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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum
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DIY: Auto Transmission Fluid Change
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05-08-2018, 11:59 PM | #265 |
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any preference for the different ATF fluids ??
I have been using Liqui-moly engine oil for years in my Bmws Liqui-moly 1800 TOP TEC https://www.amazon.com/Liqui-Moly-20.../dp/B00B80UVUU Redline D6 https://www.amazon.com/Red-Line-RED3.../dp/B004BTGK6E or OEM ZF fluid |
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05-12-2018, 05:18 PM | #266 |
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I have a 2006 325i with about 90K miles on it. While I had the car up on a lift to do the ATF drain and fill DIY, I noticed there was a small leak from the O-ring between the transmission and the thing in front of it (crank case?) It is part 10 (# 24317536355) in the picture on realoem
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=24_1042 Can anyone help me with this? Is this a serious issue? Do I need to take the car to a mechanic, or can I DIY fix this? Or just let it be? I noticed there was some ATF on the plastic underbody before I started the drain/fill, so the leak must have been there for some time. Car seems to run just fine. I filled new ATF back in the transmission, so should be good for a bit. Just concerned whether this is something serious. I love the car and would like to keep it if there's no major issues. |
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08-27-2018, 10:08 AM | #267 |
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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 the above link 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!
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Last edited by leif20; 02-27-2019 at 04:00 PM.. Reason: Pictures formatting |
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11-03-2018, 11:22 PM | #268 | |
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Nice work!
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09-03-2019, 11:56 AM | #269 |
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A few updates to this:
First fluid change was at 119k miles or 193k km. Drained and refilled about 6L. Trans shifted beautifully for the next 10 months and 10k mi. Began to experience a solid 2-1 jolt, and slipping on 4-5 upshift around this time. I thought the upshift slip could be due to a cracked bridge seal, but after inspection it was not that. After many hours of research I decided to replace the solenoids. 3000 miles later the car is shifting beautifully again. No more slip or jolts. 5-6 upshift on highway is imperceptible. I have a question about reusing the fluid from the trans. If I drained and filled ~6L originally does that mean the fluid that is in there is about 60% new? When I did the solenoid job (which fixed the trans) at 128k miles or 213kkm I tried to reuse what fluid I could, but did lose a couple liters during the job. I ended up having to use 2 new bottles. The fluid came out quite dark, but not smelly or burnt or black. I guess I've put about 9 liters of new fluid in the trans since 120k mi, which would be about the capacity of it. I'm currently at 135k miles. My question is when or if should I change fluid next? I'm wondering since it keeps mixing with the old stuff if it's really as 'good' as new fluid. I would guess the fluid in the trans now is around 75% 'worn.' Would I want to do another fluid change in 45k miles? That would be about 60k km on the new fluid mixture. What is everyone's recommendation for fluid changes at higher mileages? Thankfully I can drive the car hard again, and do when i get the chance (but a bit less frequently than I used to).
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09-03-2019, 05:03 PM | #270 | |
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Friend of mine who was really anal and paranoid does this: Following a full transmission job: filter, ATF drain, pan/gasket as applicable; wait a week then drain and replace ATF procedure; wait another week; drain and replace procedure. After that, once a year, drain and replace ATF until its time to do a full service again. I think that's overkill, and expensive, but to each his own. |
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09-04-2019, 09:37 AM | #271 | |
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I reused the fluid at the time of the solenoid job since I had done a fluid change 10 months earlier, and in canada the fluid is $35/L. I called Ford dealers looking for Mercon SP but they said that it has been superceded by Mercon LV, and I did not want to use that. I stopped looking, did not want to do much more searching, just went with the LG6. I guess the correct fluid is simply one that meets the Shell M-1375.4 OE spec. In 45k miles I will probably look for alternatives. Or, since it's a relatively infrequent change, I could just go with LG6. The question I had is basically: First fluid change done at 120k miles, 6L changed out. Trans issues 10k miles later (new solenoids fixed issue), reused what I could but had to use about 3L new stuff in the process. Since 120k miles ~9L of new fluid has gone in to the trans in the last 10k miles. How 'fresh' is this fluid? What would be the next change interval?
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Last edited by leif20; 09-04-2019 at 09:53 AM.. |
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09-25-2019, 03:23 AM | #273 |
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I’ve done a few Audi”s and other Bmw transmissions and it’s not that bad of job changing the transmission fluid in these cars, I been using Mercon sp for the last 5 years and never had a problem. The maintenance I’ve done over years was valve cover gasket, Oil filter housing gasket, Oil pan gasket and other maintenance...I currently have 200,000 miles and the car runs great
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09-25-2019, 06:45 AM | #274 | |
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No Solenoid changes? Where are you buying the Mercon SP, ford dealers, or oreilly's?
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09-25-2019, 07:03 PM | #275 |
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I get the Mercon sp from my local carquest or rockauto, Carquest have it for $7.99 a quart, The price is $6.50 at rockauto and $7.99 Shipping charge. I haven’t done the solenoids yet but I have changed the bridge seals, Plug adapter etc.,
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09-26-2019, 12:27 AM | #276 | |
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Have you noticed any performance decrease as these transmissions rack up miles? What's the highest mileage you've seen on the ZF box?
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10-04-2019, 10:38 AM | #277 |
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2011 323i / 160k km GM A/T. I want to change my T/fluid but don't have a garage to "DIY" . Is it a "must" to change the tran/fluid and the filter at the same time?
Last edited by Bmwner; 10-04-2019 at 10:59 AM.. |
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09-19-2020, 06:25 PM | #279 |
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Thanks for all the great info guy and gals. My car is a 2006 w 98k mi on it so the fluid def needed replacement. The old fluid was a dark cherry , almost black color, well overdue.
I just tackled this job, it took 6 hrs because I dropped the mechatronic and replaced plastic sleeves and parts. It was pretty simple, just be sure to follow torque specs when putting everything back together. I wanted to flush the torque converter out so I disconnected the top rigid line into the Transmission that was coming back from the oil cooler. I then added four quarts of new fluid (Mercon SP) into the new pan and then my friend started the car and I watched black fluid come out for about 2-3 seconds only. It splattered against the trans housing and made a nice mess, so be ready for that lol. Didn’t seem like a lot came out (I thought the TC had 2-3 L in it?) but I buttoned everything up and started filling with the motor on and got a total of 8 L in Before it started pouring back out. I monitored the temperature it was 43C. I thought I was going to get nine L back in but I think my car was not level in the back and was lower than the front. Anyway I will check it soon after driving around and making sure it would get circulated throughout the internals of the trans and mechatronic by going through the gears in M mode. Will report back in a couple weeks. So far it runs really well and the shifts are ultra smooth. Definitely invest in a fluid pump, I got the one from Firstinfo tools on Amazon. As for BMW, any company that labels any fluid as lifetime , should be criminal. Obviously they do it for low maintenance for them while under maintenance contract , but it should be illegal to call anything lifetime lol. Last edited by jivenene; 09-20-2020 at 12:24 PM.. |
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02-02-2021, 02:38 PM | #280 |
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Thanks to the OP and other contributors to this thread, I managed to do a oil drain and fill service on my 2008 330d 6HP26 ZF unit.
My cars has 107,000 miles on it and the gear oil had never been serviced given 90% of the cars history is with BMW. Now, I was not in the favour of a complete fluid flush as I did not want to introduce 10l of fresh fluid into the system which has been using the same oil for the last 13 years! So, I decided to just drain the oil from the drain plug and simply fill in with new fluid - around 4 to 4.5 litres of new oil went in. I did not even change the pan/filter. So, I now plan to do another oil change in 2 years time but this time with a new pan/filter and maybe replace all the seals and sleeve. I read on this forum that the filter has a good design from factory and is able to filter out debris etc for long term so with this in mind, my logic was to introduce 50% new fluid, which will mean 50% more cleaning of the system (oil has cleaning agents in it) and hence more debris will get caught onto the filter, before I replace with a new filter in 2 years time. I plan on doing regular gear oil changes, maybe every two years and then slowly making it to every 4 years or 40,000 miles like Mercedes. See my attached picture as many on here and other forums have not managed to get socket into the fill plug due to space restrictions. I did manage to do this as my heavy duty 8mm spanner was not able to loosen the never-opened fill plug. I used a standard 8mm hex socket (3/8" drive) connected to a universal 3/8" to 3/8" (male to female) socket joint connected to a 3/8" socket extension (I think it was maybe 15cm long from memory) which was then connected to my 3/8" torque wrench. Due to the universal socket joint, I was able to angle the extension socket to just about fit my torque wrench onto it. After a application of plus gas onto the fill plug and a couple of taps on the plug and then a couple of worrying attempts, the fill plug opened (sounded like a snap/crack!) and all was good. No way I could have done this with a 8mm spanner! I also have a picture of the oil that came out. In the tray the oil looked Black but when pouring down it looked golden-black, so it wasn't too bad and I couldn't see any concerning debris in the oil. |
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02-02-2021, 07:26 PM | #281 | |
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That was for me ridiculous expensive to change pan+filter. I've decided to remove pan, clean it (magnetic pads mostly), and as well, more fluid is replaced compared to fluid change only. Result was very good, that was good decision, no problems to remove/clean/put again same thing but if you have posibility ... this is good idea to change it. To understand me better : Local diller in Chile wanted me to charge something like 840 US$ for filter/pan. You guys need to understand : Dillers don't wan't us to maintain our cars. They wan't us to buy new ones. 160 K KM sound like up limit, that was when I did it on E90 (320d year 2005) Edit: I just notice I've answered old post because of new one notification, sorry, won't delete because may be usefull for someone Last edited by allotherareused; 02-02-2021 at 07:33 PM.. |
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03-08-2021, 02:57 AM | #282 |
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Anyone need a trans service kit for a 2011 335i 6spd Step Msport? I have all the goodies in a post....PM me or search for my post for pics. Thanks!!
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03-08-2021, 10:16 AM | #283 |
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Reset Adaptations
N52 with the GM AT. Fluid and filter change at 49k miles:
I did not reset adaptations and got an improvement in shifting. It wasn't night and day, but, the shifting was pretty good before. From my experience and the few others I've read, resetting isn't necessary with the GM box. Maybe a different story if the fluid/filter change is done at higher mileage.
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10-26-2022, 07:36 PM | #284 |
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Old thread yes, but I am about to do this on one of my bmws with the ZF. After the first initial fill, it says to close plug, let transmission warm up to 50-70 Celsius. I don’t have inpa so I’ll be using a temp gun to get the transmission as close as possible to 50 Celsius. I’ve also heard transmission won’t warm up while idling???
So do I have to drop the vehicle while it’s potentially low fluid and go drive it around until it heats up? Or can it warm up while sitting on jack stands and going thru the gears so the new oil can circulate? Also is a temp gun ok to use for a idea of where temp is? |
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01-21-2023, 07:27 AM | #285 |
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Hi All,
I am about to complete this job on my 328XI GM Transmission with 108,000 miles. Below is my list of materials. If anyone can chime in with tips or items that may make the job go smoother I would greatly appreciate it. Filter-BMW Gasket-Elring Pan Bolts-BMW 17 MM Box Wrench 6 MM Hex 10MM Socket 8 MM Socket 1/4 or 3/8 Torque Wrench 3 Gallons Valvoline ATF Max Life Spare Drain Plug 4 Ramps Hydraulic Jack Jack Pads Drain Pan E torx Socket (Bracket Removal) Infrared Temp thermometer Transfer Pump |
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10-05-2023, 08:57 PM | #286 |
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Hi. I need some advice i think i dun f@#ked up...
I was doing a oil pan gasket change with a mate recently and for whatever reeason he disconnected the transmission oil line and lost some fluid. I went out and got some new fluid to top it up however i think i bought the wrong stuff (had no idea and should have checked first). It has been topped up with about a litre of possibly wrong fluid and now it is acting irrationally and getting error codes. What do i do to fix this? have i completely screwed it? |
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