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Thread: Lift-time fluid (auto trans content)

  1. #1
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    Lift-time fluid (auto trans content)

    Did this a month ago, just havnt had time to post it up.

    I am going to start with this:


    now i am going to show you why this is full of fail after 120k mi. . .


    notice the fluid is hardly red anymore. . .




    This is the "maybe if we put a large enough magnet in the pan we wont have to change the fluid, ever. " shot



    front pan





    Clean magnet and main pan.





    what the trans looks like with out the pans on it.




    very important that the car is level for refill




    fuel filter at the same time.




    over all the car shifts smoother and runs smoother after the changes.

  2. #2
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    That was A LOT of gunk on the magnet! Was that actual metal, or was it mostly just grim?
    jeremy [AT] coupecartel [DOT] com

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  3. #3
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    Very nice Kelly Lifetime my a** BMW LOL.
    The search box is awesome..try it!


  4. #4
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    metal filings the grime stuck to the bottom of the pan.

    Quote Originally Posted by btotoro View Post
    Very nice Kelly Lifetime my a** BMW LOL.

    this was done on a member on his Z3 2.3 (zeecubed)
    Last edited by 2kredz3; 06-18-2009 at 05:14 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

  5. #5
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    I can't believe the magnet... unbelievable.
    I've replaced my transmission fluid (MT) twice now in 86k mi.
    Good pics!

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by lagin View Post
    I can't believe the magnet... unbelievable.
    I've replaced my transmission fluid (MT) twice now in 86k mi.
    Good pics!
    keep it up, i have 80k on my car and have had 6 different types of fluid in it testing it out. okay, im a little OCD.

    oh and i have only owned mine since 48k ;-)

  7. #7
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    Why would they print "Warning" on the sticker? Is there any potential problem with changing the oil?

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by cngizbleevng View Post
    Why would they print "Warning" on the sticker? Is there any potential problem with changing the oil?
    none that i can think of other then they dont want cheap trans fluid in the trans. there is a simular label on the manual trans as well its round and has either a red or green color to it. also remember that this is a GM built trans. BMW just removed the dip stick and built a new bell housing for it to mount to the 6cyl engine

    zeecubed has several hundred miles on the change.
    Last edited by 2kredz3; 06-18-2009 at 05:37 PM.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2kredz3 View Post
    metal filings the grime stuck to the bottom of the pan.
    Do you think that is within spec?
    jeremy [AT] coupecartel [DOT] com

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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Z3Couper View Post
    Do you think that is within spec?
    yep, every pan i have ever dropped has a degree of metal on the magnet. usually i wouldnt wait 100+ k to change it so in perspective to when i normally change auto trans fluid i would say its average. what is a concern is the fact that the fluid has lost its color (which is just a dye) but it takes high heat to take the color out and if you notice in one of the pics you see a heat gun. we had to use that to heat the front gasket so we could get it off the trans because it had essentually heat treated to the aluminum. last time i saw that was on a 500hp chevelle with a turbo 400 trans and no trans cooler. trans lasted 1500 mi. so you get the idea, the front pan is uber hot for what ever reason and it has less fluid sitting in it then the rear pan so it just cooks the fluid.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2kredz3 View Post
    yep, every pan i have ever dropped has a degree of metal on the magnet. usually i wouldnt wait 100+ k to change it so in perspective to when i normally change auto trans fluid i would say its average. what is a concern is the fact that the fluid has lost its color (which is just a dye) but it takes high heat to take the color out and if you notice in one of the pics you see a heat gun. we had to use that to heat the front gasket so we could get it off the trans because it had essentually heat treated to the aluminum. last time i saw that was on a 500hp chevelle with a turbo 400 trans and no trans cooler. trans lasted 1500 mi. so you get the idea, the front pan is uber hot for what ever reason and it has less fluid sitting in it then the rear pan so it just cooks the fluid.
    Wow. Very interesting. Thanks for posting the pics.
    jeremy [AT] coupecartel [DOT] com

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  12. #12
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  13. #13
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    When the people that picked up the old transmission from my dads civic took it apart to inspect the gears, the magnet in the tranny was tiny, didn't look like it had that many shavings on it, but IIRC when we drained the fluid there were a bunch in it. I guess its better to have a bigger magnet than shavings floating around .

    his was a manual, I'm assuming the manual transmission have the same thing?

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  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by IRPancake View Post
    When the people that picked up the old transmission from my dads civic took it apart to inspect the gears, the magnet in the tranny was tiny, didn't look like it had that many shavings on it, but IIRC when we drained the fluid there were a bunch in it. I guess its better to have a bigger magnet than shavings floating around .

    his was a manual, I'm assuming the manual transmission have the same thing?
    I think the drain plug in the manuals are magnetic but mine hasnt needed to be cleaned in so long (since first change) its hard for me to remember

  15. #15
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    I get it. They recommend no changes so they don't have to do it under free maintenance programs. The tranny lasts just beyond the warranty, then you have to take it to them for replacement.

    Well done, BMW, you sly devil.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by JWin View Post
    I get it. They recommend no changes so they don't have to do it under free maintenance programs. The tranny lasts just beyond the warranty, then you have to take it to them for replacement.

    Well done, BMW, you sly devil.
    yep, and they only cover it for 50k. unless you have CPO.

  17. #17
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    It's funny. In one respect they've built a superior car by putting all these stop-gaps in place to prevent the need for frequent maintenance, which is really great! However, they should come come clean and simply say it needs less frequent maintenance, not none at all!

    Face it. BMW is one of the few brands, possibly the only, that marries it's marketing folks and claims so well with the engineering folks and their products. Marketing says to Engineering; If you build a car that requires no maintenance for the warranty period, we can sell that as "we'll pay for all the maintenance".. You can't pick up the tab for what doesn't need to be done. Simply put, it's brilliant!

  18. #18
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    Lift-time fluid (auto trans content)

    What type of fluid did you use? BMW stuff? DextronIII? or something else...I need to do this to my 2.3..It has 65k and I do not know if it was ever done, so I want to do it very soon....thanks

  19. #19
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    Hey! Everyone's talking about my car!

    Anyway, I procrastinated about doing this for a while, finally got around to it. Yeah, I'd recommend doing it sooner.

    As for fluid, it's Amsoil. My car is now a rolling Amsoil advertisement, even has Amsoil coolant.

    Why be stock?

    www.the-mod-squad.org

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by ZeeCubed View Post
    Hey! Everyone's talking about my car!
    oh shi-

    nobody post!


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  21. #21
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    Lift-time fluid (auto trans content)

    How many qt's are required for a filter and both sumps fluid change?

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by ZeeCubed View Post
    Hey! Everyone's talking about my car!

    Anyway, I procrastinated about doing this for a while, finally got around to it. Yeah, I'd recommend doing it sooner.

    As for fluid, it's Amsoil. My car is now a rolling Amsoil advertisement, even has Amsoil coolant.
    Hey Bob....since we have essentially the same car and even the same color I will divulge that I waited to do this too until 102K. I tried to get another mechanic to do it but he said 'no don't mess with it....lifetime fill'. I won't wait that long the next time(30K tops) as the guys used dexron III not the BMW stuff. It is nice to know amsoil has ATF too....how's it working??? My mechanics ran a diagnostic on my tranny and said all was a-okay.....In response to what was posted earlier about BMW----that IMO is the current problem , BMW used to let the engineers run the show , now its the f%cking salesmen with their maintenance free BS.

    Quote Originally Posted by struenz View Post
    How many qt's are required for a filter and both sumps fluid change?
    I think it was like 9 for mine.
    Last edited by BMWNOLA; 06-18-2009 at 11:33 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by struenz View Post
    What type of fluid did you use? BMW stuff? DextronIII? or something else...I need to do this to my 2.3..It has 65k and I do not know if it was ever done, so I want to do it very soon....thanks
    Amsoil ATF click the Amsoil logo in my sig, then click amsoil online store, transmission oil and it should be the first one in that list.

    Quote Originally Posted by ZeeCubed View Post
    Hey! Everyone's talking about my car!

    Anyway, I procrastinated about doing this for a while, finally got around to it. Yeah, I'd recommend doing it sooner.

    As for fluid, it's Amsoil. My car is now a rolling Amsoil advertisement, even has Amsoil coolant.


    Quote Originally Posted by struenz View Post
    How many qt's are required for a filter and both sumps fluid change?
    Automatic Transmission, 4L30-E Initial Fill..........3.2 quarts[2]
    Automatic Transmission, Total Fill
    4 speed 4L30-E..........9.3 quarts

  24. #24
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    PO on my 325 ended up replacing the auto trans fluid before I got it, which ended up wearing down and breaking a couple of gaskets and wore all the clutch packs to nothing. Let's just say the transmission did not like me drag racing it either after the fluid change. Either way, these things are piles made in France for GM and should not even be in a BMW. Manual > all when it comes to a BMW. Even BMW thought so.

    Rob - 2000 BMW Z3 M Roadster | 1986 Porsche 944 5.3L LM4

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by cngizbleevng View Post
    Why would they print "Warning" on the sticker? Is there any potential problem with changing the oil?
    I know my local dealer now refuses to do auto tranny fluid changes even if the car is old and no longer under warranty. They had previously done the service on cars at a customer's request and several transmissions fail soon after some as soon as 500 miles later.

    I know a couple of the guys in parts/service, one of whom is a club racer and none of them could explain the little phenomemon to me.
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