X5 4.4 - Sludge in engine and oil filter housing... help!

[sunny5280]

Originally Posted by JCL

New questions for Sunny:

I wondered idly how many posts had been made in this thread, so I looked up your posting history. Practically all posts are on this topic, but you did post that you had a valve body failure in your 2000 X5. Sorry to hear, it sounds like it was expensive, and it was out of warranty. Valve bodies don't typically fail in normal use, unless they get clogged. So here are the questions:

Had you or your mechanic changed your transmission fluid at any time prior to that transmission valve body failure?

If so, do you think the fluid change could have contributed to that early failure? If not, do you think that changing the transmission fluid would have extended the life of the valve body?

Just wondering.

Oh what the hell:

• Had you or your mechanic changed your transmission fluid at any time prior to that transmission valve body failure? No.

The vehicle had approximately 85K on it. To my knowledge the fluid had never been changed (though I bought it with 80K on it). My mechanics cost on the part from BMW was $1,800. My mechanic ordered it directly from ZF (we have a local distributor here in Denver) at a cost of $550. He passed that cost along to me with no mark up. After the work was completed the problem was fixed.

My mechanic knows his stuff and goes out of his way to treat his customers fairly. This is one example.

Edit:

• If not, do you think that changing the transmission fluid would have extended the life of the valve body? There is the possibility. And since you said "Valve bodies don't typically fail in normal use, unless they get clogged." It seems reasonable to conclude you would agree with me.