Does anyone have a How-To on transmission maintenance for the 6-speed.

Drain and fill port locations?
Type of fluid - Stock?
Can I replace with synthetic if not OEM spec?
Which synthetic do you recommend?

TIA

 

sadly enough, I could not even find the dipstick for the 6MT. :???: :???:

 

I don't believe there is a dipstick, merely a pair of threaded plugs. To drain, remove the lower plug. To fill, reinstall the lower plug and remove the upper plug. Fill until fluid starts spilling out. Reinstall upper plug.

 

There is no dipstick for the manual trans. Stand under the car (make sure the car is properly supported!) and you will see 2 black plugs on the passenger side of the transmission case. The lower is the drain and the higher plug (9 o'clock from the lower) is the fill plug. An 8mm allen wrench fits both.

Remove the lower one and drain the fluid just like your engine oil; replace the plug tightly and fill the trans using the upper plug until the fluid is level with the hole opening. I fished a small rubber hose along the firewall to the fill opening and using a funnel, easily filled the trans.

According to ALLDATA, the stock fluid is 75w90 Synthetic.

 

You can also use an inexpensive pump to fill the trans from below. THis item usually screws into the gallon-sized gear oil containers. Very handy item.

 

aha! Thanks for the info. :smile:

 

FYI when you change fluid on containers with fill and drain bolts (man trans, rear diffs, etc.) always remove the fill bolt first. You don't want to drain the fliud and then find out you can't remove the fill bolt.

Redline makes really good trans fluids.

 

Thats an interesting point. I will check the service manual CD.... If I find anything I will post it up here.. it will take a few while I navigate through it. Any helpful info will be posted.

 

Good Info, thanks to all!!!

 

The CVT tranny does not have a dipstick either...

Does anyone have specifics on typical CVT maintenance, regarding recommended Fluid Change Service Intervals? Hopefully the first CVT fluid flush and fill is COVERED in the MINI 3-year 36K maintenance program.... if not, I wonder the cost?

In the past with other cars, automatic tranny fluid flush & fills always cost from $75 to $100. Let me guess, it's about $10,000 on the MINI. :smile: Also, the automatic tranny on my 1998 Olds Intrigue had a 150,000 mile or 7-year "whichever comes first" fluid change interval. Anyone know the mileage and/or time interval for the CVT?

Rock On,

-Joe

 

Mighty_Boognish,

Someone on this site once said that the dealer will change the CVT transmission fluid at the first scheduled maintenance, i.e., 10,000 miles or so -- as it's included in that. I only have about 3,000 miles on my new Cooper and will have the dealer change it at 5,000 miles along with my second oil change. I would have had it done at my first oil change at 1200 miles if I had known there was such oil in the tranny. Yeah, I'm excessive, I know.