Gearbox death throes?

[quk@sievers.com (Phil Payne)]

In message <199707241154.MAA05345@mailserver.nhm.ac.uk> gnt@nhm.ac.uk (Graham Thackrah) writes:

> Also there is a whopping allen fitment to remove the filler plug, where on
> earth do I find very large allen keys or allen socket fitments, I am not
> sure of the exact dimensions but it is way over my biggest key of 3/8 inch.
> Is it also cruical to tighten the filler plugs to the designated torque? It
> will be tricky getting a torque wrench into the space. 

It's 17mm.  Note - it is NOT 19mm.  You can get a small lump of metal with a 
1/2" fitting on one end and a 17mm on the other in almost any car bits shop - 
it drops inside a spark plug spanner.  No, the torque is NOT supposed to be 
especially high. 
 
> I was also thinking of replacing the oil in the gearbox, the garage said
> that is was not necessary but I can't see it would do any harm and may even
> remove any bits of metal that have surely accumulated over 111000 miles of
> crunching gear changes so they dont act as an abrasive to what is left of my
> gears.

Wave a thin cylindrical workshop pickup magnet around in the slime left in the 
bottom of the box.

--
 Phil Payne
 Committee Member, UK Audi [ur-]quattro Owners Club

 (Anyone got a use for a 19mm Allen driver?)