do not mix ATF with MTF and do not use ATF in a manual gearbox.

 

Ok yeah I haven’t done anything just yet but there’s even stores that sell both of them for you to mix. So MTL it is?

 

Some BMW manual gearboxes in E36s specified ATF.
Some specified an 85-90 gear oil.

Some say the difference was the sticker on the side.

I currently have 2/3 MTL and 1/3 D6 in mine. It's not all that hot.
It DOES shift nicely when cold, which was what I was curious about.
It DOES make more noise, and
It DOES shift as though the contents are a bit thin when hot (after 500 miles in the desert, for example).

I suspect it's been Driffted sometime in its past, as it's just never felt as if
it's had a full mouthful of synchro teeth. So I'm just playing around with things to see what happens.
So far, nothing catastrophic. And it's been across the country and back.

t
would use a nice synthetic 85-90 if he had a quality box full of gears to row.

 

I really like Liqui Moly Top Tek ATF 1100. It gets quite cold here in the winter as well and I am very happy with its performance. I also noticed improved smoothness in the gear changes. I run it in my E46, E83, and my now sold E60 and have been very pleased with it in every case, especially considering how reasonably priced it is.

Note that Sreten also uses this ATF, in some cases mixing it with Liqui Moly MTF, but I have not felt the need to experiment with mixing since I am happy with straight ATF.

 

I've owned my car since new and other than the original fluid it came with at the factory, I've only ever used Redline D4ATF.
I'm now at 248,000 miles and it still shifts like new. I also happen to drive and shift sensibly and rev match when down shifting so the gearbox has never been abused.

 

I use 50/50 Redline MTL/ATF mix - northeast climate. Seems to work for me for the last 12 years.

 

Is Redline ATF good with the M3 too? Just picked up the car and want to do a fluid refresh as I do not know the history.

 

manual transmissions simply need fluid to bathe their gears. They don't have fluid pumps,

...and lube the bearings and syncros, and dissipate heat.

BUT- if you look carefully at the mainshaft gears on a manual transmission, you'll see a few tiny drillings.
The gears are used to pump lube into the mainshaft needle bearings and main hubs so they never run dry.
This is why flat- towing a BMW manual long distances isn't a great practice- the mainshaft needle bearings
don't get oiled, since the mainshaft gears are stationary and the output shaft itself is turning inside them.

Kind of a spinoff, but it's one of those 'ooo, that's kinda clever' things.

t

 

That is very interesting; thank you for the additional information!
And good points - the fluid does do more than just lubricate the gears. I guess my point is that the viscosity and flow rate isn't super critical because nothing inside a manual transmission relies on tight tolerances to actuate solenoids or move check valves, for example.

 

Something about blanket statements..
https://www.moderndriveline.com/tko-tkx-oil-info/

 

I drained the original MTF in my Getrag 250 and filled with Redline D4 ATF and have been very pleased. I was having cold weather issues with 5th gear lean and shifting into reverse and all was fixed with the Redline ATF. I live in a moderate climate (NC USA).

 

I bought my coupe last year. Went through all the fluids replacing the fluid in the trans with the proper Redline. Soon it was more diffficult to get into 1st gear. Shortly there after I switched to Royal Purple. Very happy , much smoother shifting.

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