I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: Turret oil
Ok, here’s a question I can’t seem to find an answer too.
I have recently changed the oil on the engine, gearbox and Diff.
I also changed the gear shift plate and checked the turret for oil. I found it was pretty much empty.
I topped it up with about 200ml of gear oil, until it was inside the ball thingy (The Haynes manual states “Between 80 and 230 ml…”).
Obvious Q. This turret must have had oil in it originally, but where’s it gorn?
I suspect into the gearbox somehow.
Should this worry me? Is there a seal problem? Have I now over filled the gearbox due to the turret top up?
Mine was completely dry when I did mine with no evidence of any oil ever been in there…there’s a voting thread somewhere on this site or miata.net on what people found when going to fill theirs and it was varied from full to low to completely empty dry with no signs of any oil ever. The debate will go on forever on this topic.
Well, at least it’s not on my block paved drive!
It must be magic oil. It just vanishes.
I’ll need to change the middle gear lever boot soon (perished…), so I’ll check the level at that point.
I suspect it ends up in the gearbox, via the linkages. In which case, if the level has gone down I’ll just put it on the ramp and take the fill plug off the gearbox to get it back to the correct level. Mind you, I don’t think over filling it be 200 ml will upset it too much.
Or will it…?
It’s evaporated a nice word for Sunday morning.
I topped mine up around two years ago, checked about 18 months on, still there.
At what 12 years old and never been replenished I guess that’s the answer.
I thought the NC has never had oil in the turret. I changed to the brass bush over the winter and there was no evidence of there ever being any oil in the turret. I guess I could have put some in, but read somewhere that the NC doesn’t need oil in the turret, so didn’t put any in mine.
That’s one of the complications of having forums which don’t segregate posts by models. You tend to get posters throwing in references to mk1’s or 5 speeds or this or that which complicates the whole issue and requires a forensic and thorough reading.
It most certainly does take oil in there and a little smear of grease on that top pivot whilst there. It’s the 6 speed NB’s that confuse owners, they most definitely don’t have turret oil.
My NC turret…
Well, it doesn’t take long to strip out the centre console and gear lever, so I’ve now added 200 ml of oil into the turret. It’ll be interesting to see/feel if there’s any difference.
Exactly the same for me, just put some grease on the ball end part of the shifter, had no idea I needed oil. Car on 51k probably never had turret oil changed, 57 plate.
Can’t tell that there’s any difference now having oil in the turret. Biggest difference has been with the brass bush and top plate. It’s still a tad stiff going into second when cold, but miles better than it was and much much better when fully warm.
Checked mine today as it was all apart for the new Kenwood fitment.
6 speed sport Tech 3.75 2013.
I was quite optimistic about whether there would or wouldn’t.
There was oil in mine.
Clearly it’s designed to keep the nylon bush etc lubricated and thus ensure smooth crisp gear changes.
Put just “a little” bit more in as it was apart.
Little bit of grease on the ball and back together for another 8 years.
Exactly as Mick’s pictures.
a nice word for Sunday morning.
