Manual Gearbox Oil Change
 

My 5 2.0 Sport manual is due a gearbox oil change. Can someone please point me in the direction of the filler and drain plugs, please? The workshop manual I have only covers the automatic.

Thanks in advance.

I can now answer my own question. There is a very obvious filler plug on the front of the gearbox. It takes a 23mm socket. The drain plug is on the bottom of the gearbox and also takes a 23mm socket. They have crush washers which some folk like to replace. Torque setting for both plugs is 29-43 ft.lbs.

Hope someone finds this useful.

What makes you think your transmission is due for an oil change? As far as I know the manual transmissions in the Mazda3 and Mazda5 are a "lifetime fill". That said, I'll probably do my sometime before (if not well before) the 100,000 mile mark; if for no other reason than to use a synthetic gear lube to ease shifting when things are really cold here in the winter.

Thanks for the advice folks. Shipo, the service schedule says gearbox oil change at 60,000 miles or 5 years. My 5 is an early model so is five years old in October.

What entity published your "Service Schedule"? I rather doubt it was Mazda and if it was, are you sure the schedule is referring to Manual Transmissions?

Edit: I just downloaded Mazda's official Service Schedule for the 2006 Mazda5 and there is absolutely no requirement to change the transmission oil for a manual transmission, ever. Unless you have a specific reason for changing the oil (such as moving to synthetic for easier winter shifting following a long cold soak), then you're probably better off leaving it alone.

Hi Shipo, Thanks for your comments. I've double checked the Mazda handbook which came with the car and can confirm that for European models manual transmission oil should be changed at 5 years or 60,000 miles. I note your advice about leaving alone, however. Strangely enough, there is no requirement to check the oil level between changes.

Generally with gearboxes you only check the level if there's evidence of a leak.
Hardly any cars require a transmission oil change now days, even most auto boxes.

Hmmm, I wonder why European cars need to have their gearbox oil changed so often.

guys please. ase certified master tech here. i dont care what any manual says, change your d*** gear oil! why you ask? METAL SHAVINGS that get in the fluid from natural use. it happens in ANY gearbox in ANY car. the longer you go with the same fluid, the more metal shavings you are circulating through that system. this has been the case since basically as long as cars with gearboxes have existed. just because a company says the FLUID itself can last and do its job for 100,000 miles or more, doesn't mean you want it inside your car after that many miles. i change my mt gear oil about every 2 years and i use a magnetic drain plug to keep any shavings from freely floating around inside the gearbox. its not a hard job to do and the fluid isnt even expensive so just do it. telling people that they are "better off not doing it" is a downright lie.