in there as I was yanking up on the speedometer cable, and I didn't want to lose any in between pieces once I separated the cable from the speedometer gear housing So, instead, I'm gonna do exactly what you mentioned, and NOT pull the speedometer cable out from the speedometer gear housing at all, and I'll just remove the the entire speedometer cable and speedometer gear housing ensemble together, after I remove the smaller 10 mm bolt on the tab with a 24" extension bar that I need to order. My shorter 18" extension bar didn't seem to bring it up and out far enough above the engine for me to get a good strong turn on it. I'll report back later with my results.

[WmWatt]

If it's of any help, from underneath all you need is a 10mm wrench. Fom above, it you have a 10" extension and a 3" extension they could be chained together. I've used more than one extension at a time for some jobs.

[1990new]

This extension set is about the same price and states that it is wobble head and has 1/2, 3/8 and 1/2 extensions.

https://www.harborfreight.com/wobble-socket-extension-set-9-pc-67971.html

[BLACKESTSHEEP]

OK, thanks 1990new, I ordered the socket sets and extensions you recommended, I'll get them in about a week in the mail.

In the mean time, I'm going to to try to crawl under my car later this week and see if I cant get in there that way.

WmWatt, In regards to chaining together 2 socket extensions, I only have the one 18" one right now, I'll be getting a 24" in my harbor freight purchase soon. The 18" extension didn't seem to bring it up and out far enough for me to get a proper solid turn on the nut, but I think the 24" will bring it out higher so I can really get a grip on that 10mm nut, maybe it was my mistake, and I didn't see another way to get a good angle on the nut, I'll look at it again later this week. I also think that 10mm nut has been in there for about 30 yrs now. I'm trying really hard not to strip it, but I dont know if I've been successful, lol I hit it with some PB blaster, a lubricant, I'll try to tug on it again later this week. Thanks all.