Transmission questions

[emin_shak]

Hey guys I have an 2002 4.4l x5 and wanted to know how much fluid to buy for my tranny and does it really make a difference with flushing it or should I just drain and refill? Thanks a lot guy!

[TwinTurboGTR]

If you use the search function, the topic has been discussed hundreds of times. There are opinions on both sides. Pick your poison. Most are against flushing. Just a drain and refill. Search will show which fluid and how much.

[emin_shak]

Sorry kinda new to this kind of stuff

[JCL]

If you are set on doing it, drain and refill, no flush. Use OE fluid and filter. You can find the ZF fluid at various places cheaper than the dealer. Recommend you don't use a generic fluid that claims to be good for all transmissions. Fluid level must be set with the transmission level and at the correct temperature. You will only get half the fluid out, as there is no drain on the torque converter. Check previous posts for typical amounts.

If you have higher miles and have never changed it, think long and hard about whether you want to, as you can create a problem that didn't exist previously. You move the sediment around from a place where it wasn't hurting anything to a place where it obstructs an orfice in the valve body, and just create problems.

Some believe in changing early and often. Some of us believe in not changing it at all, unless a separate problem evidences itself. Many agree with not opening up a higher mileage transmission due to the risk of subsequent failure.

Now you can search and fill in the details on that framework.

[emin_shak]

As of right now the tranny makes a sound after it heats up but I guess when I bought it it hasn't been changed cuz of BMW and their lifetime fluid statement cuz I got the car around 2008 from the Dealer and it had gone through a full engine rebuild but I don't know about the tranny so that's why I'm thinking of changing in the beginning because of the noise and when in drive the car roles a lot slower then in nutural and makes noise on drive and not on nutural.

[subieworx]

If it is making noise and rolling slowly when in neutral then chances are a fluid change is not going to help.

[emin_shak]

Well it makes noise in drive and rolls faster in neutral, but slows down in drive.... But recently the noise has gone away but should I still change the fluid cuz it hasn't been changed and I'm at almost 97k miles

[Cody1771]

I have 240k km's in original fluid. I Just now had to add half a liter top up after it started clunking from stop