406oc.co.uk

Hi,
So as you've probably gathered by now - I've been replacing the clutch for my 90 BHP HDi 406 Estate, with it's BE4 gearbox.
After putting the driveshafts back on, I started wondering - how do I fill it with gearbox oil?
After referring to my Haynes Manual, this forum and to Google, I've failed to work out what to undo to find a suitable aperture.

Reverse-light-switch
Apparently, the reverse light switch can be removed and provides a good filler point - but WHERE IS IT?

In fact, looking at the various features of the gearbox, I realised - there are several items that I am bemused by.
So I've created a picture of my BE4 gearbox and labeled several features that I'm hoping a kind and knowledgeable person can put a name to.

Please could you name the relevant item as labeled on the photograph - for future reference. I'm particularly keen to find the reverse light switch (Item 2? 5?) but would love to find out what all of the labeled features are.


1 BE4 gearbox identification marking
2
3
4
5



Thank you.

i would say 2 is the reverse light as it looks like a 2 pin plug

5 might be a breather,has it got electrical plug on it?

omega wrote:i would say 2 is the reverse light as it looks like a 2 pin plug

5 might be a breather,has it got electrical plug on it?

Both 2 & 5 are electrical connectors of some sort.
4 - the white "cap" seems a bit like a plunger with only a small amount of travel.

Hi,
Ok, so I've spent some time searching and have found out the following:

1 BE4 gearbox identification marking
2 Reverse lamp switch (In my case, grey plastic, 2 pin connector)
3
4 Breather (Black plastic bolt with a white "plunger-like" plastic bit on top)
5 Engine speed sensor

Level plug:
the level plug is allegedly on the very end "module"of the entire gearbox/transmission assembly.
If you look at the end of the gearbox furthest from the engine, where it almost "grazes" the plastic wheel arch liner (when fitted), there are 8 bolts holding the metal endcap on.
If you imagine that it's a clockface, one of the bolts should appear different and is at approximately "4 o'clock" - this should be the level plug.

I'll have to take a look in the morning to confirm whether this is correct.



So just 3 to figure out next...

Thank you.

Found it, here is the gearbox oil filler/level plug for the BE4 gearbox. Looking at it, it's not too inaccessible, but I would imagine going via the oft-suggested reverse-light switch on the front might be easier if you just wanna "bung it in".



It's so low, that oddly, I can't imagine getting 1.9 litres in through there...

1.9 litres is what the ML5 box needs. I strongly suspect the BE4 is different.

Number 3 will probably be a 'cup' to support the pivot bar which goes through the release fork

About 3/4 of the way through my clutch change howto I cover removing and cleaning them...

mjb wrote:1.9 litres is what the ML5 box needs. I strongly suspect the BE4 is different.

Number 3 will probably be a 'cup' to support the pivot bar which goes through the release fork

About 3/4 of the way through my clutch change howto I cover removing and cleaning them...

Yeah that was a good how-to, it gave me some confidence I certainly appreciate the various how-to's on this forum.

Looking at the Haynes 3982, it shows 1.9L against the BE3, BE4, BE5 and ML5T.

I'm not so sure that number 3 could be part of the release fork pivot, as on this gearbox, it's basically a steel, ball ended bolt/stud that goes horizontally into the end of the bell housing, rather than being a vertical swivel bar.

I suppose it could be some kind of "plug" for a hole that is common to other gearboxes that use the same housing but a different release fork design?

But then, looking at the pic below, I don't see a corresponding "common mount point" in the bottom of the housing:



I wish I'd taken more pics from more angles.
Actually, the more that I compare your pic and my pic of the interior, it's surprising just HOW different the ML5x and BE4 housings are interms of both the internal ribbing/webbing and support structures, and the "bumps" that I assume are support cups/mount points for the various shafts etc.. on the inside of the gearbox beyond the bell housing.

Hmmm I'm out of ideas.

I always tend to take shedloads of pictures. I took around 500 when I did my clutch (and cherry-picked the 70 you see in the howto). It's immensely useful to have lots of pictures, not only for howto creation, but for "how the hell was this bit stuck on?" or "where the f did this come from?" moments.

Try to take pictures of spanners/sockets on bolts too, with the size visible - this picture tells me which holes hold the gearbox on, and which are for the PAS pipe which is held on with the 13mm bolts which I put in the draw because I couldn't remember where they came from
http://www.botchitt.com/screens/406coup ... earbox.jpg

mjb wrote:Hmmm I'm out of ideas.

I always tend to take shedloads of pictures. I took around 500 when I did my clutch (and cherry-picked the 70 you see in the howto). It's immensely useful to have lots of pictures, not only for howto creation, but for "how the hell was this bit stuck on?" or "where the f did this come from?" moments.

Try to take pictures of spanners/sockets on bolts too, with the size visible - this picture tells me which holes hold the gearbox on, and which are for the PAS pipe which is held on with the 13mm bolts which I put in the draw because I couldn't remember where they came from
http://www.botchitt.com/screens/406coup ... earbox.jpg

Yeah, the spanner/tool idea is a good one, I try to do that sometimes, but the camera on my phone is really slow, so I often need both hands to avoid camera shake.
I'm about to sort through my pics to work out how/where the rectangular black bracket near the starter is supposed to fit as I've forgotten!

bytecode wrote:Found it, here is the gearbox oil filler/level plug for the BE4 gearbox. Looking at it, it's not too inaccessible, but I would imagine going via the oft-suggested reverse-light switch on the front might be easier if you just wanna "bung it in".



It's so low, that oddly, I can't imagine getting 1.9 litres in through there...

Yep, that's the one. It's in the BOL. You're supposed to use the flexible spout on the bottle to squirt in the first litre and then slowly squirt the rest of the oil in until it dribbles out of the filler/level hole. Personally I would use one of those oil cans that you pump with your thumb.