Disclaimer: Do this DIY at your own risk. Not responsible if your trans fails or you get injured.

Car: 2006 325i Step Auto 49,300 miles (I have a ZF trans., check posts 73 and 74 to see if you have a ZF or GM Trans.)

Materials:
6 Quarts Castrol Import...

I did the same to my trans. 78000 miles. I used a trans kit from ECS tuning filter and shell oil kit. I used ZF filter/pan a little cheaper than BMW one the same part number. I used the shell oil. No other oils seemed to mix with it. Being the ZF trans costing alot of money to replace $6000 + new( I couldn't find a rebuild kit) using the recommended oil would be a smart choice.

If you want to try to remove the most oil from your trans. Without using the flushing method. Get your car on jack stands or lift. Remove your drain plug and let the trans drain over night in a pan. The torque converter will drain back into the pan too. about at least half of the volume. also the cooler lines and clutches will drain some too. I did this and just about used all the 7 liters of oil that came in the kit. Yes I had a leak in the pan area so I couldn't use the oil removed as a gauge. I did put more in than was taken out.

The best way to get your oil level right is after you install filter/pan and torque the bolts. Is fill the trans until oil comes out the fill plug and loosely install the plug. start the car up and run the trans through the gears with foot on the brake pedal. then shut the car off remove the fill plug and top off the oil level again which could be about two or more liters. loosely install the fill plug and start the car again and run the trans through the gears again. then with car still running check the level again and adjust again if needed. loosely reinstall the plug again. and let the car run until the trans temp is up to the temp written on the trans pan. I used a Non Contact thermometer pointed it at the pan in several locations to get this temp. or if you have device that plugs in the OBD II port and interfaces with the trans ECU and uses the trans temp probe to measure fluid temp. I waited until oil temp was at the upper part of temp scale that is written on the pan then I removed the fill plug and let the excess oil drain out until it was dripping slowly out the fill plug. Then reinstall plug & torque.Take the car for a test drive and warm up trans to operating temps. then check for leaks and if none found you should good to go!!

The most important thing you can do is to get the proper oil level at the right temp. If the Oil is to cold at fill plug level can or will cause shifting issues when oil does get up to operating temps. The oil will expand more than was intended. which could aerate the trans oil and causing shifting issues(Delayed, slow, harsh shifting and or slipping can happen). don't over fill.

I hope I was able to help. I breezed through the posts seem to be a little confusion on this. Also hopefully I didn't repeat what someone else said.
just trying to help

Thanks,
Scott

Question for the knowers: My 2006 325i has 116.000km on the clock right now, should i be considering a ATF change or i shouldn't have to worry about it untill 150.000 km?

I've had my '06 330i for about a year now, & this forum has been a big help on the DIY's. I've always owned American or Japanese cars & trucks & done my own maintenance, but this is my 1st BMW.

I've lurked around this site since buying the car to learn its quirks & anything to look out for, not to mention where to drain, fill, check, etc.

So far, I've done the oil & filter(back last spring), the brake fluid flush(last month), & just last week I did the transmission service.

I ordered the kit from CTSC plus the mechatronic sleeve. Had a heck of a time getting the car far enough off the ground to work under it, but managed to finally get it secured. The leak was around the sleeve, but the car has 70k miles on it, so I decided to go ahead & change the fluid & filter too.

Drained about 5 liters & the pan/filter came off w/no trouble(the old fluid was quite dark, but not burned), but that little sleeve was quite a pain! There's no way my hands could get in there far enough to get any leverage on the locking collar or the sleeve to pull it out, so I ended up using a variety of screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, & even a small piece of pine trim. Rather harrowing working around a delicate piece like that mechatronic with such tools. Oh, it was also interesting using a mirror & flashlight to line up the inner tab on the new sleeve w/ the slot in the mechatronic.

It took me three hours, & ended up getting about 5 of the 6 liters from the CTSC kit pumped back into the transmission. I went back under after a week & re-checked the pan screws & fluid level. So far, no more drips.

Jeff

Planning on doing my filter and oil change this weekend....I can definitely confirm this quote...my 328xi has the GM transmission....confirmed by the tag.

NOTE: you can also tell by the pan appearance. MY GM pan is aluminum and fairly flat on the bottom...no fins like the ZF.

Ill be starting a post as you have to do a few more things with the XI to get at the fill bolt...like removing a drive shaft.....

JP

edit: My bad....you do not need to remove a drive shaft....see 328i and 328xi DIY elsewhere in this section.....

I just got my 2006 330i trans. fluid changed because the leaking sealing sleeve. I purchased 6 liters of lifeguard6. With oil pan down, i measured my old fluid is about 6 liters. I am able to pump 6 liters back in, but it looks like it can take more. Before I change fluid, the car was sitting in garage for 10 days or so. I just wondering... may be because the car has not be driven for 10 days, the more fluid can be drained + the amount fluid got leaked out from sealing sleeve.

After fluid changed, the car is run normal just as i have before. I am little worry about i am under fluild.

Anyone, should I purchase another liter to be safe?

Thanks for your direction. I modified it a little.

DIY: Took about 3 hours as I am amateur. Cost me about $ 200 in parts which included> 3 gallons of Redline D6 auto transmission fluid, 4 quarts of sacrificial Dexron 6 used to assist flushing. New pan gasket, new Trans filter with seal.

A Bmw shop wanted $800 just to drop and clean pan and install new filter and refill. No flush.

All done while car on vehicle lift.

1. Loosen up Trans Fill Plug
2. Remove drain plug and drain Trans-Oil pan
3. Refill transmission pan with 2 quarts of Dex 6 oil
4. Start and run engine for 2 minutes while changing selector from park to Drive.
5. Shut off engine.
6. Drain oil pan
7. Refill transmission pan with 2 quarts of Dex 6 oil
8. Start and run engine for 2 minutes while changing selector from park to Drive.
9. Remove drain plug and drain Trans-Oil pan
10. Remove Oil Pan, clean oil pan magnet and pan.
11. Remove old pan gasket.
12. Remove old filter and filter seal
13 Install new filter and filter seal
14. Install new pan gasket and install oil pan
15. Refill transmission pan with 4 quarts of REDline 6 synthetic trans oil
16. Start engine and run through gears and simultaneously add trans oil until it just started to come out overflow.
17. Run for 3 minutes, stop engine and drain transmission pan again.
18. Inspect transfluid Now it was red enough.
19 Refill transmission pan with 4 quarts of REDline 6 synthetic trans oil
20. Start engine and run through gears and simultaneously add trans oil until it just started to come out overflow.
21. Re-install Filler plug. Re-install bottom covers. and test drive.

Seems OK and shifts very smoothly.

How can I determine transmission type in my car? I checked both links that I googled and found in this thread, but it does not recognize transmission on my vehicle. One says UNKNOWN the second one says AUT ???

http://www.bmw-z1.com/VIN/VINdecode-e.cgi

http://www.bmwvin.com/

How can I find out what type (ZF/GM) my auto transmission is?

Thanks!

Checks posts 73 and 74.

I used your guide to replace about 2 quarts I had leftover from when I had the mech sleeve done. Instead of draining, I used a transfer pump to pull out a few quarts of old fluid. Pumped in the 2 fresh quarts I had, and then used the old fluid to top off completely.

Thanks for the DIY.

acthad, were you doing this trans fluid change on the X5 listed in your profile, or was it on a 3 series e90? The quote above is completely incorrect [Edit: incorrect for an e90 ZF 6HP19 transmission, but sounds accurate for a GM transmission based on post 18 of this thread http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=573490]. I know because i have an '06 e90 xi and just did a pan/fluid change today and the exhaust is nowhere near the tranny fill bolt and the fill bolt is not on top of the transmission.

Great DIY Chriztofor, huge thanks for writing it up! I had to tweak the steps some because on the 330xi model, the front driveshaft blocks access to the ZF tranny fill hole.

I'm gonna post my xi experience in its own thread so as to not clutter yours. Again, great job man!

Yes it was my E90 325xi with a ZF Transmission, NOT GM Transmission. Exhaust bracket covers the gap to access the fill hole on the top of the ZF Transmission...

I used the ZF Fluid for the refill, they say it runs cooler for better mpg's...

Hey, what ATF fluid did you use? ZF or something else?

Wow, OK, well wth do I know! My bad! I guess the e90 325xi has a different ZF tranny and different exhaust routing than the e90 330xi I have.

I also used ZF fluid, Lifeguard6.