transmission filter and fluid change 4 liters?

[Ron07x5]

At 105k the transmission pan gasket was leaking badly. I could not find information on how much of the expensive original equipment fluid by zf I would need. So I bought 5liters and the pan at rmeuropean.com the fluid was the lowest I could find at $22 a liter. I figured if I needed a bit more I would put bad some of the old.

Only trouble I had was breaking the fill point open before I started draining. Of course one needs to be sure you can refill it. I soaked the fill point with wd40 for an hour and then it broke free. I didn't like applying a lot of force on the hex fill point .. hate to have something bad crack like the transmission around the fill point . Of course it shouldn't happen and it didn't but take no risks.

So here are my questions... the fill.procedure talks of warming the transmission to about 80 degrees and once.refilled first shifting into drive and.reverse. why?

What I did notice is the at level the transmission was overfilled by maybe a half a liter because when I opened the fill point.it flowed out and.I measured everything. I managed to get 3.75 liters back in. The fluid was very.Brown.

I believe.these transmission hold maybe 10liters with the majority in the torque converted.... how does.one.replace.what.is in the converter? I assume I only changed half at most.Of.all that Brown fluid.

[lanbrown]

One way, a transmission flush machine but without the flush fluid. The alternative way, you replace the transmission fluid another 3 or 4 times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfrWzwic2Sg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpIg6w8XpBU

[Ron07x5]

I will just open the fill point sooner and check the fluid ... swap 4 perhaps ... especially if Brown. Thanks for the info the transmission flush machine without the fluid sounds risky. Further I really not want.to.give the x5 over.for.any service.at.the hands of.the general.oil.change place. If it isn't broken I say be very careful about breaking it and that reply applies to lower end service people.

[lanbrown]

Originally Posted by Ron07x5

I will just open the fill point sooner and check the fluid ... swap 4 perhaps ... especially if Brown. Thanks for the info the transmission flush machine without the fluid sounds risky. Further I really not want.to.give the x5 over.for.any service.at.the hands of.the general.oil.change place. If it isn't broken I say be very careful about breaking it and that reply applies to lower end service people.

Not risky at all. You don't want the flush fluid or cleaner being used. While they say it remove deposits, that is exactly what you don't want done. Remove a deposit and it becomes a piece of debris that can clog something. A fluid change is one thing, loosening deposits is another. You always here of horror stories of someone that waited way too long to change the fluid and after they did, the transmission started acting up.

[Ron07x5]

Risky is.giving a bmw transmission to anyone but a bmw Indy of.good.report or.the dealership. So I say carefully drain and.replace.over.time is.the safest and.cheapest.way.

One day I know nothing about is fixing auto transmissions. I noticed.there are electrical solenoids in the trans if one fails I assume shifting messes up. So could one buy just a solenoid from where? Was wondering if I could learn bmw transmission repair somehow?

[lanbrown]

BMW doesn't make the transmission, ZF does. ZF sells several different 8HP models and all do with how much power they can handle. Do you know who else uses the ZF 8HP transmission? Chrysler. I seriously doubt those people will be going to a BMW dealer to get their transmission fixed or even an indy. There is nothing magical that a BMW dealer or indy will do.

Chrysler is building the transmission under license from ZF but they were buying them direct from ZF until the Chrysler plant in the US was producing them.

While you have the 6 speed model, it just shows you that BMW is not the only one using ZF transmissions. I have heard that Ford produced some ZF six speeds for their use. You have the ZF 6HP26 transmission. The Ford 6R60 and 6R80 is based on the 6HP26 design; how closely I don't know. But the Hyundai Genesis V8 4.6 from 2009 to 2011 uses the 6HP26, so there is a source of parts. 2008 - 2008 Lincoln Navigator also used it. 2005 - 2013 Land Rover Discovery used it. Various Jags also used it.

[Ron07x5]

Originally Posted by lanbrown

BMW doesn't make the transmission, While you have the 6 speed model, it just shows you that BMW is not the only one using ZF transmissions. I have heard that Ford produced some ZF six speeds for their use. You have the ZF 6HP26 transmission. The Ford 6R60 and 6R80 is based on the 6HP26 design; how closely I don't know. But the Hyundai Genesis V8 4.6 from 2009 to 2011 uses the 6HP26, so there is a source of parts. 2008 - 2008 Lincoln Navigator also used it. 2005 - 2013 Land Rover Discovery used it. Various Jags also used it.

Yes found on bimmerboost.com titled zf 6hp21 references documents a number of zf manuals. They list the Ford transmissions you mention and a parts catalogue.

Zf document lists ford Mercon sp as alternative to bmw lf. I found Merton sp at orielly auto parts online for 7.50 a quart ... super cheap compared.to bmw lf. Someday I will but a quart and compare appearance to bmw zf.

Talks.of.heating.transmission. to 104degrees so oil cooler.Will purge before.measuring fluid level via a dip.stick in the fill.plug.of.Ford trans. No such dipstick on bmw and I just meAsured what.came.out.and.what.I could put back in. I did not heat.trans.to.104 and experienced the trans had about a quart.flow.out.when I opened.the fill point. So seems it.was.over.full.

[lanbrown]

The trans fluid could be colored differently another thing to look at, how often another manufacturer says to change it. They could use a cheaper oil but require more frequent changes.

[Ron07x5]

If Mercon so is a honey color and smells.and.feels.the same it.is.the same. Interesting to.find out.about.Ford.f350 series automatics because they should have a very.close zf trans using mercon sp

[lanbrown]

Sorry, but that is far from scientific. Ford has several different 6 speed transmissions. The Mercon SP is considerably cheaper than the ZF oil for the 8HP. Is it really the same formulation? ZF states lifetime fill, Ford is saying to change it. Lower quality oil and thus the cheaper price?