is there another way to fill transmission oil?

jdulle

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2017
Location
Ithaca, NY
TDI
96 B4, 97 B4
My fill plug for my 97 B4 was really in there and starting to round out when I tried to get it out. Is there another way to get fluid in? Like the speed sensor?
If so, how hard is it to remove for filling?
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
Get new plug. Make sure you can take the oill plug out first. Use impact to remove bad plug. Might have to use a 12 point or a torques but with a hammer to drive it in. It's an aluminum plug if I'm not mistaken. Always hammer the socket driver fully into the seat of the plug before you start turning.
If its steel, just weld a nut to it.
As for alternate ways to fill and drain..... I guess you could suck it out of the fill port. Try and get most of it. Fill and repeat after 20 miles or so a few times to dilute it down with fresh........
 

Abacus

That helpful B4 guy
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Location
Relocated from Maine to Dewey, AZ
TDI
Only the B4V left
There are 2 other ways to fill it, but you’re not going to know how much is in it because it’s filled until the oil comes out the fill hole.

You can pour it in the vehicle speed sensor (VSS) hole or by removing the shift tower.
 

jdulle

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2017
Location
Ithaca, NY
TDI
96 B4, 97 B4
Is that the sensor on the top toward the firewall? I seem to remember my other car taking slightly less than 2 quarts. So if I do this, I am thinking of adding this amount and hoping it is about right. I might try and fit a torx in there and try and get the old one out.
 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
Isn’t the fill spec 2.1 quarts? Just like the 020s, I always add a bit more.… maybe 2.25 quarts. It’s not sealed, so you won’t be pushing out seals or anything like that. I fill through the speed sensor hole, to avoid the mess.

I’ve never had an issue with this method, but ymmv.

-Todd
 

jdulle

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2017
Location
Ithaca, NY
TDI
96 B4, 97 B4
I think I am going to try the speed sensor hole, and put a full 2 qts in. I figure at least .1 qt will stay in there if I don't let it drip for an hour.
 

jdulle

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2017
Location
Ithaca, NY
TDI
96 B4, 97 B4
How do you remove that sensor? Perhaps it will become obvious once I take off the electrical connector. I am going to attempt this weekend to get that changed.
 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
Been a while, but I think it’s just a plastic collar/nut, that unthreads like a normal nut.

-Todd
 

jdulle

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2017
Location
Ithaca, NY
TDI
96 B4, 97 B4
Filling through the speed sensor worked great. The transmission shifts a little better but not much. I used Redline MTL GL-4 fluid.
 
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