BMW 525D

#31

In article <RLudnd43_KufNBvUnZ2dnUVZ8riWnZ2d (AT) eclipse (DOT) net.uk>,
Tim S Kemp <news (AT) timkemp (DOT) karoo.co.uk> wrote:

Quote:

"Dave Plowman (News)" <dave (AT) davenoise (DOT) co.uk> wrote in message
news:502707ee89dave (AT) davenoise (DOT) co.uk...

It's an interesting point in that auto boxes unlike engines don't
actually cause contamination of the fluid. Or at least when they do -
due to excess wear in the friction plates etc - it's too late for
changing the fluid to help. If it did they'd be fitted with proper
filters. Sealed for life gearboxes ain't new - many final drives have
been like this for 30 years or so. I'm just interested if anyone has
proper research on whether this fluid does deteriorate in normal use.
Problems with the 5HP ZF series ain't that common in the UK. The US GM
version might be different.

Indeed - mine came from factory with no recommendation for fluid
changes, now it's at 30000 then every 60k thereafter or something odd
like that.

I don't know what the current BMW situation is with the latest boxes - in
the US at least they amended the 5HP fluid change from never to about
90,000 miles. But if course it's near impossible to change the oil in an
auto anyway as so much remains in the torque convertor.

--
*Just give me chocolate and nobody gets hurt

Dave Plowman dave (AT) davenoise (DOT) co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

#32

Dave Plowman (News) <dave (AT) davenoise (DOT) co.uk> wrote:

Quote:

In article <RLudnd43_KufNBvUnZ2dnUVZ8riWnZ2d (AT) eclipse (DOT) net.uk>,
Tim S Kemp <news (AT) timkemp (DOT) karoo.co.uk> wrote:
"Dave Plowman (News)" <dave (AT) davenoise (DOT) co.uk> wrote in message

It's an interesting point in that auto boxes unlike engines don't
actually cause contamination of the fluid. Or at least when they do -
due to excess wear in the friction plates etc - it's too late for
changing the fluid to help. If it did they'd be fitted with proper
filters. Sealed for life gearboxes ain't new - many final drives have
been like this for 30 years or so. I'm just interested if anyone has
proper research on whether this fluid does deteriorate in normal use.
Problems with the 5HP ZF series ain't that common in the UK. The US GM
version might be different.

Indeed - mine came from factory with no recommendation for fluid
changes, now it's at 30000 then every 60k thereafter or something odd
like that.

I don't know what the current BMW situation is with the latest boxes - in
the US at least they amended the 5HP fluid change from never to about
90,000 miles. But if course it's near impossible to change the oil in an
auto anyway as so much remains in the torque convertor.

That's part of the reason why changing the fluid regularly is important,
since you are basically changing only half the load each time.

But then, I'm one of those guys who changes the fluid at 50,000 in manual
transmissions too. It's 20 minutes tops and can't hurt.
--scott

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

#33

In article <gm6vek$sot$1 (AT) panix2 (DOT) panix.com>,
Scott Dorsey <kludge (AT) panix (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:

I don't know what the current BMW situation is with the latest boxes - in
the US at least they amended the 5HP fluid change from never to about
90,000 miles. But if course it's near impossible to change the oil in an
auto anyway as so much remains in the torque convertor.

That's part of the reason why changing the fluid regularly is important,
since you are basically changing only half the load each time.

But then, I'm one of those guys who changes the fluid at 50,000 in manual
transmissions too. It's 20 minutes tops and can't hurt.

It certainly hurts the wallet if it's not needed. BMW ATF costs.

Manual transmissions are a bit different - you often get waste products
from the gears themselves - hence the usual magnetic drain plug to catch
some of it. You don't normally get this in an auto. If you do it's past it
anyway. ;-)

--
*There's two theories to arguing with a woman. Neither one works *

Dave Plowman dave (AT) davenoise (DOT) co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

#34

"Dave Plowman (News)" <dave (AT) davenoise (DOT) co.uk> wrote

Quote:

In article <gm6vek$sot$1 (AT) panix2 (DOT) panix.com>,
Scott Dorsey <kludge (AT) panix (DOT) com> wrote:
I don't know what the current BMW situation is with the latest boxes -
in
the US at least they amended the 5HP fluid change from never to about
90,000 miles. But if course it's near impossible to change the oil in an
auto anyway as so much remains in the torque convertor.

That's part of the reason why changing the fluid regularly is important,
since you are basically changing only half the load each time.

But then, I'm one of those guys who changes the fluid at 50,000 in manual
transmissions too. It's 20 minutes tops and can't hurt.

It certainly hurts the wallet if it's not needed. BMW ATF costs.

Another good reason for choosing a manual as Redline MTF is still pretty
cheap.

Tom

#35

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Quote:

It certainly hurts the wallet if it's not needed. BMW ATF costs.

If it's the same box that CM magazine had, the fluid is procey, and no
refill quantity is specified (or is there no level plug?). They had a
transmission oil coller leak, and so had to guess the amount IIRC.