Aston Martin DB2, 2-4 & Mk II, Mk III

Manual transmission fluid capacity & service interval

Aston Martin DB2, 2-4 & Mk II, Mk III manual transmission fluid capacity is 1,3 liters. Service intervals include checking every 4000 km or 6 months and changing every 16000 km or 18 months. The data covers 6 configurations.

The configuration chart below lists fill volumes and service intervals for each engine and trim variant.

TypeSpecifications
DB2-4 Mk. III (1957-1959)
  • Use: Normal
  • Capacity 1,3 liter
  • Check 4000 km/ 6 months
  • Change 16000 km/ 18 months
  • Code: David Brown 4/1
DB2-4 Mk. II (1955-1957)
  • Use: Normal
  • Capacity 1,3 liter
  • Check 4000 km/ 6 months
  • Change 16000 km/ 18 months
  • Code: David Brown 4/1
DB2-4 Mk. I (1953-1955)
  • Use: Normal
  • Capacity 1,3 liter
  • Check 4000 km/ 6 months
  • Change 16000 km/ 18 months
  • Code: David Brown 4/1
DB2-4 Mk. I (1953-1955)
  • Use: Normal
  • Capacity 1,3 liter
  • Check 4000 km/ 6 months
  • Change 16000 km/ 18 months
  • Code: David Brown 4/1
DB2 (1949-1953)
  • Use: Normal
  • Capacity 1,3 liter
  • Check 4000 km/ 6 months
  • Change 16000 km/ 18 months
  • Code: David Brown 4/1
DB2 Vantage (1949-1953)
  • Use: Normal
  • Capacity 1,3 liter
  • Check 4000 km/ 6 months
  • Change 16000 km/ 18 months
  • Code: David Brown 4/1

Additional Notes

  • The Aston Martin DB2, DB2 Vantage, DB2-4 Mk. I, DB2-4 Mk. II, and DB2-4 Mk. III all share an identical manual transmission fluid capacity of 1.3 liters across the full 1949-1959 production span covered by these specifications.
  • A 1.3-liter capacity is a relatively modest fill volume, consistent with the compact manual gearbox units typical of British sports cars from the early 1950s through the late 1950s.
  • The check interval across all six configurations is set at 4,000 km or 6 months under normal use conditions, whichever comes first, reflecting a maintenance cadence suited to the mechanical tolerances of mid-century gearbox designs.
  • The fluid change interval is specified at 16,000 km or 18 months under normal use conditions, meaning a full drain and refill was expected roughly once every year and a half in standard driving circumstances.
  • The ratio between the check interval and the change interval is 1:4 by distance, meaning four fluid level checks were expected for every single fluid change across all listed variants.
  • The DB2 Vantage (1949-1953) carries the same 1.3-liter capacity and identical service intervals as the standard DB2 of the same years, indicating no transmission-specific differentiation between the base and Vantage specifications despite the Vantage's higher-output engine tune.
  • The DB2-4 Mk. III (1957-1959) retains the same 1.3-liter manual transmission fluid capacity and service schedule as the earlier DB2 from 1949, showing no change in transmission fluid specifications across the entire decade covered by these rows.

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