Had the fluid changed on my 750i, 5HP30 transmission, 116k miles.

Fluid was the correct stuff (Esso LT71141), filter is an original filtran (physically checked this myself), the level is correct (a tiny bit over in fact), the o-ring on the filter is forming a good seal (filter only drops the oil when the seal is broken), and the BMW filling procedure was followed to the letter. Old oil was darker and a bit thicker than the new, although it wasn't full of metal filings.

The symptoms are a whining/whirring noise when cold, along the higher rpm range on gentle driving. It'll be very very quiet, then suddenly cut in until the rpm drop - either manually or through gearshift. it's loud enough to hear outside the car when cold, does it more when the gearbox is stressed a bit. When the car first starts, it feels like it takes longer than it should to transition from reverse to drive - only in the first minute of starting. Aside from that, there are no sudden changes, no sharp changes, no delays, kickdown is responsive, if not quite as responsive as my old 540.

As the gearbox warms up, the noise reduces, the louder part is less frequent - take the car for a 20 minute drive and it vanishes entirely. Let the car cool down a bit - still silent. Leave the car overnight, at cold we get the noise again. Anyone got any idea what's wrong with my transmission?

I am sorry you are having problems. Unfortunatly I have no idea what your problem may be. Tomorrow morning I plan to change the oil in my 5HP24 with 81k miles. It will be the first oil/filter change.

I have the 7 liters of LT71141 (pentosin from bavauto.com) and a Filtran filter and gasket (also from Bavauto). I purchased a 3/8" heavy duty torx 27 removal socket from Snap-on to use with my impact screwdriver which makes removing the tranny oil pan screws very easy with no risk of stripping. I took a sample of tranny oil and it is dirty yet still yellow and does not smell unusual.

I have read every thread I can find on Transmission Service and have all the proper tools and instructions on hand. I have formulated the opinion that BMW only cares about your transmission reaching 100k miles and after that they would like very much to sell you a new one. I on the other hand would like my tranny to last well over 100k.

So why am I really posting? Because after all my research and deciding to go ahead with the ATF change I still think I might be making a big mistake.

I am in the same boat as the two of you. My 95 750il now has 99K, never been changed. Shifting could be smoother, but am planning on changing it because I want to preserve the life of the transmission.

I understand through research, two or three fluid changes may be necessary in order to completely fix any problems. But I also read that depends on how much "junk" in the fluid there is.

So I don't know and I am still researching and debating myself. I do know that I will not do it in my 740il with 207K miles now.

Well I just finished my first ATF change at 81k and I am disappointed to say that the results are not good.

My tranny now has the dreaded whine and the shifting is a little rougher then before. I used the correct ATF and filter and followed the procudure on E38.org.

Here's where it gets interesting. When I finished with the job I was left with 6 empty 1 liter bottles. I just got finished measuring my dirty ATF and it is about 6.3 liters. This includes what I drained from the tranny, the overflow while filling and everything I could get out of the old filter.
So I think I need to get .3 more liters into the tranny.

Does anyone have any advise on how to get .3 more liters in? My guess is I want the engine running with maybe AC on for 15 minutes. Run through the gears a few times, open the fill plug, try to get it in and plug her back up.

Any help is much apppreciated.

Apparently it's not uncommon for them to be factory overfilled. If you fill it while cold (slowly) you can get about 0.3l in on top of the hot level. Just to help you out, we're tried that on mine - hasn't made a difference. If you take yours for a long drive, does the noise go away? Hit about 20 miles, then try the low gears again.

I added 1/2 liter to my tranny and all seems to be normal. I think I let the tranny get too hot on my first attempt and I did not run the A/C or headlights during the fill process. I don't think it helped that it was 95 degrees that day.

I let the car sit overnight and the next morning after idling the engine for 8 minutes with the a/c and headlights on (and running through the gears 3 times with brake on) I was able to add 1/2 liter more LT71141 before overflow.

If doing a first time change, (removing factory ATF) my two cents is to carefully collect and measure drained and overflow ATF. Then compare this amount with the amount of new ATF you have used. If your waste ATF is more than the new ATF you have used then your tranny might be low.

Tranny temp has a ton to do with how much fluid you're able to fill! Double check the instructions on E38.org, it states that the trans can't be over a certain temp and that it takes a few filling procedures to get it right!

The whine when cold is due to not enough fluid, if you have the correct filtran filter! When it warms up the fluid thins and expands, thus the whine goes away!

Had the fluid changed on my 750i, 5HP30 transmission, 116k miles.

Fluid was the correct stuff (Esso LT71141), filter is an original filtran (physically checked this myself), the level is correct (a tiny bit over in fact), the o-ring on the filter is forming a good seal (filter only drops the oil when the seal is broken), and the BMW filling procedure was followed to the letter. Old oil was darker and a bit thicker than the new, although it wasn't full of metal filings.

The symptoms are a whining/whirring noise when cold, along the higher rpm range on gentle driving. It'll be very very quiet, then suddenly cut in until the rpm drop - either manually or through gearshift. it's loud enough to hear outside the car when cold, does it more when the gearbox is stressed a bit. When the car first starts, it feels like it takes longer than it should to transition from reverse to drive - only in the first minute of starting. Aside from that, there are no sudden changes, no sharp changes, no delays, kickdown is responsive, if not quite as responsive as my old 540.

As the gearbox warms up, the noise reduces, the louder part is less frequent - take the car for a 20 minute drive and it vanishes entirely. Let the car cool down a bit - still silent. Leave the car overnight, at cold we get the noise again. Anyone got any idea what's wrong with my transmission?

Sounds like the Torque converter. Mine did the EXACT same thing after fluid change. I re-topped it off and everything but the noise was still there only when cold. Dealer diagnosed a bad torque converter. Prepare to fork over some $$ for that. Oh, and they're backordered from Germany. Problem was fixed under warranty and car drives like a dream!

But when you take out 6.3 liters and only replace 6, your low on fluid!! The TC may not have refilled properly, but it doesn't openly drain when you are changing the fluid! I had the same issue with my '97 until I refilled the trans properly and fully!!

Same problem here , wife took the car to the dealer for an oilchange and they told her the gearbox was necesary too (?) , now i got the wining and rough shifting and i'm trying to figure out howmuch oil i should put in there.
I gues it's gonna be the trail and error way to go.

Well, just checked all the replies - we filled this one last time while cold and it hasn't helped. Also, the weather here is getting colder almost daily, and it's started making new noises when REALLY cold. I've noticed that when I first start the car, you can hear the whine briefly. If I put it in reverse, but hold it there with the brake, I can hear the noise VERY slightly while it idles, ditto for neutral. If I lift the rpm a little, it becomes louder - again, while in reverse and neutral. Hearing it like that with no road noise, I'd say the whine is very metallic (oh great...), like an old friction motor in a toy, but much quieter.

Well, just checked all the replies - we filled this one last time while cold and it hasn't helped. Also, the weather here is getting colder almost daily, and it's started making new noises when REALLY cold. I've noticed that when I first start the car, you can hear the whine briefly. If I put it in reverse, but hold it there with the brake, I can hear the noise VERY slightly while it idles, ditto for neutral. If I lift the rpm a little, it becomes louder - again, while in reverse and neutral. Hearing it like that with no road noise, I'd say the whine is very metallic (oh great...), like an old friction motor in a toy, but much quieter.

Try it in S4 mode and see if it gets really loud with the higher shifts. Again, my bad torque converter problem sounds exactly the same and it was right after I changed the fluid and when it was cold.

1998 750iL 140k km(88k miles)

Chauffeur driven corporate car, factory serviced.

Car had always been babied. I drive hard on and off the highway (highway 160kph) After a week of my driving tranny had the vibration buzz on cold start and developed a buzz that was obvious during up/downshifts. I was more than a little worried that I had damaged the tranny. I read many posts and it sounded like a bad filter. I replaced filter the old one one was marked Nov 1997 so must have been original. I used ZF spec'ed Esso ATF. Buzz dissapeared instantly and shifts beautifully. There was sludge on the bottom of the pan and filter was very dirty no chips and only a little fuzz on the magnet. My guess is suldge had built up inside tranny and was suddenly all worked loose do to spirited driving and clogged filter.

make sure of the correct filter...my understanding is the dealer is the only source for the correct filter. Someone even got the wrong filter from dealer - MUST be Filtran and labeled on filter.

Might even get another from a different source - torque converters don't go bad over night with an oil change.:nono

make sure of the correct filter...my understanding is the dealer is the only source for the correct filter. Someone even got the wrong filter from dealer - MUST be Filtran and labeled on filter.

Might even get another from a different source - torque converters don't go bad over night with an oil change.:nono

true but mine went bad after a 200 mile trip. never made any sounds then when I got to my destination and the car sat out for the night, the sound started. Vanished when it got warm..

well these posts made up my mind. well enough is good enough. i have no problems with tranny now and will risk not changing the fluid and filter. now have 138,000 miles.

I'm starting to think the same. 95k miles here.