While this story is longer and involves multiple wasted hours, expensive bottles of oil and miles of travel over the past few months, I've abridged it for clarity and to highlight my most recent outrageous experience with Imran Gearbox Repair in Liaquatabad (nee Lalookhet.)
After having the 5MT and transfer case opened up on my '90s Suzuki Jimny, I was pleased to see both boxes in pristine condition. It certainly helped that the first thing I did when I got the car is replace the murky black fluids that hadn't been changed in 30 years with Toyota GL-4 and GL-5.
After the shaft seals and a couple of bearings were inspected and replaced with new ones, the boxes were put back together and I was asked to put in the shop's "khulla" oil of unknown spec. Since there was absolutely no way I was going to do that, Warco or Delo Gear EP-5 was the alternative.
While the Delo GL-5 would've been fine for my diffs, it wouldn't work for the transfer case and transmission, which both needed GL-4.
"Sir ham toh dekhte bhi nahi hain, GL-4, 5, sab aik hi cheez hay. Ham dalte rahe hain, sab chalta hay, befikar rahain."
I couldn't find a GL-4 Delo, so I bought some Liqui-Moly 85W-90 GL-4 - 1.2L in the transmission, 1L in the transfer case. 1.5L Liqui-Moly 85W-90 GL-5 each in the diffs.
The owner at Imran Gearbox Repair insisted I fill 2 liters into the gearbox, and had their worker dump it into the shifter hole instead of using the fill bolt to verify the quantity. I was pissed and asked him why he did that without telling me.
"Hamara experience hay, kam na ho, gearbox jal na jaye, aapki zimedari hogi."
Straining synchros, hard downshift to 2nd and 1st, and sluggish response made me suspect the box was overfilled. The shifter shaft bolt at the very top of the gearbox was leaking, dripping onto my driveway. Output seal was weeping and covering my driveshaft with oil.
Next day, the guy wouldn't respond to my calls or messages, including the pictures I sent him of the shifter shaft bolt dripping and leaking all over my driveway.
I had a trusted shop open up the fill bolt, which immediately spouted oil all over the mechanic's arm and face. I thrust a beaker underneath to measure what came out.
Remember: the spec calls for 1200ml, the gearbox had 2000ml in it. This is how much came out of the fill bolt.
It's a good idea to:
- Take basic measurement tools with you for fluids, hose diameters, etc.
- Refer to this thread and contribute information for various engines, transmissions and differentials.
- Follow the manufacturer's specifications and read the technical briefs for information on exactly what is going in your vehicle.
