Definitive answer on changing ATF in high mileage 330ci

Originally Posted by eek142

Fixed.

Yeap tranny is much happier with the grape juice

Originally Posted by ///BMW5

this one is making me nervous...haha could possibly be a $3k+ ATF change

Dude no, do not change the fluid is lifetime .......using a bit of reverse psycho

well i think i'm going for it...i'll report back soon...pray for me haha

Good luck! I think this thread contains a lot of good info that you might consider:

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

Originally Posted by cngzsn

Good luck! I think this thread contains a lot of good info that you might consider:

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

Literally just read that before I went back to my post! My only concerns are 1) getting the EXACT fluid and 2) getting the right level of fluid

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...ansService.pdf

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

http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tech...Fluid_Auto.htm

Originally Posted by ///BMW5

well i think i'm going for it...i'll report back soon...pray for me haha

No need for praying, make sure you clean your hands, cloth and shoes are clean when you go inside car, the fluid smell is hard to remove from inside car, maybe have some else not working on the car start the engine and run thru the gears

Originally Posted by ///BMW5

Literally just read that before I went back to my post! My only concerns are 1) getting the EXACT fluid and 2) getting the right level of fluid

no biggy, just make sure car is as high as possible and leveled

Originally Posted by cngzsn

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...ansService.pdf

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

http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tech...Fluid_Auto.htm

Thanks!! I'm gonna read up

Originally Posted by BMWespresso

No need for praying, make sure you clean your hands, cloth and shoes are clean when you go inside car, the fluid smell is hard to remove from inside car, maybe have some else not working on the car start the engine and run thru the gears

Thanks for all of your advice! We will be using a lift for the change

Originally Posted by ///BMW5

Thanks for all of your advice! We will be using a lift for the change

oh man easy, the worst part was working on the floor with limited space, you lucky

If you have a GM tranny, just use Dexron VI. It's cheap, it's available and it's what BMW (and GM) says to use (check Tischer's site). I have an '04 330Ci with a GM tranny. I changed the fluid and filter at 66k. I'm now just shy of 70k miles and all is well.

Originally Posted by bmwbun

Patient: "Doctor, it hurts when I do this..."

Doctor: "Stop doing that".

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.

I have 93,000 miles on my '02 330Ci (steptronic, not sure but I think GM), and I *will* change the transmission fluid within a year. I am not afraid. I am afraid of not changing the fluid.

Do it.

Recently changed fluid and filter at 84,000. So far so good.

Originally Posted by ///BMW5

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.

Originally Posted by mickey513

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

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

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.

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