[Bigrob126]

I'm really getting a lot of different input on what automatic transmission I have. I was told I have the GM, but a VIN check says I have the ZF. I have a metal sump (pan) and the filter is the type with the sealing sleeve, not the rubber O ring. The pics I have seen online with these characteristics point to me having a GM one. I did a fluid change yesterday, and the fill plug requires 14lbs torque on the GM, which is what I did, and the ZF requires 26lbs. I don't see any leakage, but I want to know which I have! Any help is appreciated. I have a 2010 E92 328i Coupe.

Grazie!

[anjuna]

If it's metal pan, it's GM.

If it's not metal, it's ZF.

The more important thing is that you did your fluid change with the correct fluid!!!! GM takes Dexron 6!!

You should have seen a green "General motors 6L45" sticker on the drivers side of the transmission body if it was the GM. It would have been hard to notice.

GM


GM pan


GM Filter


ZF trans pan


ZF Trans Filter

[Bigrob126]

Thanks so much for the info. It is the GM. I did my work hanging more towards the passenger side of the tranny, so I never did see that tag....but by the pics you posted, it's clear. Bav auto sold me the filter, bolts, gasket, & Redline D6 ATF, which I figure is D for Dexron fluid. Kind of troubling more than 1 VIN check showed the ZF and not GM....

Thanks again!!

[Eagle1oh7]

Go to realOEM and punch in the last 7 digits of your VIN.

[anjuna]

Originally Posted by Bigrob126

Thanks so much for the info. It is the GM. I did my work hanging more towards the passenger side of the tranny, so I never did see that tag....but by the pics you posted, it's clear. Bav auto sold me the filter, bolts, gasket, & Redline D6 ATF, which I figure is D for Dexron fluid. Kind of troubling more than 1 VIN check showed the ZF and not GM....

Thanks again!!

Yes, the redline D6 is dexron 6. The dexron 6 is the correct fluid for the GM transmission, which would have the metal pan.

[STR8-6IX]

so apparently the transmission shop used dextron 6 fluid in my 8 speed and I've had no problems.. although this is not something I will ever try again nor do I recommend.

as for fluid changes, GM is every 100k miles and the ZF is 60k. fluid changes are essential for the longevity of your transmission and shift quality improves greatly when changing fluid at this mileage. make sure you also change the filter! a drain and fill is useless! think of it as changing your engine oil without replacing the filter..

[robygomez]

Originally Posted by Bigrob126

I'm really getting a lot of different input on what automatic transmission I have. I was told I have the GM, but a VIN check says I have the ZF. I have a metal sump (pan) and the filter is the type with the sealing sleeve, not the rubber O ring. The pics I have seen online with these characteristics point to me having a GM one. I did a fluid change yesterday, and the fill plug requires 14lbs torque on the GM, which is what I did, and the ZF requires 26lbs. I don't see any leakage, but I want to know which I have! Any help is appreciated. I have a 2010 E92 328i Coupe.

Grazie!

Hi, I have just made a fluid replacement in the same GM Transmission but I used Pentosin ATF1, it's been working fine so far and what a difference no more rough gears or kicking feeling it was a dramatic change. I live in a place surrounded by hills so I tend to stress a lot my tranny but only by replacing the fluid it feels smooth as new.

I drive a 2010, 325i, E90 with 35,000 miles that´s why I only replaced the fluid and not the filter and I know it is supposed to be very soon for servicing my transmission but we are talking about a 7 year old car and believe me the fluid was really dirty and the driving experience has changed a lot.

[robygomez]

Originally Posted by STR8-6IX

so apparently the transmission shop used dextron 6 fluid in my 8 speed and I've had no problems.. although this is not something I will ever try again nor do I recommend.

as for fluid changes, GM is every 100k miles and the ZF is 60k. fluid changes are essential for the longevity of your transmission and shift quality improves greatly when changing fluid at this mileage. make sure you also change the filter! a drain and fill is useless! think of it as changing your engine oil without replacing the filter..

I agree with you that the best thing to do is to replace the fluid and the filter, but as I mentioned the car has 35,000 miles only and I didn´t know which transmission came with it, so I decided to refresh the fluid and ask the shop to take a picture of the tranny so the next time getting the right filter would not be a problem.

In this case just changing the fluid was enough believe me the tranny feels like new.

[starboard]

In order to see the tag on the trans, you need to remove a plastic underbody skid pan, correct? I have no means of removing that skirt at this time so I'll have to assume I have the GM in my 2011 328i.

[nsjames]

to see the tag yes.
but you can easily look under the car and see if it's a metal or plastic pan.
metal is GM
plastic is ZF.

[HawkeyeGeoff]

6 speed = mostly GM. 8 speed = ZF.

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by BMWSource

I have an E90 with the N52B30, & my car is automatic, how do I know if I have the ZF or GM?

I'd suggest learning how to read and comprehend the posts already made in the thread, since the answer has been repeated a number of times.

[FIREWORKKS]

aren't most / all US spec 328i GM trans whilst EU and friends got ZF?

[iahawkeye]

Originally Posted by FIREWORKKS

aren't most / all US spec 328i GM trans whilst EU and friends got ZF?

Correct. some early 06 and 07 models will have the zf box. Most everything from then on is a gm box built in France.

Allegedly the gm-bmw deal went away late in e9x production so some of the later lci 328s will have the zf box too.

[rothwem]

Originally Posted by iahawkeye

Correct. some early 06 and 07 models will have the zf box. Most everything from then on is a gm box built in France.

Allegedly the gm-bmw deal went away late in e9x production so some of the later lci 328s will have the zf box too.

Really? Where did you read that?

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by HawkeyeGeoff

6 speed = mostly GM. 8 speed = ZF.

Both E90 autos were 6 speeds.

[RealJ22]

Originally Posted by CTinline-six

Both E90 autos were 6 speeds.

Yes, the E90 did not have 8 speed. Next generation did.

[iahawkeye]

Originally Posted by rothwem

Really? Where did you read that?

I have an 07 with the zf.... pretty sure I read the bit about the later models (2011) on here somewhere.

Do a search I'm sure you'll find a thread or 3 on the subject.

[rothwem]

Originally Posted by iahawkeye

I have an 07 with the zf.... pretty sure I read the bit about the later models (2011) on here somewhere.

Do a search I'm sure you'll find a thread or 3 on the subject.

Yeah, I knew that the 06-07 cars had the zf, I didn't know they went back to the 6hp19 later. I can't find any info on it either. I thought that it was an ECU difference, the 06-07 cars had the MSV70 ECU while the GM trans cars had the MSV80 ECU.

With that said though, I think the E70 X5 3.0si models had the ZF trans with the MSV80 ECU, so I guess its possible?

[FIREWORKKS]

ZF is better since they have XHP flash (:

[E92inAZ]

I have an 07 with a ZF and my engine blew up.
I found a low mileage replacement from an 11 and took engine and tranny for good measure but then couldn't use the tranny because it was GM.

Also, I have a low mileage GM tranny for sale if anyone needs one...

[FIREWORKKS]

Originally Posted by E92inAZ

I have an 07 with a ZF and my engine blew up.
I found a low mileage replacement from an 11 and took engine and tranny for good measure but then couldn't use the tranny because it was GM.

Also, I have a low mileage GM tranny for sale if anyone needs one...

Aw man, shoulda splerged and installed a 2JZ-GTE in there 😊