E34/E39 Automatic Transmissions

[yeewiz]

Ok, I've used search and read a ton of automatic transmission problem threads. Did I distill these threads correctly? Is it the later 3's that really have the bulk of the auto tranny failures? Or do the E34/E39 also have their good share of a number of failures too? Sorry if I missed the answer to this one. But thanks for any feedback!

[Binjammin]

I don't know what you mean by "the later 3's", nor do I understand why you'd be asking about the 3 series in the e34 section, but so far as the automatic transmission in the e34 goes, there's the 4hp22, the 4hp22e, I believe the 4hp24, the 5hp30, and the GM tranny, whose model designation escapes me at the moment.


So far as the 4hp trannies go, they're all pretty much the same. The big differences between the 22s and the 24s are minor, limited to things like stator shaft size and a couple clutch pack differences. The real "weak points" on these are the steel seals on the stator, which can wear over time and lead to premature front clutch failure. The other weak point is the floating planetary, but it's a weak point in the sense that you have to do really stupid stuff in order to get it to fail, like rapid changes between reverse and drive, or neutral drops. The stator seals are fixed with new teflon seals, the clutches and shims are cheap at roughly $6 each. The floating planetary is just the way the trannies are designed, don't think of it in terms of bad. I've seen and heard of a few things going bad on the 5hp30, but nothing that would indicate a trend.

The GM box seems to have a few issues, including things like the seal between the front pump and the body going bad, leading to shifting issues, solenoid failures leading to shifting and not going into reverse issues, and problems with wire chafing leading to solenoid and shifting issues. Is there anything specific you need to know?

[xatlas0]

The 5HP30 has the valve body issue which can cause catastrophic failure. Luckily, it is a progressive failure, so it isn't as though you crank the car one morning, put it in reverse, and boom, your trans goes legs-up on you. There are usually a variety of warning signs.

[yeewiz]

thanks, all. I'm a manual tranny guy all my life and I'm looking for either an E34 or E39 Wagon. the G/F says let's make this an automatic since we got 2 sticks already. what I'm really asking is are the E34/E39 automatics prone to failure at 100K? I thought I heard that but then someone said no, it was the 3's that had the problem. What's the answer, oh Wise Guys? Again, TIA!

[xatlas0]

Well, my 5HP30 was on its way out when I decided to be proactive, after 150k. A lot of the issues stem from the "lifetime fill" BS they use. If you change the fluid every 40-50k, it should help considerably.

If you are looking for a touring, then you don't have to worry about the 5HP30 issue anyway, as it was never used in a US touring. (no US 540it)

[robmpulse]

All Auto Bmw Tranny's Are Crap.

/thread

[Binjammin]

thanks, all. I'm a manual tranny guy all my life and I'm looking for either an E34 or E39 Wagon. the G/F says let's make this an automatic since we got 2 sticks already. what I'm really asking is are the E34/E39 automatics prone to failure at 100K? I thought I heard that but then someone said no, it was the 3's that had the problem. What's the answer, oh Wise Guys? Again, TIA!

The answer? Find a GF that likes driving stick

Seriously though, the German tranny 100k service life thing is an urban myth. I'm on 239k on an original tranny, I threw a couple parts in it, yeah, but only because I took it apart in the first place to inspect it to see if those parts were failing. They weren't, I put it together wrong, ended up replacing the parts anyway.

Seriously, don't let 100kmi scare you off if the car's been well looked after.

Also, bear in mind, that even if your tranny DOES fail, they're dirt cheap. If you pick up a car with a 4hp22, they're all the same. The only differences are the bellhousings and the valve bodies, and you can interchange them. Pick up a tranny from a 3 series, swap it into a 5 series, and vice versa.

[Binjammin]

Well, my 5HP30 was on its way out when I decided to be proactive, after 150k. A lot of the issues stem from the "lifetime fill" BS they use. If you change the fluid every 40-50k, it should help considerably.

If you are looking for a touring, then you don't have to worry about the 5HP30 issue anyway, as it was never used in a US touring. (no US 540it)

Did we get the 530iT? I'm not up on my to speed on the tourings, was there a 530iT for USA? I know I've seen one on the board (or two) but it may well have been a grey market car. The 530 would have had the 5hp30 also.

All Auto Bmw Tranny's Are Crap.

/thread

Not true, there are many people driving these transmissions every day that are quite pleased with them. I count myself among the ranks.

[xatlas0]

Did we get the 530iT? I'm not up on my to speed on the tourings, was there a 530iT for USA? I know I've seen one on the board (or two) but it may well have been a grey market car. The 530 would have had the 5hp30 also.





Not true, there are many people driving these transmissions every day that are quite pleased with them. I count myself among the ranks.

530 doesn't use the 5HP30. It uses a trans also used in the 3 series cars.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...69&hg=24&fg=05

[yeewiz]

Also, bear in mind, that even if your tranny DOES fail, they're dirt cheap. If you pick up a car with a 4hp22, they're all the same. The only differences are the bellhousings and the valve bodies, and you can interchange them. Pick up a tranny from a 3 series, swap it into a 5 series, and vice versa.

Thanks for the info on the tranny models. I'm looking at mostly 525iT's or 528iT. Haven't seen 530iT, and staying away from 540iT. How much is dirt cheap? Where do you get these, eBay? Junkyard?

[black535]

IF you can afford a girlfriend...you can afford to rebuild a trans.

[Rebel635csi]

when hes talking about later 3's tranny failers hes talking about a well documented problem with the GM trannys that like to blow up their reverse...more specifically, this is the tranny that went behind all 3.0L inline 6 engines....from 530i's to 330i's to X3s and X5's...

in fact when my friend was buying an X3 for his mom the x3 they took for a spin developed that exact problem....the dealer tried to back it out and its like he was in neutral...

auto's suck....period

i converted my 530iT to stick due to the fact that the tranny rebuild would cost twice as much as converting it to stick...

and my parts car 540i...u guessed it, i picked it up for dirt cheap cuz of a bad auto tranny...

[kalevera]

Ok, I've used search and read a ton of automatic transmission problem threads. Did I distill these threads correctly? Is it the later 3's that really have the bulk of the auto tranny failures?

Most of the stories relate to 1999 E46 production. GM Strasbourg forgot how to build a transmission for a few months, resulting in a batch of cars, particularly 323s, with hydramatics that had a near 100% failure rate (I won't say total because there are probably a few originals out there). Many were done by 80k miles, some much earlier. The benefit and downfall of BMW's use of GM autos is that it's a GM.

Or do the E34/E39 also have their good share of a number of failures too? Sorry if I missed the answer to this one. But thanks for any feedback!

The GM units used in E34/E39 (and E36/E46) cars are generally reliable, but suffer from a few maladies. The later ones like to blow up (the stamped steel) d-g drums. Most places will want to rebuild the transmission at that point, although it is probably not necessary. Good BMW indys are well versed in this repair.

If you're set on an E34/E39 Touring, you'll only find GMs in them, the exceptions being the ZF 5hp-18 used in the E34 530iT and what I remember as a version of the ZF 5HP-19 used in the last years of E39 525iT production.

[yeewiz]

The GM units used in E34/E39 (and E36/E46) cars are generally reliable, but suffer from a few maladies. The later ones like to blow up (the stamped steel) d-g drums.

Thanks all for great info. Uh, sorry, but what does "blow up (the stamped steel) d-g drums" mean? Oh, and which years are the "later" years. Sorry to be a dunce. Thanks again!