First thing is first, Before checking oil levels it is imperative to check the condition of your pandas CV boots. Most causes of low oil or a noisy gearbox is because the CV boots have perished. When they do the 2.4 litres of oil your Panda's gearbox should have in it, is reduced to about ~350ml and nowhere near enough to lubricate the box. see below for pictures. both the fill and drain plugs on the panda gearbox require a 12mm allen key or 12mm hex bit socket to undo and tighten up.

when topping up with gearbox oil, you keep filling the box up until oil starts dribbling out of the oil filler hole. this equals to about 2.4 litres of oil.

Another thing to note is that the correct oil should be used as some oil even though it is fine in other cars, Can eat away at some of the metals used in the Panda's gearbox.

The correct oil specs are:

ZC90 (SAE 80w/90 GL3) this oil can be hard to come by but there are alternatives such as:

"classic" 20W50 engine oil. This can be used in a panda gearbox but must be changed more frequently as the meshing of the gears cause the oil to breakdown its molecular structure.

"Millers Oils Classic Gear Oil 80w90 GL4" is another that can be used. Though it says it is GL4 spec, It guarantees that it will not eat away metals in any old gearboxes. (I am using this oil now in a Seat Marbella, 5k miles later the gearbox is the same as when we got it)

"Morris Lubricants Golden Film AG90 Gear Oil" this oil meets all the original requirements and is the correct spec for Panda gearboxes. it is specifically safe for golden metals.



most modern oils of EP GL5 spec and over "claim" they do not harm gearboxes with yellow metals. i do know people who have used modern day EP GL5 oil in a pandas gearbox. however. if you do choose to do this it would be at the vehicle keepers own risk! it is not something i would like to toy with.


For those of you who wish to know "how full IS full on a panda gearbox.. the short answer is "when you cant put any more in the gearbox".

here is the fill plug's location looking up from under the car:


and this looking from above is how full it should be!


For the Rear Differential in a 4X4 Panda, use:
EP 85w/140.

Hope this helps anyone in the future.

Found another oil that should be safe to use in our beloved panda:

"Castrol ST90 Monograde SAE90 Mineral Gear Oil" >>Link<<

Castrol ST90 is suitable for the lubrication of most types of gear including helical, spur, bevel and worm but most not be used for hypoid gears which require extreme pressure lubricants.

Castrol ST90 is not suitable for applications where MIL-L-2105A/B/C are specified

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Hi john

How did you go about removing the prop shaft from the rear diff as i'm finding it a real pig to remove to replace the oil seal.

Many thanks and hope you can help, Lewis

i had to undo the 4 nuts and bolts holding the prop shaft to the input shaft flange on the diff, then undo the nut holding the flange onto the input shaft then use a pair of pulley draws on the flange.

it took some doing but it does just pull off. may have to tap it with a hammer every now and then as you tighten the pulley draw up.
its a pain to do but it can be done.

Hi, if you use 20W50 engine oil what would the interval between changing be. The manual states 67000 on the normal stuff.

mypandapop said:

Hi, if you use 20W50 engine oil what would the interval between changing be. The manual states 67000 on the normal stuff.

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Unless you are doing huge mileage, I would say every couple of years is probably sensible, 20w50 oil is cheap and it is relatively easy to change so no reason not to really. Your driveshaft gaiters will probably need replacing by that time anyway!

Sounds good to me then as my stepdad had some 20W50 going spare. There was only 400ml left in the box and all CV gaiters look ok. I know it's had previous gearbox problems in the past (think its been changed as an old gearbox came with the car). Hopefully the fresh oil will stay in!

i was told by a guy who worked in oil manufacturing that some oils can have the molecular structure of the oil "chopped" up by the meshing of the gears, causing the oil to degrade rather fast.

if i were you, and i was using engine oil in the gearbox, i would change it every service.. :/ i would not risk it myself.

Yes good idea, the car won't be doing a lot of miles per year anyway. I probably wouldnt have used it but as its there and free it will save me a few quid as I've already spent far too much on the car as it is lol