DIY ZF 5HP19 Transmission Drain & Refill

K here's my contribution to E46 Fanatics!
Materials Used:
8mm & 6mm Allan keys
Siphon Pump
4~5 quarts of Castrol Import Multi-Vehicle ATF
10 Gallon Container
2 Jack Stands
1 Jack
2 Rhino Ramps
A ass load of sweat.
Step 1:
-Drive your car on Ramps(Or jack it up W/E you prefer)

-Jack up the back and put it on Jack stands



Step 2:
-Locate the Fill Bolt on the transmission


-Now twist this sucker Counter-Clockwise using a 8mm Allen Key, there isn't enough space to get a breaker bar in there so just beat on the Allen key with a rubber mallet or hammer, it was a PITA to get off, but finally it came off. Now get you catch container ready, because fluid is going pour out of there like no body's business. About 2.5~3Q of fluid should come out.

Step 3:
-Locate the Drain Bolt


- This bolt takes a 6mm Allen key and was easy as pie to get off. Now More fluid will come out, about 1Q.



Step 4:
- Put the Drain bolt back on and tighten it down, I didn't have a torque wrench so I tightened it as I thought was sufficient.

Step 5:
- Pump the new fluid in through the fill hole. I used this pump


http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=3878

- I was only able to get around 2.4Q in, the I put the fill bolt back in finger tight, and started the car up, shifted through all the gears twice and held each gear for about 2.5sec. Then with the car on, put it in park, open up the fill bolt, and start pumping in new fluid, I was able to get about 1.4Q in and then started to overflow, and then I put the bolt back it. It was a pain in the ass to put back in, your hands are oily, and your freking sweating bullets because your sacred(I was). Anyways got the fill bolt in, tightened it down, didn't have a torque wrench and just tightened it with the Allan key, and struck the key with a hammer a couple of times and called it a day.

- Congratz You have officially drained and refilled your tranny! I just did the drain and refill due to my car having 100,365 miles on it, and was worried about the filter/gasket change so decided to just do the Drain/ refill processes. Now I was only able to get 3.8Q in and took out about 4, so I think it should be fine.

Currently Have 10 miles on the new ATF and car seems fine, will update every 1k miles.

Nice DIY. Though the blurry bolt pictures doesn't really give a clear location for them. Here's madrussian's M3 bolts. Not sure if they are same for non-M3's:



BTW, I can recommend copper grease to be smothered on your exhaust. It is water and heat resistant. It dries to whitish mud like colour. Better looking than rust anyway and it adds protection against more rusting. I find it good for all rusty bare metal parts including the metal frame inside the dash.

Originally Posted by GoingNuts

Nice DIY. Though the blurry bolt pictures doesn't really give a clear location for them. Here's madrussian's M3 bolts, not sure if they are same for non-M3's:



BTW, I can recommend copper grease to be smothered on your exhaust. It is water and heat resistant. It dries to whitish mud like colour. Better looking than rust anyway and it adds protection against more rusting. I find it is good for all rusty bare metal parts including the metal frame inside the dash.

Thanks for the pic & advice, will find some and apply some asap!

Originally Posted by GoingNuts

Nice DIY. Though the blurry bolt pictures doesn't really give a clear location for them. Here's madrussian's M3 bolts. Not sure if they are same for non-M3's:



BTW, I can recommend copper grease to be smothered on your exhaust. It is water and heat resistant. It dries to whitish mud like colour. Better looking than rust anyway and it adds protection against more rusting. I find it good for all rusty bare metal parts including the metal frame inside the dash.

That's a manual transmission...

My car is approaching 100.000 and this sounds easy, how long did it take? I read on some other tranny fluid posts that some members fill/drain/fill/drain/fill the tranny before the job is complete...

I thought your underside looked different, now I realise why. How comes you don't have #1 & #3 on your car ?

Originally Posted by 330CI_DROOLER

My car is approaching 100.000 and this sounds easy, how long did it take? I read on some other tranny fluid posts that some members fill/drain/fill/drain/fill the tranny before the job is complete...

You can do that also, but im planing on changing the filter/ gasket in about 10k miles, so just a drain/ refill for the time being just to get some new fluid in there. Btw after 100k miles, the fluid had a dark green color to it, A LOT better than I though it would be. It took about 3 hours, due to me being retarded and it was my first time doing it, but now I know the precedure, it should take about 2 hours tops.

Originally Posted by GoingNuts

I thought your underside looked different, now I realise why. How comes you don't have #1 & #3 on your car ?

yea, I think after 2001 the undercarriage changed, don't quote me on that though.

nice DIY

that kinda looks spooky with the front on ramps and rear on stands. The front doesn't have the trans or brakes to stop it from rolling. If somebody leaned up against the car it could have rolled off the ramps. don't want anything to happen to you or anyone else. maybe put the rear on ramps and front on stands next time

Best to put the whole car on ramps. Those puny jack stands seriously scares me.

iDriftYou check your valve cover if there is an oil leak, on the pics you can see oil marks on lower part of engine, good job, I have to do mine in couple of weeks, almost 50K

Nice write-up, but

Originally Posted by torrec57

iDriftYou check your valve cover if there is an oil leak, on the pics you can see oil marks on lower part of engine, good job, I have to do mine in couple of weeks, almost 50K

Well spotted and mentioned..

Originally Posted by torrec57

iDriftYou check your valve cover if there is an oil leak, on the pics you can see oil marks on lower part of engine, good job, I have to do mine in couple of weeks, almost 50K

Yea, I had a huge oil leak back @ 92k, From the VGC, and the Oil filter housing gasket, but now all is fixed

Originally Posted by dirsh

nice DIY

that kinda looks spooky with the front on ramps and rear on stands. The front doesn't have the trans or brakes to stop it from rolling. If somebody leaned up against the car it could have rolled off the ramps. don't want anything to happen to you or anyone else. maybe put the rear on ramps and front on stands next time

The Ramps have this section where the tires wont move with out an external force, I also had a jack under there as insurance, just to be on the safe side

What about not changing the filter? I have my fluid ready to go but no filter yet. How much drap and actually get into the trans?

UPDATE: Hit 101,000 miles, car seems fine. Shifting is awsome. Good luck on everyone who's doing it. I'm going to do this at least once a year.

newb question. manual or auto?

Originally Posted by bgalway

newb question. manual or auto?

auto

this is a nice DIY, BUT the problem isnt the fluid. its the filter and all of the metal fragments that get caught in it.

i believe if you wanna go all out you need to drain, drop the pan and change the filter, themn re install and pump the oil in

EDIT: saw the part in the original post

id def do it that way next time!