auto transmission service

John Carrier wrote:

>Once true. BMW has backed off and now recommends 100K changes on auto trans

Really?

I wonder, then, if they've also relaxed the *ridiculous* pricing of
this procedure.

In article >,
dizzy > wrote:
> Bob Smitter wrote:

> >"Tom K." > wrote:
> >
> >> Last time I checked, the OEM BMW auto trans fluid was very expensive
> >> (ca. $300). I had my dealer change my E46 manual 5 speed with
> >> Redline MTL which I bought for about $24.00 - the dealer charge was
> >> for one hour labor.
> >
> >And if you do a little research you will find that AmsOil ATF meets the
> > specs for all the high-priced fluids BMW sells. It is about $8-9 US
> >per quart.

> Most people need someone to do this job for them, though. It's not as
> easy as doing engine oil and filter.

> A couple years ago, when I asked the dealer about doing this, they
> asted like a was nuts, finally settling on something like $1200 to do
> the job.

> An independent "German car" shop refused to do it at all. "Take it to
> the dealer", they told me.

The snag is you can't drain an auto (even with a drain plug) the same as
an engine as the torque convertor holds a large quantity of fluid which
doesn't drain back into the sump. So the 'change' will only be partial.
And even if you do it twice there will still be a proportion of the old
remaining.

--
*A person who smiles in the face of adversity probably has a scapegoat *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Let me add a question to this thread.

I just purchased my first BMW 2000 323i E46 with steptronic and has 120k
miles on it.

I have screen print outs of all the service and cannot find any
servicing to the transmission. So should I have the fluid changed?

Is there any danger to the folk lore of changing transmission oil in a
tranny with high mileage?

I have heard stories (one was a friends Honda but that is another type).

Thanks

Rob

change it, but don't FLUSH it.
Much will stay in the converter anyways, so you don't get a real flush
anyways.

You should be ok.


"Robert" > wrote in message
.. .
> Let me add a question to this thread.
>
> I just purchased my first BMW 2000 323i E46 with steptronic and has 120k
> miles on it.
>
> I have screen print outs of all the service and cannot find any servicing
> to the transmission. So should I have the fluid changed?
>
> Is there any danger to the folk lore of changing transmission oil in a
> tranny with high mileage?
>
> I have heard stories (one was a friends Honda but that is another type).
>
> Thanks
>
> Rob



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Robert > wrote:
>Let me add a question to this thread.
>
>I just purchased my first BMW 2000 323i E46 with steptronic and has 120k
>miles on it.
>
>I have screen print outs of all the service and cannot find any
>servicing to the transmission. So should I have the fluid changed?

Absolutely.

>Is there any danger to the folk lore of changing transmission oil in a
>tranny with high mileage?

There is, yes. There is also danger in NOT changing it. Either way,
you're taking a risk, which is the way life is.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

dizzy > wrote:
>Bob Smitter wrote:
>>"Tom K." > wrote:
>>
>>> Last time I checked, the OEM BMW auto trans fluid was very expensive (ca.
>>> $300). I had my dealer change my E46 manual 5 speed with Redline MTL
>>> which I bought for about $24.00 - the dealer charge was for one hour
>>> labor.
>>
>>And if you do a little research you will find that AmsOil ATF meets the
>>specs
>>for all the high-priced fluids BMW sells. It is about $8-9 US per quart.
>
>Most people need someone to do this job for them, though. It's not as
>easy as doing engine oil and filter.

No, really, it's actually not a lot. You drain the transmission, you pop
the cover to get the filter off and replace the filter, you close the cover,
you put more fluid in the top. You may need a siphon gadget to get the fluid
up there, though.

With a simple fluid change, a lot of the old fluid remains in the torque
converter, which you can't drain. There are a lot of things you can do
about that, which include flushing procedures or a refill/run/drain cycle.
If you're changing it every 30,000 miles like you SHOULD be, though, there
is no reason to worry about the fact the change is not complete. You may
even opt not to change the filter.

>A couple years ago, when I asked the dealer about doing this, they
>asted like a was nuts, finally settling on something like $1200 to do
>the job.
>
>An independent "German car" shop refused to do it at all. "Take it to
>the dealer", they told me.

They may be talking about something more than a simple drain and change.
There really is no reason to do more than that if you're doing it on a
regular schedule.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

"Scott Dorsey" > wrote in message
...
> dizzy > wrote:
> >Bob Smitter wrote:
> >>"Tom K." > wrote:
> >>
> >>> Last time I checked, the OEM BMW auto trans fluid was very expensive
(ca.
> >>> $300). I had my dealer change my E46 manual 5 speed with Redline MTL
> >>> which I bought for about $24.00 - the dealer charge was for one hour
> >>> labor.
> >>
> >>And if you do a little research you will find that AmsOil ATF meets the
> >>specs
> >>for all the high-priced fluids BMW sells. It is about $8-9 US per
quart.
> >
> >Most people need someone to do this job for them, though. It's not as
> >easy as doing engine oil and filter.
>
> No, really, it's actually not a lot. You drain the transmission, you pop
> the cover to get the filter off and replace the filter, you close the
cover,
> you put more fluid in the top. You may need a siphon gadget to get the
fluid
> up there, though.
>
> With a simple fluid change, a lot of the old fluid remains in the torque
> converter, which you can't drain. There are a lot of things you can do
> about that, which include flushing procedures or a refill/run/drain cycle.
> If you're changing it every 30,000 miles like you SHOULD be, though, there
> is no reason to worry about the fact the change is not complete. You may
> even opt not to change the filter.
>
> >A couple years ago, when I asked the dealer about doing this, they
> >asted like a was nuts, finally settling on something like $1200 to do
> >the job.
> >
> >An independent "German car" shop refused to do it at all. "Take it to
> >the dealer", they told me.
>
> They may be talking about something more than a simple drain and change.
> There really is no reason to do more than that if you're doing it on a
> regular schedule.
> --scott
> --
> "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

i picked up a 94 525 touring a year back, now close to 300,00 miles, 15 by
me in the last year..its fine, althought i dont brake v v heavy to a
standstill, as it causes a thud.

i was going to change the gearbox oil, but i guess if its never had it done,
changing it could cause more problems...
car runs fine daily, even to E Europe a few times a year. although at the
mo. its using more fuel than i think it should.

SNIP

>>Is there any danger to the folk lore of changing transmission oil in a
>>tranny with high mileage?
>
> There is, yes. There is also danger in NOT changing it. Either way,
> you're taking a risk, which is the way life is.

Wait a minute! That's not what my lawyer says! I'm guaranteed a risk-free
life and if I have an unfortunate experience or do something stupid,
SOMEBODY HAS GOT TO PAY!!!

R / John

Scott Dorsey wrote:
> Robert > wrote:
>> Let me add a question to this thread.
>>
>> I just purchased my first BMW 2000 323i E46 with steptronic and has 120k
>> miles on it.
>>
>> I have screen print outs of all the service and cannot find any
>> servicing to the transmission. So should I have the fluid changed?
>
> Absolutely.
>
>> Is there any danger to the folk lore of changing transmission oil in a
>> tranny with high mileage?
>
> There is, yes. There is also danger in NOT changing it. Either way,
> you're taking a risk, which is the way life is.
> --scott
>
Thanks Guys!!!!!! I appreciate it.

On Mon, 26 Nov 2007 09:36:09 -0800 (PST), kpb >
wrote:

>Weird company.

Wanna know something else weird? You're posting from the same IP
address as "floresrikitic," share his obsession with auto trans
failure and use the pun "bummer" for "Bimmer." Just a coincidence, I'm
sure.
epbrown
--
How can you know where I'm at if you haven't been where I been?
Can you see where I'm coming from? "How I Could Just Kill A Man" Cypress Hill