I went ahead and changed the trans fluid in my 330i with the ZF6HP19. I didnt like the idea of 12 year old fluid and filter, even though its lifetime there is plenty of evidence of these transmissions failing without proper maintenance. That being said, as long as usage and temperatures remain moderate the thinking is that the fluid and filter should be ok. In the summer I did multiple 6 hour plus trips on the highway and hard whenever I get the chance. It’s been really hot out and I figured I was putting the trans through some pretty harsh conditions. I want to keep this car in good shape for as long as possible, so I thought changing the fluid and filter would be the best move in terms of longevity. Also there were a few shifts that I didn’t love (5-6 upshift at highway speed, 2-1 downshift on braking, 1-2 upshift under light acceleration).
I bought a pan and filter and 7 quarts of fluid (all OE) from Bavarian autosport. The price ended up being around $300 US (pan and filter $115, fluid $140, and 20 new bolts $40). The job itself took about 3 hours, but no additional trips to the parts store were required (lately ive been having to run out mid-repair). I replaced the oil pan bolts since the other ones were the originals. The torque is only 10nm but it was recommended to replace them. If I were to do it again I would reuse these bolts. I almost didn’t do the job because I didn’t want to do it on jack stands, but I decided to just go for it. I jacked up the car and used 4 jack stands, then made sure the pan was level using a level. One thing that I realized a bit later is that the pan has a slight slope to it, so the car was actually tilted a bit backward if the underside of the pan is 'level'. I didnt have much room to work due to the car being on jack stands. Other than that the DIY's here and other places on the internet (
https://5series.net/forums/diy-do-yo...thread-137584/) have been VERY helpful. Also my jack pads seem to have cracked a bit due to the narrow points of contact. I didnt replace the mechatronic body sealing sleeve - i might do that next summer. Supposedly that is a problem also but doing that without a lift is a huge PITA so i just left it.
Pics of the results:
View post on imgur.com
The fluid came out deep brown/black with what I assume is wear from the last 12 years and 120k miles. However, I did notice some shavings and black debris. The smaller particles are about 1/16" in size with a couple that are 1/8" and the big one being 1/4". I think this is fine, I don't see any obviously destroyed parts. I was told by a coworker in the transmission department in my old job that:
“ I would say this amount of clutch/trans debris is pretty normal (maybe even lower than expected) for 100K+ miles.
The dark material is likely clutch material, but this is normal. Clutches adapt to the clutch paper wear over time, so it is unlikely to result in trans slippage.
I would take a magnet and run it over the material to see how much metal you have. The metal you do have is likely just fine aluminum shavings and that is normal.
The biggest thing is keeping debris out of the transmission main control. The filter is usually really really good at that - Transmission filters are really fine and will catch all of that debris.”
See this link (
View post on imgur.com
) for pictures of the fluid (orange pail) and the pan with disassembled filter. Disassembling the filter was really interesting – I got to see more shavings that the filter trapped. They appear to be aluminum since the pan magnets didn’t pick it up, but the magnets do have a lot of little shavings that look like fuzz. I think the aluminum comes from the torque converter, but I am not sure where/how all that alum gets worn off the TC.
I got a used oil analysis done on the fluid. Check the album for my results compared to averages, and also results for the unused fluid. I’m not going to try and explain what the results are but it seems as if the fluid was pretty well used. Next time I change the fluid I will use a cheaper alternative (there are some out there). $20/liter is insane and ford uses ZF transmissions in a few vehicles, but the fluid spec is Motorcraft Mercron SP at $8-10/liter. Much more affordable.
Some tips/observations:
- the job is very messy, make sure to have cardboard or oil absorbent pads underneath the car
- make sure to rub a thin film of oil on the pan gasket before installing, it's generally not a good idea to install dry gaskets
- I was able to pump in an additional 1.5 qt with engine running after the initial fill (4qt) until the oil started dribbling out of the pan
- the temp of the oil dribbling out of the pan as measured by IR temp gun was about 5 degC lower than what was measured via INPA
- resetting adaptives is critical – it allows the trans to learn to the new fluid in the transmission.
- The filter seems to be some kind of scotchbrite material. Not ultra-fine, but I think this material could be expected to last a LONG time and was still protecting (at least from big chunks)
Starting it up and driving it around felt fine. No immediate difference. However, that changed when I reset the transmission adaptives. The results have been AWESOME! The trans shifts way smoother than before and the bump from 5-6 at highway speeds is gone. Also, in Sport mode the shifts are more crisp and it seems to hold gears a bit longer. I think proper windy roads are a good spot to re-learn the sport adaptations, and I’ve been doing some of that. Feels like a new car (almost). About 3000 miles after doing this service everything is great EXCEPT cold-start behavior. I can't seem to find much online regarding this. There is a slight hesitation coming on-throttle from stop when the trans is cold, but it goes away once the car is hot. Would replacing the solenoids would help this? That is my best guess at the moment. When cold I dont have any engine hesitation and dont see the same behavior in reverse.
I hope my experience helps others looking to do this job!