Transmission Fluid Change DIY

[admranger]

When I did my tranny fluid change a couple of weekends ago, I ordered all my supplies from these guys:

California Transmission Company

Prices seem pretty good and I got the exact spec fluid for my transmission.

Check your drain and fill plugs to see their condition. The fill plug on my rebuilt transmission (thank you BMW CPO) was mangled...wish I'd have ordered a new one when I bought the fluid. Would have saved me a few $ on shipping...

[PCH BMW]

Originally Posted by neilrmp

No, the top of the pan is what I was trying to level, that made the rear up on ramps and the front on the ground, that didn't seem right, because you can't do that with a lift. Ty for your input tho.

NEED HELP CONFIRMING METHOD TO ENSURE LEVEL. I have the exact same question - level vehicle (based on tires) or Level transmission (based on the trans. oil pan BOLTS - the only truly flat surface on the trans.).

My 2004 X5 3.0. If the vehicle is level (again based on tires), then the trans. oil pan is NOT level on my X5. Guesstimate - 7+ degrees off. To level the Trans. oil pan I had to raise the back wheels on ramps.

The bently service book simply says keep the vehicle level during the procedure. NOT specific enough. Book says approx. 9 qts. in my 5-speed GM transmission (6 cyl. X5). IMO - the difference in leveling procedures could result in 1/2 of a quart difference in fluid (since the fill plug is in the back top corner of the transmission). That's a 5.6% difference.

Please help! Mahalo,

[JCL]

Vehicle must be level, not the transmission. Just like the manual says.

[PCH BMW]

Originally Posted by JCL

Vehicle must be level, not the transmission. Just like the manual says.

Most reassuring. Thanks

[s14dk]

hi guys im a new comer on here..so i've been doing a lot of reading and am going to be doing the drain+fill on the tranny today or tomorrow. but before I do i wanted to CONFIRM if mobil1 ATF dexron VI is safe for my 04 x5 3.0i or should i go a little bit higher in quality/brand? I am kind of iffy on this oil because the label only says "synthetic blend" i also heard all dexron VI ATF are synthetic, is this true? let me know your expert opinion guys heres the bottle:

[mgbmwx5]

Originally Posted by s14dk

hi guys im a new comer on here..so i've been doing a lot of reading and am going to be doing the drain+fill on the tranny today or tomorrow. but before I do i wanted to CONFIRM if mobil1 ATF dexron VI is safe for my 04 x5 3.0i or should i go a little bit higher in quality/brand? I am kind of iffy on this oil because the label only says "synthetic blend" i also heard all dexron VI ATF are synthetic, is this true? let me know your expert opinion guys heres the bottle:

This is the recommended ATF oil for the ZF transmission: Mobil/ESSO ATF LT 71141, you will be taking a risk of failure with anything else. Read the entire thread.

[s14dk]

Originally Posted by mgbmwx5

This is the recommended ATF oil for the ZF transmission: Mobil/ESSO ATF LT 71141, you will be taking a risk of failure with anything else. Read the entire thread.

ok so the bottle i listed above is ok to use for my 04 3.0?
its a GM tranny and all posts says DEXRON VI is safe.. just wanted to confirm one last time
thx for the reply

[JCL]

That is the fluid you want for your GM transmission. It is a certified/licensed Dexron VI, which is the current spec.

Don't worry about the word synthetic, it means very little with fluids as the word isn't controlled or defined. Mobil call this fluid a synthetic blend, which is probably true, and also offer a different "full synthetic" but that oil doesn't meet the Dexron VI spec, it is a generic fluid. Stay with the licensed one. GM don't care about the word synthetic for their Dexron VI standard, just whether the fluid meets the performance standard or not.

[s14dk]

thanks for the response, i guess i will be going with it then
I was very close to order redline d4 or AMSoil ATF right now..

i had someone on another bmw forum say "no dont use the mobil atf you bought it as its not synthetic and isn't the mobil 1 kind that comes in grey bottles"

sighs.....

[JCL]

Originally Posted by s14dk

I had someone on another BMW forum say "no don't use the Mobil atf you bought as it's not synthetic and isn't the Mobil 1 kind that comes in grey bottles"

sighs.....

Proving the power of marketing. Anyone remember when the word synthetic meant fake, artificial, imitation, and not real? All that matters is the performance spec, and the full synthetic from Mobil doesn't meet it, they are quite clear. Many ATFs such as D4 and Amsoil don't meet it either, but they have large marketing budgets so they promote the concept that they are better than the spec, lol.