Help - '02 S Manual Transmission Oil Change
 

Frustrating evening & could use some help / advice from the experts. My low mileage '02 S has never had the transmission oil changed, so decided to take that on this evening after reading the Bentley, 101 Projects book & Pelican site. After putting on stands & removing the underside covers (the metal under plate was quite a struggle to remove as never removed before -- force won the day), I was left with clear view of the transmission. Unfortunately, I have been unable to remove what I'm pretty sure is the fill bolt. Adding a bit to the confusion is the fact that the 101 site photo seems to be a mirror image / on the wrong side of the transmission, so there is a lingering doubt in my mind that i'm working on the correct hole.

First, here's my labeled photo. I believe this is correct, and the fill bolt will not come out...
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1352256355.jpg

Here's the photo on the Pelican site -- seems to be a mirror image, on wrong side of transmission if I'm looking at this correctly -- I don't see anything like this on my passenger side of the transmission...

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1352256459.jpg

So, I've tried PB Blaster penetrating oil, I've applied as much removal force as I can muster with my socket (with the 10 mm hex), and I've even taken a torch to it & can't get it to budge. Suggestions? I'm stuck!

I just changed the oil in my '04 and the fill plug was on the driver's side. It was not the 17mm plug that the 101 projects indicated. Instead it was the idiotic 16mm triple-square system, which is the same as the drain plug. I don't remember it being very difficult to remove.

Hello Barkin
You can try this if you want, it has worked for me many times over the years. You will need a nail punch with a thin end, now if you grind a point on it your ready to start. Douse sump and fill plugs over night with some penetrating oil. Then what you do is, on the flat of the plug near the outer edge punch a good indent, then angle the punch, about 45 degrees, pointing in the way you undo the plug ( anti clockwise normally ), give it a good strike with the hammer, You may need to hit a couple of times, at all time make sure the punch is pressed firmly on the plug. This should do it, watch for slight movement, that's all you need , then get you spanner on it. I always fit new plugs after and put some copper grease on for easy out next time.

Barkinfool
You have identified the fill plug correctly. Yeah, it can be tough to break free. I usually put a 26" pipe on the end of my Allen wrench to get the initial break. Another option is to put an impact wrench on it. Also, get that aluminum brace out of the way.
I think that other trans is in a 911.

OK, thanks for the suggestions so far. I will give it another go & update you with results.

Update: Removed the aluminum brace & that made access a lot easier for even better leverage - thanks for that J.fro. I tried with all my might to get it to break free & it just would not do it. I guess i'm now going to have to go acquire some additional tools to get this free. Thanks again for suggestions & if anyone has any others, please post. Thanks.

101projects shows a 5-speed; you have a 6; different beasts.

mine came out easy, but i am strong like bull.

just in case, don't drain your xmission until you are certain you can get the fill plug out!

Agree with this (though I can't attest one way or the other on the "strong like bull" statement!).

Mine's a 6-speed, and I was using 101 Projects---I was confused for awhile as well.

At a minimum (while you're devising new approaches to the problem), once or twice a day spray a little more PB Blaster on the fill plug. In this kind of situation I've also, following the spraying, tapped the plug lightly with a small ball peen hammer, at various points around the perimeter. Don't get carried away---light taps only. In my experience, this will sometimes encourage penetration down the threads and help loosen things up.

You might also try Kano Kroil. It's hard to find but it will sometimes penetrate better than PB Blaster.

I noticed you said low mileage Boxster.

My owners manual says to replace transmission fluid every 90,000 miles for manual transmission Boxsters. I am at 91,000 miles and I have not done it yet because I have been busy, but I plan to do it very soon.

Hadn't heard of that stuff...interesting. Got me to looking around, and I found this:

Better than PB blaster and Kano Kroil

HAVE NOT TRIED any of these combos personally, so I can't say if they work or not. They're just...interesting.

not sure how long is your leverage tool. try using a long pipe so you can apply more torque with the same muscles! Sometimes it needs that. Might help if someone else holds the bit into the plug hole so it doesnt slip.

Have you tried a good impact gun with a good impact hex socket?

Update: Thank you all for your help -- success! Took a while but couldn't have done it without your suggestions. I'll summarize to perhaps help another.

Bought a flat punch and a breaker bar, as well as a pipe to further extend leverage but the pipe didn't turn out to be necessary. I actually bought an assortment of punch tools in case I would need to put in an indent as suggested, but extras weren't needed either (at least this time).
http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1352334692.jpg

Had room to tap the punch in the center (after applying more PB penetrating oil), then used breaker bar with my hex socket & after a mighty pull, was able to remove with just a few skinned knuckles. It was a pretty sudden & violent release, but no real harm.

After that, was able to change oil without incident, but lots of hours in total to get to that point.

Project, yes it is true that Porsche doesn't suggest changing at the interval of 30K, but Wayne's book suggests every 30k/2yrs is preferred in his view, & since I was at year 11, it was time for the change me thinks. There oil was fairly dirty, with some small bits of metal, so I'm glad I changed it.

TRK, I'm sure you are strong like bull, but i'm telling you this was a :troll:. Yes, I knew the 6 speed is different than the 5 speed, but Wayne's 6 speed photo turns out to be from a 996 & that 6 speed case turns out to be a different animal than the Boxster 6 speed case - which I didn't suspect...

Thanks again everyone!

My thought is that the 101 Projects picture is showing a 911 transmission... That does not look like my 5-speed.

barkinfool, How many miles on your 02S? Mine is a '00S with only 41k and the original trans fluid and I've been thinking about changing it. Did you use the Porsche brand stuff?

yeah, y'all must be right on the 911 transmission. i just saw it labelled 5-speed and realised quite quickly that it doesn't look anything like my 6-speed. upon further examination it deosn't look anything like a boxster 5-speed either. there's a few red herrings in 101projects; all those things that look so easy with the test engine out of the car are a different ball of snakes in real life. still an excellent resource, however.

i used redline in mine and am happy. i think it is jfp that is adamant that you use oem. always a good debate when it comes to lubricants.

I used the Swepco 201 as recommended in the 101 book, but for the first time ever my transmission is notchy until it warms up. Next time it will be OEM.

The later 6-speeds are also again a bit different. For one the slave cylinder cannot just be replaced with the transmission attached.

Swepco 201 is good for cars that get tracked but will be notchy. I was given a combination that so far shifts BEAUTIFULLY! Better than the stock fluid at 100K.

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I took a weekend trip & just got back.

Sean, changed it at 28,500 due to it being 11 years old vs symptoms or mileage. Used Porsche trans oil which was > $40 a liter so it is spendy, for 3L ~$130, but amortized over that much time not too big of a deal. Shifts well, not sure there is any difference from before the change, but I have more piece of mind.