I recently bought a 07 Vantage and have been cataloging its service history, and doing the needed service on it.

It seems she has not had her transaxle oil changed. This car was first sold in 2008, so she is now 5 years old with 52k miles on it.

I tried my best to find instruction on how do to this task, but no luck.

I understand 4.5 quarts of Castro Syntec 75W/90 are needed (or Shell Transaxle 75W/90). Can I use Redline equivalent?

I see there is a drain bolt underneath the transaxle to drain fluid. Does this bolt have a crush washer that needs to be replaced?

I also looked around and there seems to be be a fill plug on the right side of the transaxle. Do I fill it until it starts to pour out? How does the oil in the cooler get replaced? Do I need to undo the oil cooler lines to drain it separately? I have read and re-read the AM Vantage Workshop Manual, but no direct answers there either.

Thank you in advance for your help.

 

I've seen people going back-and-forth about what kind of oil to put in the transaxle, but I'm not entirely sure how Redline or Royal Purple, or any other high-performance oil, could be less effective than the OEM Castrol. Plus, the OEM stuff is very hard to get, if not impossible.

--Everything below is from the V8V workshop manual--

Transaxle Oil
Shell Transaxle 75W/90 (very important that this is the transaxle type, Do not use Shell Spirax 75W90)

Transaxle Quantity:4 ltr (7 pt / 4.2 US qts)
Coolant System Quantity: 0.5 ltr (0.9 pt / 0.53 US qts)
Transaxle + Coolant Quantity: 4.5 ltr (7.9 pt / 4.6 US qts)

Transmission Axle Assembly-Drain/Refill

Removal
1. Position vehicle on ramp.
2. Remove rear undertray (see Workshop Manual procedure 01.02.PB Undertray - Rear - Renew).
3. Position container to collect transaxle oil.
4. Remove transaxle drain plug and drain oil.
Caution: Plug oil cooler connections to prevent ingress of dirt or moisture into the system.
5. Loosen and disconnect oil cooler pipes and allow oil in the oil cooler system to drain into container.
6. Remove filler plug.
7. Discard sealing washers (x2).

Install
1. Clean drain and filler plugs.
2. Install new sealing washers to filler and drain plugs.
3. Install drain plug and tighten to correct torque.
4. Install oil cooler pipes and tighten unions to correct torque.
5. Fill transaxle with the correct grade and quantity of oil.
6. Install filler plug and tighten to the correct torque.
7. Install rear undertray (see Workshop Manual procedure 01.02.PB Undertray - Rear - Renew).
8. Lower vehicle on ramp.
9. Road test vehicle.
10. Position vehicle on ramp.
11. Check and top-up transaxle oil level.
12. Lower vehicle on ramp.

 

Thank you for the response, it is very much appreciated.

I understand there is a "filter" to clean out as well. Is this filter associated with the fill plug?

There seems to be a "plate" on the lower left (towards back) corner that can come off. Is this where the filter to be cleaned out located?

Limited slips require either certain additives or specs within the oil to work properly. Redline does have a variety of rear end oils, but I need to find out what are the requirements for AM then I can match up the Redline equivalent.

 

Wish I had an answer, but I haven't done this service myself yet. I'm going through the workshop manual trying to find references to the filter, but this is all I've found so far:

Lubrication
Pressure fed system with integrated pump driven by the input shaft. Filter (filter is serviceable item).

So I would have to guess that the filter is somewhere in line with the pump. Sorry I can't be more help.

 

I contacted Redline Oil and had them look up the specs on the Shell Transaxle 75W90, Castrol Syntec 75W90, and BOT 270A.

The Redline equivalent is 75W90NS GL-5 Gear Oil. $15.50 a quart.

I will be changing my transxle oil and will try to figure out how to clean out the filter for it.

If anyone has info on how to clean out the filter for the transaxle it would be much appreciated if you can share.

Cheers.

 

The filter is actually that little plastic paste on the drivers rear side of the transaxle, remove the 8mm headed bolt and work out the plate, will be tight for there is a rubber o-ring holding things up. The filter is attached and is a part of that plastic plate. You don't replace the filter, just clean it out with parts cleaner, replace the o-ring, lube the o-ring and refit...it's actually not a filter but rather just a catch screen like on 2 stroke engines

If ur car is a ASM, I'd stick with the BOT fluid for its a 70W and I've seen forks and synchros damaged due to slightly too thick of a fluid like 75w90...on stick shift, you can experiment if u wish with 75w90 GL5..we have brains and know when not to force the gear into place unlike ASM units

 

Irish07,

Thank you for the heads up. That is what I was hoping for. It looked to be the logical placement for the filter.

I live in sunny California, so no winter use issue. I do have the Sportshift (unfortunately), but you think I can get away with the 70W90 due to the warmer climate I drive in?

Once I disconnect the oil cooler lines do I just let gravity empty out the transaxle oil cooler?

I will be filling up the transaxle until it starts to spill out of the fill plug. Can I just run the car on the lift instead of an actual drive? Then top it off as instructed.

 

Does the car feel quicker after the oil change is done???

 

Don't disconnect the oil lines, just take out the fill plug to allow air to enter, then remove the drain plug to drain the oil..then remove/clean/refit the filter screen. Being a transaxle and not an engine, there is no combustion, thus you don't need to worry about the minimal fluid left in the cooler, the cooler lines also loop upwards so even by disconnecting, fluid will still be trapped inside..

As for the fluid grade in a sportshift versus temp..I just recently replaced a transaxle in a 2007 V8V ASM this past March..temps were around -5C towards the night and +10C in the day...transaxle was filled with 75W90 GL-5 and bent 1st sychro fork, could not get 1st gear at a stop when cold..By changing the fluid to BOT, I was able to get 1st again but when a grind was at times heard

..in the end, I had to replace the transaxle and car was off warranty.

It's really ur call..weather in March here is not far off from the weather you have in Cali towards the nite hours....is the cost you save on fluid worth the price you might need to invest for a transaxle?

 

I appears that the 70W is essentially impossible to get, even astonbits show TRANSAXLE OIL (AUTO) SHELL SPIRAX S6 AXME 75W-90 (1ltr)
Aston Martin Part No. 702141. I have tried online, locally an everywhere in the US and can not find a source.

 

is there anyway to know if this was done n a car or not? I have an 07 6 speed and dont know if prev owners did this service or not?

 

Irish,

Thank you for your insight. I took your advice and bought the Castrol BOT 270A.

The bottles have a long flexible neck, so you can just squeeze the oil into the transaxle.

I bought 5 liters, and was able to put in 4.5 before it started to pour out. I followed the procedure telum01 provided. Thank you for that. I guess 0.5 liters was still in the oil cooler.

No surprises. Just be sure to purchase the needed O-ring (for the filter) and the two crush washers for fill/drain plugs.

One small note- The drain plug uses an hex key. It is quite large. It is the same size that BMW uses and I had one. I got lucky on that one...

 

Any chance you can post the part numbers for the O-ring and the crush washers?
Presume you had to get the oil at the dealer?
Thanks!

 

Robert,where did you find the oil and if you don't mind what was the cost?

 

Transaxle filter O-ring 4G43-27-10491
Transaxle drain/fill washers 4G43-27-10245 (2 each)

Cole European in Walnut Creek has the Castro Manual BOT 270A at $70/bottle.