Help - Gear box oil filler plug rounded off

Our '96 300 TDI has been decidedly noisier in the gear changing dept. On Tuesday I was towing a trailer and going uphill in 3rd and there was a definite change in sound (more high pitched). Anyhoo we figured it was probably a good point to check on the gearbox oil level.
Today removed the drain plug from the gearbox and literally a couple of tablespoons dribbled out..... Poor Landy.
Unfortunately the filler plug just will not come out. On inspection it looks like whoever filled it up last time mullered the hex key socket so now it is impossible to get a firm grip with the tool.
In the meantime, is it possible to put oil in via the small gear stick aperture? I can't really tell if there is a continual space from that aperture to the gearbox.
2ndly - any tips as to how to get the filler plug out so I can replace it with a new one?
Thanks in advance
Tish

You could put oil in through level plug, but where is the leak ?

But if you have driven it a while, with only two tablespoons of oil you might want to consider a gearbox replacement

I think I have seen that some people will hammer a torx into a damaged one (obviously over size) BUT I have never done that myself so please get someone to confirm.

Hi,

could you try Irwin bolt extractors if there is enough meat on the outside of the fill plug? not sure it its flush or not.


I've used these before to great effect.

HTH

Steve

freelance said:

You could put oil in through level plug, but where is the leak ?

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Where’s the level plug? Isn’t that the filler plug which we can’t get out?

drfoster said:

Hi,

could you try Irwin bolt extractors if there is enough meat on the outside of the fill plug? not sure it its flush or not.

Irwin 5 Piece Bolt Grip Set - expansion set - Machine Mart - Machine Mart

www.machinemart.co.uk

I've used these before to great effect.

HTH

Steve

Click to expand...

Thanks - will give that a shot.
Annoying thing is we had the clutch replaced 2 weeks ago….

freelance said:

But if you have driven it a while, with only two tablespoons of oil you might want to consider a gearbox replacement

Click to expand...

Indeed

An allen bolt extractor should do the job…

When I bought my 90 12 years ago I changed all the oils, gbox literally had a teacup of oil in it, still okay now well as okay as an lt77 can be!
As mentioned above the irwin exttactors are quite good, but you might find you have to weld a nut on what is left of the level plug.

To get yourself out of the mire you could pump 2 litres up through the drain plug then refit it pronto.

lynall said:

To get yourself out of the mire you could pump 2 litres up through the drain plug then refit it pronto.

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… that is a proper Land Rover solution - love it..!

You've learnt an important lesson....

Always check you can undo the filler plug before undoing the drain plug.

How much oil does the gearbox hold. Why not just refit the drain plug, take the selector top off and pour in the required amount of oil.

Then see how you go. The gearbox might be okay, as above, but if not you've only lost the price of a couple litres of gearbox oil.

Wouldn't they have drained the gearbox when fitting the new clutch?

I know it's not helpful now, but a wise man once told me "always undo the filler plug first..."

Gear box would not have been drained.

lightning said:

How much oil does the gearbox hold. Why not just refit the drain plug, take the selector top off and pour in the required amount of oil.

Then see how you go. The gearbox might be okay, as above, but if not you've only lost the price of a couple litres of gearbox oil.

Click to expand...

Yes this is what I was wondering - I took the covering off the small gear selector (diff lock engagement/low high gear) but couldn’t tell if there was a direct route to the main gear box. This would certainly be the simplest

Just looking in parts book, initially I thought you are screwed, but it looks if you remove the turret off the box to the selectors you might be able to fill from the top, but that will mean floor plates and trans tunnels removal, and if you have not had them out for some time you could be in for some aggro!

Thanks for that - not sure we are brave enough for the aggro..... Fingers crossed we can get a Torx bolt banged in to do the trick. I have a replacement plug coming. If all else fails we are going to tip landy sideways so we can get some in via the drain plug

It is small and would take a long time but you could put a measured amount in via the breather hole or the reverse switch hole. although the breather hole is easier to access just with the centre panel removed.

As above though on the first parts diagram from @lynall if you remove the four bolts that show as 20 you can fill form the top but a lot of other things need to come out to get access to that.

Woo hoo!!!!