Manual Transmission Fluid Flush?

Hey guys,
So I've never done this before. I have done every other fluid flush except the transmission fluid. I looked hard and I found some pictures in the forum outlining where the drain and fill plugs are...but tbh I'm not really a picture guy, I understand descriptions better. For the life of me I can't find the drain/fill plug...can someone tell me what side of the car I should approach? should I take off the driver side wheel and look there? or should I just jack up the car and look underneath the engine? what kind of screw/bolt is the is the drain/fill plug? and also how often do you guys recommend doing this..2005 Hatchback Aveo, has 76k km, never had the transmission fluid changed/added/inspected...It's becoming hard to put the gears in place, and only when I try to I'm putting the gear in reverse, if I don't do it slowly and carefully, the gears grind like a bitch...any help would be helpful.

Manual tranny oil lasts for a LONG time. My '05 has 4x the mileage of yours, with the factory tranny oil, and never a hint of a grind. So I have to ask if you race, or have someone driving this Aveo who doesn't shift well? IMO this grinding is likely to be bad synchros, not fluid that's gone south.

I did top the fluid off recently after replacing both axles, and I will tell you that this job is a PITA if you don't have access to a lift. It's one of those fill-til-it-runs-out deals, so the vehicle needs to be level in order to get an accurate refill. The only way I could accomplish this was to put the Aveo up on ramps, facing down an inclined part of my driveway (netting out to a level vehicle). The fill bolt is on the passenger side, and if you've read the other threads on this, I can't do any better than the "8 o'clock" description. You can also see the bolt with the wheel off, but you need to be underneath in order to do the fill and replace the bolt. I'd be looking at the synchros, instead of spending time with the fluid. JMHO.

I second the "PITA" comment. There is no way to really drain it unless you remove the differential cover. Location wise, it is also a real pain to get to. If you can afford to pay a mechanic to lift it and replace the fluid, I'd say it's almost worth it.

I apologize for my ignorance on this in advance, but how do you differentiate whether it is the synchro or clutch plate thats gone bad? If it helps: the only thing wrong with the tranny is that, only and only reverse gear grinds; engaging clutch has a sound, and at a higher speed the sound is louder and more high pitched...this along with the 1st gear lockout while down shifting at low awkward speeds, when it doesnt make sense to put it through second gear. The car also jerks at gear change if clutch is released quickly (past gear 1 of course)

I don't know about the 2005 Aveo, but the 2009 "D16" transmission is not synchronized for reverse gear but uses a "sliding idler gear arrangement" whatever that means...

Maybe useful information if you are trying to diagnose the problem?

Do you intend to keep this Aveo for an extended period of tiime? If so, most DIY guys who do anything with a manual tranny usually R&R the whole thing with a kit. Makes sense since most of the work is removing and reinstalling the tranny. If you're paying a shop to do the work, you would need to get a quote on the various options before starting the job. But if you have no long-term plans to keep this vehicle, then perhaps the best choice is to do nothing at all. These manual trannys can sometimes run for a long time even with active problems.

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Originally Posted by avguy

Do you intend to keep this Aveo for an extended period of tiime? If so, most DIY guys who do anything with a manual tranny usually R&R the whole thing with a kit. Makes sense since most of the work is removing and reinstalling the tranny. If you're paying a shop to do the work, you would need to get a quote on the various options before starting the job. But if you have no long-term plans to keep this vehicle, then perhaps the best choice is to do nothing at all. These manual trannys can sometimes run for a long time even with active problems.

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I think you're right my friend...I'm gonna leave it be for now. Thank you.