E46 Fanatics Forum banner

Definitive answer on changing ATF in high mileage 330ci

8K views 63 replies 23 participants last post by  BMWespresso 
#1 ·
Please do not reply with :search: because i have :search: ed I have been reading thread after thread, after thread about changing ATF fluid on high mileage BMWs. I have an 01 330ci steptronic with 100k and I am having slightly rough shifts ONLY when downshifting from 2nd to 1st. I have read many posts saying that replacing the fluid helped the rough shifts completely and is recommended. However, we have all read about the horror stories about instant failure from dislodging built up junk in your AT over long periods of time from changing the fluid after ~60k miles. I have the GM transmission with the green sticker with "lifetime" oil in it. This thread http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=438667&highlight=atf+high+mileage makes me comfortable changing the fluid but this thread http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/poll.php?do=showresults&pollid=5027 makes me kind of scared. I am looking for answers form people who ACTUALLY have changed their fluid, not people that have just heard stories about instant failure. If you have changed your fluid after 60k please 1) note your mileage when you replaced the fluid 2) if you flushed it or just refilled 3) what kind of fluid you used (OEM, Esso, Redline)

I really would like to fix the rough shifting because it makes driving my e46 a little less enjoyable and worried. Please post your thoughts!

Thanks!
 
See less See more
#2 ·
I do not believe in lifetime fluids, except maybe blood! So I took my wife's '06 325 with 50K miles to my independent mechanic to have the fluid flushed last week. My mechanic (whom I trust completely) said the fluid he drained was black, smelly and looked just plain bad. He flushed the transmission on the BG machine and replaced it with BG Synthetic. I don't drive it enough to say there is a big difference in shift quality, but with only 50K miles, it should not be as noticeable. I just expect that at 100K miles, it will still shift and run smooth. If the fluid is in that bad a shape at only 50K miles, it can't possibly be expected to be good for a transmission to run it to even 75K miles, let alone a real lifetime of 150-200K miles, or longer.

My mechanic, who owns several BMW's of varying vintages, has a mid-90's 740 with 100K+ miles that was shifting very poorly. He said he changed out the fluid two times about 200 miles apart and it made a dramatic improvement in shift quality.
 
#4 ·
I do not believe in lifetime fluids, except maybe blood! So I took my wife's '06 325 with 50K miles to my independent mechanic to have the fluid flushed last week. My mechanic (whom I trust completely) said the fluid he drained was black, smelly and looked just plain bad. He flushed the transmission on the BG machine and replaced it with BG Synthetic. I don't drive it enough to say there is a big difference in shift quality, but with only 50K miles, it should not be as noticeable. I just expect that at 100K miles, it will still shift and run smooth. If the fluid is in that bad a shape at only 50K miles, it can't possibly be expected to be good for a transmission to run it to even 75K miles, let alone a real lifetime of 150-200K miles, or longer.

My mechanic, who owns several BMW's of varying vintages, has a mid-90's 740 with 100K+ miles that was shifting very poorly. He said he changed out the fluid two times about 200 miles apart and it made a dramatic improvement in shift quality.
Blood cells are constantly dying and being replaced. When they break down you get bilirubin which is a yellow substance and is why urine is yellow, as well as some bruises are yellow as well. Think perpetual oil change. :p
 
#3 ·
This is your problem with the internet or anything about cars. There is always people in this case would say never change your fluid when you get to 100k. Then there is other people who say thats crap and they change their fluid at regular intervals even when it says its lifetime. Everything is based on opinion's and some experiences.

Im know there is some that have blown up transmissions by changing the fluid when it has high mileage. But then there is some that have had no issues.

So all in all do what you think is right.
 
#33 ·
Seriously. Are you downshifting from 2 to 1 for the purpose of slowing the car down? That is never a good idea. Just slow it down by downshifting to 2nd gear and then put it back in first once the vehicle has completely stopped.

As far as changing the transmission fluid, YES it is recommended. The only thing that is not recommended is getting the transmission fluid flushed by one of those big fancy machines at the dealers or repair shops. You should drop the pan and change transmission filter at the same time. I'm about to do this myself on my 2001 steptronic with 137k miles.
 
#15 ·
I am looking for answers form people who ACTUALLY have changed their fluid, not people that have just heard stories about instant failure. If you have changed your fluid after 60k please 1) note your mileage when you replaced the fluid 2) if you flushed it or just refilled 3) what kind of fluid you used (OEM, Esso, Redline)

I really would like to fix the rough shifting because it makes driving my e46 a little less enjoyable and worried. Please post your thoughts!

Thanks!

1)68K, 2)Refill & Filter Change, 3)Redline D4

~4K miles since the fluid change and all is good. Good luck.
 
#24 ·
#26 ·
Not sure why getting the exact fluid is a problem. It should be on your manual, if not it is stamped on your tranny. Just crawl under there. Bavauto has OEM Esso fluid in case your dealer wants an arm and a leg for it.

Getting the right level of fluid is more of a concern, but check your manual on that. Here is what it'll possibly say:

http://www.europeantransmissions.com/Bulletin/DTC.BMW/BMWtransService.pdf

You might also want to read this following DIY, which is very detailed and informative:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/techarticles/E36-Tranny_Fluid_Auto/E36-Tranny_Fluid_Auto.htm
 
#36 ·
I have the GM transmission with the green sticker with "lifetime" oil in it.
If you have a 330ci, it might be the ESSO fluid even though the transmission sticker is green. I have the green sticker on my 02 330i and thought it was the Texaco Fluid but after I jacked up the car and went down to look, it has the part number for the ESSO fluid even though the sticker was green.

The ESSO Fluid can be found at Bavauto.com, make sure you use a OEM transmission filter and OEM tranny pan gasket.
 
#37 ·
OEM gasket all the way for the tranny pan

The ESSO Fluid can be found at Bavauto.com, make sure you use a OEM transmission filter and OEM tranny pan gasket.
I will second the OEM tranny pan gasket. The Elring-Klinger (rubber) replacement can be cut when the pan is torqued against the transmission body. The edge of the tranny's mating surface is sharp, and will cut the gasket where the pan isn't shaped exactly as the body. Tough to explain, but take my word for it. Unless you risk doing it twice, which I did. Oh well, cleaner fluid if anything.

I wouldn't fear getting the fill to the proper level, as the others have already said. If you follow some of the great DIY's already available, I don't think you will be off by much.

Regards,
Paolo
 
#38 ·
I done this job by my own at 100000mile on my 2003 330ci, it was a pain when you take out the oil pan replace oil filter, it will drip also when you refill the oil need keep engine running and at the very end the oil will spill out. And if you purchase from Palican wach out the fill plug, the plug was come with filter it is a package BUT LET ME TELL YOU, FOR MY CAR THE PLUG DOES NOT FIT . when I finished try to put on the new fill plug then I was stock over there , end up I use the old one , I call Palican they just say it come with this way from manufacture.
now after 3000mile every thing is fine~~~for your information
oil - Bavarian auto
filter set - Palican
 
#45 ·
Btw, I had to comment on this.

I also bought a filter kit that includes two plugs (manufactured by ZF). I naturally assumed that one was a drain plug, and the other a fill plug. Wrong!When I attempted to screw on what I thought was the fill plug, discovered that it had a smaller diameter than the fill hole.

Long story short, the ZF filter kit provides 2 types of drain plugs, AND NO FILL PLUG. The 2 drain plugs is to accommodate different models. So you use the one that fits, and toss the other. The really frustrating thing was that no instructions were included... so I thought i had made a mistake and went searching the entire tranny to see if there was a different fill port. :censor::banghead: live and learn.
 
#39 ·
Changing fluid is important because the life of the fluid depends completely on HOW HARD THE CAR IS DRIVEN.
The notion of "Lifetime" fluid is stupid. Lifetime of what? The transmission and not the car. The cars "life" ends when the transmission dies.
Lifetime fluid tells me the transmission life is less then the fluid life. NOT a good deal.

Anyway.. important point. I would NOT change the fluid type to redline or anything else in an Auto.
Put in exactly the same type that was in there before. "Better" lubrication is not necessarily better for an Auto tranny.
It is designed for a certain amount of friction in the fluid. If you change specification that there can be problems.
 
#40 ·
Thanks for all of the great info guys...im slowly gathering the necessary info to do this properly, the first time. I will drop the protective metal covering tomorrow and read what the sticker says on it. BMW wanted $45 PER liter for Esso (7l required) so definitely not buying it from the stealership
 
#41 ·
You sure 7lt is just for a drain and fill, or are you talking about a full flush?
 
#44 · (Edited)
I just posted a conversation I had with a ZF-certified service guy this week (one of very few in the USA). We discussed high-mileage ATF changes, process and (non)issues like varnish. Have a read:

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=680644&highlight=

I don't think that the reasons FOR changing the ATF would be any different for the GM tranny. I have heard (though I would question the source) that high levels of metals-based contaminants flowing through high-mileage ATF exacerbates the solenoid failures that do occur in some model years of the GM tranny. Again, I can't substantiate that.
 
#46 ·
Are you guys talking about the plug "washer" or the plug itself? I don't think you should be getting new plugs with the kit, but just the o-rings or seals. :dunno:
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top