Both our cars had a first service at the dealer last year July. Changed all oil, including the bevel box. Drove about 1000 kilometer and after that I changed the Gulf M3W bevelbox oil for Omega 85/140 Internet told me this was a superb oil. Didn’t make not much difference in noise level. My wife’s car kept the standerd oil from the dealer. At that moment we we’re 100% sure there was the right amount and the right viscosity in our bevel boxes. After this oil changes we did last year +/- 2000 kilometers
Started driving this spring and my wife getting more and more annoyed from the bevel box noise. Thought it could be a good idea to change the oil. So opened the drain of the bevelbox of my wife’s car, but there where only a few drops black goo coming out ! BUT NO OIL. Flushed the bevelbox with half oil, half gasoline, let it run a few moment with no load. Flushed again 2 more times. Flushed and drove warm it with normal gear oil 2 times. Put Omega 85/140 in and we got just a little bit better noise level. But we where left with the question: What happened with the oil when I opened the bevelbox the first time ?
After reading in the forum about Heavy Duty Red Line 75/250 I ordered this, in the hope the get rid of the most of the noise. We did a 200 km ride today (including climbing the Susten Pass 2200 meter) to get the oil nicely warm. Bevelbox was a normal noisy but not more or less than before. Because the M3W Gulf’s oil change was from last year I thought it would be the best to start with the Gulf. Back home lifted the front of the car about 30 centimeters to let flow the oil to the drain point. (this way as less as possible used oil would be left in the bevelbox). Opened the drain ……………NOTHING CAME OUT !! NO OIL. NO GOO. JUST NOTHING. The car is standing in this position for two hours. STILL NOTHING
Hope that someone can explain to me:
1 / What happened with the oil ? (in both car’s) (never had any oil drip on the garage floor or where we parked) 2/ How does the gears and bearings stay lubricated without oil ? 3/ How far can one drive without oil ? 4/ Did the driving without oil already damage the gear’s or bearings ? 5/ Is the bevelbox from such a high quality that it can safely running without oil ? 6/ How many more have this experience ?
Actually Laurens, I'm wondering if the oil was stuck in the box? If the drain plug was out, but the hole was gummed up, it would stop the oil coming out. You could try putting a bit of wire in the hole to clear it, or try blowing compressed air into the filler hole, with the drain open, and see what happens.
Thanks for the suggestion. I tried but still nothing came out. Had some black goo on the screwdriver when I pointed downwards through the drain hole but that's it. Looks like if all lighter stuff in the oil has evaporated and only the heavier stuff has remained. Not sure if it's better to flush all heavier stuff out or just top it off. But in that case I have two brands in it which I don't know if they will go together.
Hi Laurens If yoy type in bevel box oil in search box there is a lot of similar post about the same query. Think someone last month posted loads of picture having done the same as you. Flushing the box out etc. Andrew
Did some flushing and found out what (probably) happened.
With the first time flushing got some clumps thickened oil out (viscosity like peanut butter) together with the flushing oil. Did this three times and every time got some clumps out. So it looks like that ALL the oil was clumped inside the bevel box (perhaps due to very high temperature ?) The oil what was in: OMEGA SAE 75/140 from Sovereign Lubricants After several flushes and driving the oil warm I think the clumps got dissolved with the flushing oil I did this till what came out was looking the same viscosity as what I put in. Filled with the Red Line Heavy Duty Oil. Did some short riding and it looks a bit more quiet (not real quiet) but the ride was not long enough for a conclusion. It looks to me that the bevelbox is producing so much heat that even high quality oil get clumped. Did anyone ever metered the temperature of the bevel box after a ride ? Or has this problem a different cause ? Any suggestions ?
I recall correctly a post recently on here that purported to be a service note from MMC saying that a preservative for shipping (?) was to be cleaned out at the first service for some cars that had (for whatever reason) been missed by the factory.
Could this be clumping?
Just a thought - I had a quick search but could not see the post.
Strange isń it.... Message for dealer from MMC
" During the period between November 2012 until 9th September 2013 an additive was combined to the bevel box oil on all M3W’s. This additive over a period of time has been found to bond with the oil and forms clumps within the box, this can result in the gears not getting sufficient lubricant when required. It is essential that vehicles produced between these two dates have the bevel box oil changed, we recommend turning the rear wheel while filling with oil to flush any debris through the system (obviously as we recommend this is done at first service 1000 miles or 3 months whichever is first, all affected vehicles should now have passed through there dealer and the oil changed). "
