Just did 4.8is transmission oil pan drop and filter.

[Jungerishere]

Ask to speak with BMW technician, not the parts guy and verify for yourself. BMW P/N 83229407858 is no longer available, at least in the US.

Originally Posted by JBF

But look at this:

ATC700 (E70) RealOEM.com * BMW E70 X5 3.0d Transfer case ATC 700

ATC500 (my E53 model/build date in RealOEM) RealOEM.com * BMW E53 X5 3.0d Transfer case ATC 500

The dealer gave me the same part number shown in Real OEM

[JBF]

I spoke with them, I mentioned this discussion and the service bulletin ID that has been thrown around. He went off and checked with the service guys etc and came back insisting that they are 100% certain it's the Dexron 3 fluid.

[JBF]

Well it gets even less clear. I looked in the official BMW parts catalogue at parts.bmwgroup.com and they show the Dexron III fluid but there is a note attached to it/ This is in german, but with Google Translate's help I decoded it as:

* Automatic transmission fluid
Automatic transmission fluid according to specification
" Dexron III " for all
Automatic transmission type THM - R1 ,
e.g. in E34 and E36 .
In addition to use for : E53 until 09 /
03 without X - Drive . see
Fuel list in ISTA !

This suggests it is not the correct fluid for a vehicle after 09/03 with xdrive. Of course it doesn't actually say what the correct oil is. Typical. Anyone know what ISTA is?

[fmugur]

Originally Posted by JBF

Well it gets even less clear. I looked in the official BMW parts catalogue at parts.bmwgroup.com and they show the Dexron III fluid but there is a note attached to it/ This is in german, but with Google Translate's help I decoded it as:



This suggests it is not the correct fluid for a vehicle after 09/03 with xdrive. Of course it doesn't actually say what the correct oil is. Typical. Anyone know what ISTA is?

ISTA is the 'new' GT1 which is the software the dealer uses to service your BMW with. like diagnostics and reprogramming.

[JBF]

I've had a look and TIS is pretty clear on which cars have xDrive and that all the xDrive cars all use 83220397244. I'm convinced by that. It should really be information openly available and the parts guys show definitely be aware. I wonder how may transfer cases are going to die an early death because of this?

[JBF]

Jobs done. Changed the glow plug relay which cleared my glow-plug errors. Also the transfer case fluid (errors/adaptation reset), mechatronics sealing sleeve and transmission fluid (adaptions reset).

I had a few issues with the transmission fluid. It just didn't seem to take enough fluid. I only got around 2.5lt in there on the initial fill which is 1lt down on what others report. Concerned by this I checked the car level - it was almost level (within a couple of degrees - based on the running board) but you can see that the actual transmission casing is on a downward slope towards the back of the car (and the fill plug). I went through the next steps - engine running, filled up with about another 1-1.5lt, selected R then D, then in to M and through 1-6 although it wouldn't let me stay in anything above 2 for more than a couple of seconds not sure it was 3 seconds. Topped up again with maybe .5lt then let it continue warming to 42'C and closed the fill plug.

I wasn't really happy with the lower than expected fill volume so had a think about it. I took it off the ramps then removed the front ones and just took the rear up until the oil pan was level (used a magnetic spirit level stuck on the lip of the pan). I then had to wait for the transmission to cool down so went and had some food etc. Once it had cooled off a bit I started the engine again, opened up the fill plug and added more fluid, it took around another 1lt before pouring out. Then I let it warm up. INPA showed the transmission temp at 46'C, the aquarium thermometer probe I had stuck in the fill hole was showing 34'C and rising (more quickly than INPA). I figured both were within the 30'C-50'C specified range so sealed her up and cleaned up.

Reset adaptations via DIS, took her out for a 15-20min drive. Through all the gears manually, then in to D. Gently at first then a bit more aggressive. It seems fine, no funny noises or jolts.

I'm not sure whether I did the right thing with making the transmission level to fill. If not then it's overfilled. What are the implications? I think I did the right thing because the ZF "Oil Change Kit for Automatic Transmissions 5HP/6HP page 9 and 12" shows the oil on a level with the transmission case/oil pan joint

[Jungerishere]

Car should always be level from four jack points. Front to rear tire height may vary on some vehicles and same with suspension height from front to rear. If you overfill trans fluid, fluid will overheat. I always measure what I drained. This way, I have an idea exactly I much I need to add.

Originally Posted by JBF

I'm not sure whether I did the right thing with making the transmission level to fill. If not then it's overfilled. What are the implications? I think I did the right thing because the ZF "Oil Change Kit for Automatic Transmissions 5HP/6HP page 9 and 12" shows the oil on a level with the transmission case/oil pan joint

[JBF]

Originally Posted by Jungerishere

Car should always be level from four jack points. Front to rear tire height may vary on some vehicles and same with suspension height from front to rear. If you overfill trans fluid, fluid will overheat. I always measure what I drained. This way, I have an idea exactly I much I need to add.

What should the fluid temp get to? Why does the ZF document show the fluid level with the oil pan / bottom of transmission?

It's interesting I read that apparently some Jaguar dealers recommend that the transmission should be overfilled by around 1lt to counteract the lurching issues with this same gearbox.

[EDIT]

I just re-read the ZF service document, it states:

Adjust the oil level in the transmission exactly according to the filling regulations. If the oil level is too low, the transmission will be damaged. If the oil level is too high, the excess oil will leak from the transmission through the overflow when heated. The escaping oil can be ignited by hot components (e.g. exhaust system).

That suggests that an under-fill is much more serious than an overfill, and that if overfilled the excess will escape via the overflow (of course including standard health and safety disclaimer about oil igniting etc).

I have emailed them for guidance as their service document says to have the vehicle level, but the diagrams show the transmission level (which it is not on the X5 when the vehicle is level).

[Jungerishere]

Yes, overfill will cause fluid to leak. Your trans is sealed unit. If the fluid overheats, it will create added pressure which in turn creates leaks.

I always try to close the fill plug at 100 F (~40 C).

I disagree that overfilling won't damage the trans. You are damaging seals.

I have done 4 trans fluid services in my E34 with GM slushbox. She has almost quarter of a million miles now and the trans still shifts silky smooth. I used to have Audi A6 with ZF auto trans and I have done 3 trans fluid services and sold her at 170k miles with silky smooth trans. So I believe I'm doing something right with trans fluid services for all these times...

Originally Posted by JBF

What should the fluid temp get to? Why does the ZF document show the fluid level with the oil pan / bottom of transmission?

It's interesting I read that apparently some Jaguar dealers recommend that the transmission should be overfilled by around 1lt to counteract the lurching issues with this same gearbox.

[EDIT]

I just re-read the ZF service document, it states:

Adjust the oil level in the transmission exactly according to the filling regulations. If the oil level is too low, the transmission will be damaged. If the oil level is too high, the excess oil will leak from the transmission through the overflow when heated. The escaping oil can be ignited by hot components (e.g. exhaust system).

That suggests that an under-fill is much more serious than an overfill, and that if overfilled the excess will escape via the overflow (of course including standard health and safety disclaimer about oil igniting etc).

I have emailed them for guidance as their service document says to have the vehicle level, but the diagrams show the transmission level (which it is not on the X5 when the vehicle is level).

[JBF]

Added pressure? The ZF document suggests there is an overflow outlet from which it would escape, that suggests it is not sealed

You're probably correct, but I'm concerned that I wasn't able to get as much in to my transmission on the initial fill as people seem to report. I've seen many people saying the initial fill was 3.5lt but I got nothing like that in there - somewhere between 2-2.5lt (allowing for some still being in the pump). I can't see any logical reason for this considerable difference can you suggest one? I mean there are no variables relating to that. We're simply talking about initial filling of the oil pan up to the filler level, no engine running, no running through gears etc.

If you look at the transmission, with the car horizontal, it slopes down from front to back quite a bit - so much so that if you visualise where the oil filter intake sits and the level that the filled oil must be sitting at relative to that intake, it's quite possible that under acceleration or while going up-hill that intake isn't going to be sucking up any oil. That seems a bit worrying?

Did your E34 and Audi transmission sit parallel with the ground with the vehicle horizontally level or were they offset at an angle like the X5 is? In the ZF document it does show a diagram of the Audi version of this transmission but it shows it level which may or may not represent it's actual orientation.

As for checking the amount of oil fluid coming out, that would not have worked for me as I had a leaky sealing sleeve and gasket so suspect the level was low in the first place. What I do know is that with the transmission level (not the vehicle) I put in approx 5.5lt excluding overflow etc.

The oil change has solved my annoying squeal when changing up from 2nd to 3rd under moderate acceleration.

I'm going to do this again in the next week to cycle out more of the old fluid so want to make sure I do it right.

On the fluid temp, I kept INPA running when I went out for a test drive after completing the change. It seemed to settle around 85'C. I don't know if that's good or bad.