Im about to do this in the coming week. I jacked it up today and took a quick look around up underneath for the first time since purchasing the car. Dont look to bad but cant see alot due to the exhaust.

Is there bolts at the top of the trans going into the block? If so hows the best way to get to them? Drop the cross support and tilt the trans down and go with a super long extension, like on a normal gm or ford trans?

One of the trans lines looks pretty hard to get to.... Is it, or just from the angle I was looking at? Any really hard/tricky thing I need to be prepaired for?

What type of trans fluid do I use? DEX III?

Any super special tools that I need outside of impacts, mm sockets/wrenches, air rachets, tranny jack, ect???

Is there a link to a write up on this proceedure somewhere?

Thanks in advance!!!

Before you go to all that trouble have you cleaned the transmission selector switch? I sort of remember that being a common problem from the e32 forum. Mine's doing the 'trans program' error occasionally now, I'll have to see if that helps.
BMW has their own special fluid, anything else will ruin it. You should be able to get it from the dealership.

You will refuse to believe it, but it's easier, faster, and safer for a DIYer to take the front end off and pull the engine and trans out together. It also allows for easy access to other 'while you're there' chores.

Save yourself about 2 1/2 times the cost and just get the tranny fluid from pepboys, kragen, etc.

Yesterday, I went to PepBoys and asked about the Dexcon III tranny oil for the BMW. The sales guy pointed me to Pennzoil for $3.50 a quart or ProLine for 2.49 a quart. I wasn't sure about that so I went to a local BMW dealership. They handed me a box of the same low priced stuff of ProLine Dexcon III/Mercon at the price of $6.95 per quart. Needless to say, I ended up with a box from PepBoys for $2.49/quart. It's not that I don't want to support the local dealership, but sometimes I like to save money too. Paying 2 1/2 times more for the same low priced item that could be had else where is a little absurd to me....especially when I am not Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Michael Dell, or my next door neighbor for that matter. :D

Jack car high enough to where trans. can clear to be pulled out. Remove wiring connections on exhaust and trans. and shifter cable, remove exhaust, remove drive line, drain trans., remove torque converter bolts, slide torque converter towards trans.(should slide away from the flywheel about 1/4 inch), support trans with trans jack, remove trans.support, lower trans to get access to upper casing bolts, remove trans fill tube and trans lines, jack trans. up a little, support engine(in the back), remove rest of trans casing bolts, slide trans back and lower and poof its out. :)

...
BMW has their own special fluid, anything else will ruin it. You should be able to get it from the dealership.

...ahhh! another Urban Legend.

if u need a tranny, i will part out a very nice 850 i 1991 with a black interior starting next week.
the car has way too many small issues to fix that i decided to part it to recoup the most i can. let me know what you need via email . i have the complete car as of now.

stevemaman@videotron.ca (stevemaman@videotron.ca)