I’m starting to go a bit crazy over this—help!

It concerns a Skoda Octavia MK3 1.4 TSI 2015, engine: CHPA (manual 6-speed). I drained the gearbox by opening the drain plug. Unfortunately, I don’t know how much was drained since I poured the old oil into a container that already had other used oil in it.

Then I started refilling oil through the hole marked “FILL” in the picture. I used a funnel and a hose.

After only about 0.6 liters, oil started flowing back out of the FILL hole. At first I thought it was leaking along the hose, or that the hose wasn’t properly inserted, but it really seemed like it was full. I also took a clean hose and inserted it slightly downward into the hole just a few centimeters, and it came out covered in oil.

Am I filling through the wrong hole? This is very strange. It’s as if the gearbox only holds 0.6 liters, but that’s not correct—it should hold 2.3 liters.

Then... I wanted to double-check that I had actually drained the gearbox properly, since it was still dripping a bit when I reinstalled the drain plug the first time. So I drained the oil AGAIN and let it drip out completely. This time I measured what came out, and as expected it was only about 0.6 liters.

It definitely felt like less than the first drain (when the original oil was drained).

I’m doing something wrong, but I can’t figure out what. The car is on level ground. My only conclusion is that I must be doing something wrong when filling, but as I said, the oil level seems to be right at the hole even though I’ve only added 0.6 liters. Help!

Sorry, selected the wrong image

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I did my gearbox oil for the fist time earlier this year.

On my MK2 1.8 TSI you drain the gearbox via the drain plug as you have indicated and by removing one of the "fork bolts". You have to lock the gearbox in position first by moving a plastic locking lever under the air filter box.

To fill remove the reverse light switch then using a max 10mm OD tube pushed into the hole a measured amount of oil. This is because the gearbox is mounted at an angle and the fill hole is now below the oil level.

My MDP gearbox is 2.3 litres of oil when built but is 1.9 litres when draining and then filling.

I suspect yours is the same.

CamScanner 06-05-2026 16.48.pdfCamScanner 06-05-2026 16.46.pdf

These are the PDF instructions from the workshop manual for the MDP 6 speed gearbox.

Awesome, thanks! Can someone explain the reason for needing to lock the gearshift shaft during the procedure?

It's for when you remove the bearing pin as part of the drain procedure, so the gearbox selector does not move out of position.

When I did the gearbox oil change, I removed the bearing pin and held it in my hand as the oil drained then carefully reinserted. The lever used to lock the gearbox is plastic so I was not 100% sure the selector had been successfully locked in position. As long as nothing is moved gearbox wise with the pin removed it should be OK.

I am currently stuck on the step: push down gearbox shift level. It only moves one or two millimeters or something and I am unable to turn the lock level. How far should i be able to push it down?

I video of this would be gold.

Ive removed the rear light sensor, so i'm getting closer...

Here you go.......

I finally got it! Thank you all for the help, truly appreciated.

And "all" here is apparently tetley 😅 thanks again!

Looking at the video the lever has to be pushed in before turning. Probably why I never got it to lock properly.

I must admit I spent a good hour fiddling with that lever.

@jaosef Good luck👍.

Didn't know you were doing it now.

Just one final (hopefully) question, did you find the bearing pin difficult to remove (the bearing one marked 2 in the pdf)? I have remove the 45 torx bolt but I cannot for the life of me remove the bearing pin. I've tried rotating it and pulling on it and it feels like it's totally stuck. Can this be an indication that I locked the gear shift lever in the wrong gear or something? Or should I used try harder?

I just pulled down with my fingers. It slid straight out with no resistance.

Why it could be stuck, I just don't know.