I know this sounds dumn, but, I was thinking of things to do before I get my car running and take it out. The tranny came to mind, I thought maybe I should check the fluid, and it dawned on me I dont know where or how to, and what kind of fluid to add when i do find it?! Sorry for my ignorance, But please help

Pard, you need a shop manual. Invest the $10 and you'll have a wealth of information at your finger tips.

I have the datsun 240z & 260z automotive repair manual, and the restoring your datsun Z, but I don't have the Nissan Factory Service Manual. I have been looking for one. you say you can get one for $10? where can you get these? THANKS

no a factory service manual will cost you more like 40-75 dollars, but the Haynes style manual should get you through most basic tasks, the factory manuals are a wonderful tool

that is what i have, a haynes datsun 240z & 260z automotive repair manual. Is that the right one, or is it a different one?

Didn't say anything about a factory manual. Haynes manuals are under $10 on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7954911651&category=34229

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7955715363&category=34229

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7956148557&category=6762

If you have shop manuals, they will tell you what fluid to use in the trans and will likely have pictures of the fill point. I'm not trying to be harsh on you, but these are simple questions that can be answered by 5 minutes of flipping pages in a book instead of waiting 2-3 hours, or a day for someone to respond to your thread.

Haynes Manual

Chilton manual

Clymers manual

Autobooks

etc

FWIW,

80/90 wt Gear Oil (API GL 4) for trans.

80/90 wt. Gear Oil (API GL 5) for Diff.

Yeppers thats the one i have, it is a good one! but I still dont know how the check to see how much tranny fluid I have??!! please help! and i can't just go search out on my car bc its 60miles back home, i'm away at college.

There is a bottom drain plug and a side fill plug. If you are going to change lube, pull the fill plug FIRST! It's happened before that after draining the lube people can't get fill plug out to re-fill trany.

Full is when lube is to level of fill plug.

I was going to tell you to read the haynes manual, but after flipping through it, it doesnt actually tell you how to change the gearbox fluid. Doesn't even have a picture of a the drain and fill plugs. Does tell you how much oil and what type, just not how to get it in.

FYI, the Drain plug is on the bottom of the gearbox, BUT BEFORE YOU DRAIN THE OIL, make sure you can undo the fill plug, which is half way up the side of the 'box. Otherwise you end up with an empty gearbox and no easy way to get the oil back in.

The oil level should be filled up to the level of the fill plug, as far as i know.

As the guys said above, "check the fill plug first", is good advice. Getting a Factory Service manual is even better advice.

Now, to check the level, remove the fill plug and sick your finger into the case. If you touch oil. The level is fine. But you should change the oil if it's an unknown factor. After you check the fill plug. Remove the drain plug and catch the old oil. It will be disturbing to see the amount of metal pieces in this oil, but hopfully you will not find any large chunks. Clean the drain plug magnet. It mostly there to trap the metal than as a diagnostic! Let the case drip dry (about 30 minutes). Replace the drain and pump in new oil. I like RedLine Oils MTL <Manual Transmission Light) but there are others bost less and more costly. 3.5 quarts (?) (somebody correct this).

If you cannot remove the fill plug, remove the reverse switch and use that as your fill port.

I bought a 1 gallon mustard pump jar from the restruant supply (Smart and Final Stores in L.A.) for my dedicated tranny oil pump. Fill the case untill it starts dripping from the fill port and you're done.

I was going to tell you to read the haynes manual, but after flipping through it, it doesnt actually tell you how to change the gearbox fluid. Doesn't even have a picture of a the drain and fill plugs. Does tell you how much oil and what type, just not how to get it in.

Not trying to be argumentative, but common sense should tell a person that a drain plug has to be at a low point on the trans/diff and upon inspection there is only one possibility. Simple to look for a "plug". Fill point location is somewhat more ambigous, but a quick looksee shows only two possibilities (actual fill plug and reverse lamp switch which are side by side and at same level) and no other "openings" to the trans case,

You can also fill by pulling the Reverse Lamp Switch. (right next to the fill port)

EDIT: Guess Victor beat me to it.

BTW, Use Anti-Seize on the Fill and Drain plugs to prevent future difficulty in removing them

My drain plug was only a square. I was unsure if a special tool is to be used for this, but to remove it but I just took my 1/2" impact wrench with no socket on it.