[angel54]

You Dont Say!!!!!

 

[franz]

Yes, it should have been done ages ago, but better late than never.

 

[Alex323Ci]

'
BMW manual transmisson come with ATL (automatic transmisson fluid) but you can change it with whatever manual tranny fluid youd like (lots of people have done it and it is okay).

I would not change it with "whatever m-t fluid you want". It takes a specific GL rated fluid, that's why they have a sticker next to the fill plug. They don't want people putting the wrong fluid in and damaging the tranny. But agree that Redline and RP sythethics are fine.

My old 325e manual had lifetime fluid in the trans i put about 280k on that car b4 the engine blew and never once changed the trans fluid no problems at all.

you had an E30 ETA(325e) that had lifetime fluid? odd..never hear of that before.

Got IT!!!!!!!!!!:excited: Finally:woot:
ok, ok ,ok!!!
Pete says that it's the universal joint in the drive shaft and what happens is as they get older it dry-rotts and cracks causing play in the shaft!! Other parts could also play a role, but not enought to be considered.
There you have it Ladies and Gents.. If anyone elase have some aditional Info please respond to this post.

I would not be happy if it was my U-joint. BMW driveshafts don't have replacable driveshafts. Expect that to be over $700. Now if he's talking about the Flex Disc or Guibo that connects the driveshaft to the tranny, that sounds more like it. I always post this same link when I read these posts. Guess no one posted it yet. *Note the link says you can upgrade to the M3 guibo, but someone said their guibo was different so check if you plan to upgrade.
http://www.rogueengineering.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=GUIBO

 

[richards330i]

Yes you should change the fluid. As stated previously, bmw 'lifetime' fluid is not really lifetime.
UNLIKE automatic/steptronic where the transmisson can actully fail becuase of the change, manual wont. In manual, you can change the fluid whenever, how many time youd possibly like with no damage. Manual transmisson dont have hydrolic lifters etc. for they are more 'basic'

Can someone please elaborate on this? "automatic/steptronic where the transmisson can actully fail becuase of the change"
I have a Automatic/Steptronic and was going to do a DIY trans fluid change.

 

[323iINt.o]

the reason for this is
people have suggested that unless the car has under 30km and you change the automatic fluid AT 30km intervals, you should*** be fine. This is becuase manymannny people have changed their auto fluid at higher milage (over 30km) and their trannies have failed - beleive it or not but has happeaned alot - no one has really explained why, kind of a mystery.

i think it might be that the "dirt and fluid" sits on the lifters etc. and actully "holds" the trans together. Removing the dirt could cuase failure?? (for example, sea foam in your engine)

Another reason could be the atx fluid actully "settles and bondes" to the tranny. removing it coudl cuase tranny failure...

 

[nuwde]

Can you change manny and differential fluids with an oil extractor? Won't hurt anything right?

 

[RS330ci]

Can someone please elaborate on this? "automatic/steptronic where the transmisson can actully fail becuase of the change"
I have a Automatic/Steptronic and was going to do a DIY trans fluid change.

Over time, miles, heat cycles, etc., the tranny fluid breaks down and can become sludge-like, settling inside your transmission. New fluid in a high mileage car can act almost solvent-like, breaking up these deposits and sending large globs of sludge, etc. into valve bodies and other intricate parts of your Step trans, causing failure. Will it happen to your car? Who knows. There are many cases of frequent fluid change transmissions lasting no longer than those that never had a fluid change. The only sure-fix is a manual trans in your next car. With regular fluid changes a manual should easily last the life of the car. I had one that was still strong as ever at 200K — I'd like to think that a steady Redline diet helped.

 

[burak_330ci]

i have this problem of shifting for a long time but mine is so strange that it happens only when the weather is cold. So its like this;

When i bought the car in the summer, everything was fine but when the cold came, i try to start the car and try to push into the gear but wont go to any of the gears but strangely it goes when the car is not running. So when the car starts, slots of the gear(dont know the exact names) doesnt let the shifter to go in. So i wait the car to warm up for sometime and force the gear into the 1st than 2nd and warm up the gearbox by doing viceversa.

I know what is the exact problem is but it will cost me alot because the whole tranny has to come out and it will only cost because of the work hours fee, so i will try my chance by taking it to my service and let them change the tranny fluid on friday.

I have a 71K on my car and its manual.

So i let you know but i think it will take time to effect because let the new fluid effect the tranny will take 500km or less imo.

 

[Alex323Ci]

Over time, miles, heat cycles, etc., the tranny fluid breaks down and can become sludge-like, settling inside your transmission. New fluid in a high mileage car can act almost solvent-like, breaking up these deposits and sending large globs of sludge, etc. into valve bodies and other intricate parts of your Step trans, causing failure. Will it happen to your car? Who knows. There are many cases of frequent fluid change transmissions lasting no longer than those that never had a fluid change. The only sure-fix is a manual trans in your next car. With regular fluid changes a manual should easily last the life of the car. I had one that was still strong as ever at 200K — I'd like to think that a steady Redline diet helped.

^^ Is that the direct quote word for word from Mike Miller in BIMMER?? Looks like it.

 

[Dan04E46]

^^ Is that the direct quote word for word from Mike Miller in BIMMER?? Looks like it.

:lmao: Busted!!

 

[RS330ci]

^^ Is that the direct quote word for word from Mike Miller in BIMMER?? Looks like it.

Actually, no, but I'll take that as a compliment. :thumbsup: Just a bit of personal experience and inquiry over the years regarding a fairly common subject. And, almost 2 decades of experience with Redline products. Plagiarism free I assure you (Sorry Dan01E46)! Hopefully the info will prove useful to a fellow fanatic or two.

Nice sig…was the background rendered? :bow:

 

[franz]

Csb

 

[richards330i]

thanks for the feedback.

I guess the proof is in the pudding.
Anybody know what the stats for a fluid change on +35k miles look like? 1 out of 100 successful?

My 2001 330i auto/steptronic just hit 60k. I've been getting a "whirring" noise when i switch from 1st to second gear. Nothing too alarming, but very annoying. I was hoping that changing the fluid could be my first effort at getting rid of this noise.


Would it be good idea to try and to flush the transmission Fluid seems cheap enough compared to ruining it... *thoughts*?

Oh, about the choice in auto vs manual. LA traffic sucks. Steptronic seemed like a good idea at the time.

 

[burak_330ci]

i just made my local service to change my manual trannys fluid. Now its way softer and smooth but from 1st to 2nd gear, there is still crunk noise. But i think i should wait and drive abit to let the tranny to eat the new fluid.

 

[Brosain]

I have this "clunk" on my manual 325Ci. But mine sounds like it's coming from the differential area. Is the noise coming from the front or rear of the car? I've read places that say BMW considers that clunk noise normal because of driveshaft shock absorbtion or something. Others say if could be diff. mounts that are loose. All I know is that mine clunks and is leaking, hurray :tsk:

 

[markusmarkus]

I change my tranny fluid annually with Redline MTL. Why MTL? I asked Mike Miller, Roundel Mag and Bimmer Mag tech guru. He said MTL protects the gears better than D4ATF. The reason why ZF (they made the manual tranny in my car) uses synthetic ATF is to make the tranny shift easier when the tranny is cold. Seems car makes don't want customers complaining that their trannies are hard to shift when they are cold. Use MTL and shift your tranny gently for the first few miles. Your tranny will thank you at 100k miles! impin:

 

[grzes12n]

So Whats The Best Oil I Should Use For Manual Transmission And For My Differential???????? ABOUT 2 or 3 months ago I Changed The Transmission Oil With Redline Atf And I Mixed It With Another Bottle Of Redline High Heat (something Like That) My Transmission Shift Really Hard Espcially When Its Cold
I Would Like To Change It Again But I Want To Make Sure I Do It With The Right Oil Please Give Some Advice???

Should I Change It With Redline Mtl? And What Should I Use For Differential????

 

[grzes12n]

IS THIS THE RIGHT ONE??????
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Red-...QcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ46098QQihZ014QQitemZ330074605758QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

 

[dave12345]

:bump: so i have a reference for if i change mine lol

 

[///AZNSLVR]

Got IT!!!!!!!!!!:excited: Finally:woot:


ok, ok ,ok!!!

Pete says that it's the universal joint in the drive shaft and what happens is as they get older it dry-rotts and cracks causing play in the shaft!! Other parts could also play a role, but not enought to be considered.


There you have it Ladies and Gents.. If anyone elase have some aditional Info please respond to this post.

YO I have that same problem. Only when I go in reverse though. Its so annoying I thought it was subframe damage...BMW and a 2nd opinion at a shop didnt see anything. Only thing they saw was the rear subframe bushing was cracked to hell. I'm ordering a new one to replace that....

How much for the universal joint in drive shaft? Part number?

Thanks man