Please could someone confirm if I have identified the right plugs on the gearbox? what are the other similar hex nuts around the drain plug?

 

The drain plug is 8mm, while the fill I think is 17mm. Is this usual to have completely different sizes.

 

I ended up buying only 8mm hex, thinking both will be the same size.

I think the drain plug is just out of shot to the right of the 'n' of drain. It's basically on the opposite side to the fill plug, but a bit lower.  I'll try to find some photos of mine.

Edited 13 September, 20169 yr by Wino

Ok I'm confused now. so are you saying the circled plugs are wrong?

Sorry, I was looking at this wrongly. The one you've labelled fill in the first photo is the drain plug, the fill plug is opposite, and a little higher.

Thanks Wino,

 

The first picture circled FILL is high and it's I think 17mm plug.

The slightly confusing bit is the drain which also has other plug around.

No. They are both 17mm female hex. 

The fill plug is where I've shown it in post 5, awkward to access on the driver's side of the diff. The drain plug is the one you've labelled drain, then crossed that out and labelled fill, in your first picture, accessible with NSF wheel removed.

 

Top tip.  Before attempting to refill, ensure car is level fore and aft, and side to side, or it'll start coming back out of the fill hole at the wrong level.  Funnel connected to flexible tube and poured in slowly from top of the engine bay was my preferred method. The bottom of the flexible tube seemed to stay put OK.

 

How many miles has the car done, and what makes you think an oil change is required?

Edited 13 September, 20169 yr by Wino

So my circled drain plug is wrong.

 

I spent time looking around but couldn't find any other plug - well I will have to look again.

I thought after 65,000 miles on the clock i might as well change the oil. Also I have recently developed a notchy gear change from 1st to 2nd, and reverse.

There's a cable adjustment procedure you can do that may well be worth trying in case it's that rather than oil related.  Can't think exactly where I've seen it now but searching should find it.

 

I reckon at that mileage you'll see it come out pure and clean, I changed the oil in my Polo recently at about 125k and it was barely discoloured.  Made no difference to the shifting, but that was already fine.  Only changed it out of curiosity and because someone told me that lots would leak out when I changed the reverse light switch, which I did need to do. It didn't, not a drop.

Thanks for the advice. I will try the adjustment first and see if that helps.