Transmission Help - Going back to Park

[Legokcen]

Originally Posted by Cyrix2k

That's everything. If you don't have a torque wrench, you'll want a small one for this job. I use this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 You will also need the torx bits but I don't know the size off the top of my head.

I've got everything but a lift, so I'll be floor jack/jack standing it. I've got a decent shop and all the tools I need. Been amature road racing and wrenching for about 10 years now so I'm used to working on my own stuff, I'm just new to BMW's.

I'll order these and get started hopefully this weekend. Thanks for all the help, this is an awesome group. I'll report on the progress.

[ard]

Good kit to buy. We’ve recently seen a few aftermarket pans that are improperly molded and cause issues. A ZF pan is an OEM pan...

GL

[Legokcen]

Well, it was the bridge seal. The transmission fluid looked good, no metal. The other seals were good too, though everything in the kit was replaced. Everything works now! Thanks for all the help! I appreciate it. You all are a wealth of knowledge!

[Cyrix2k]

Awesome! Glad you were able to fix it!!

[ard]

Damn this was an odd one....


Rain...battery...tranny....


A bridge seal.




Welp, now that youve got a real scanner, it will never fail again.

[Legokcen]

The scanner can find a new home if needed, but it works pretty well. The battery I don't mind so much, the old one was 5+ years old.

My independent mechanic said he'd changed several of them in the past, but never one at 57K. I'm glad it's working now. I wonder what else I need to check on.

The kit was $300 and he charged $350 for the work. I could have done it myself, but for that price, I thought it was worth it. I'd have it up on jack stands and would have been taking things apart on my back. The $350 was well spent. He used to work at BMW for 5 years prior to what he is doing now so he knows his stuff.

[Cyrix2k]

FWIW, I replace batteries when they're that old even though I've seen 10+ year old batteries that continue to work. It's not the mileage so much as the age, and even at that how well they've been maintained. They last a long time on vehicles that are consistently driven but fail early on vehicles that have sat around (like at a car dealer or as a garage queen). It sucks to have a battery die on you when out and about so I think it's good money spent.


I also agree the $350 was well spent. That does not look like a fun job on jack stands. I feel like that's a good price from an indy too.

[Legokcen]

I completely agree. The job wasn't bad and one I could do, but I'd be on my back with the X5 up on jackstands and that really just sucks. The $350 was worth it.

She drives great now. Thanks again for all the help.

[ard]

Originally Posted by Cyrix2k

FWIW, I replace batteries when they're that old even though I've seen 10+ year old batteries that continue to work. It's not the mileage so much as the age, and even at that how well they've been maintained. They last a long time on vehicles that are consistently driven but fail early on vehicles that have sat around (like at a car dealer or as a garage queen). It sucks to have a battery die on you when out and about so I think it's good money spent.

I will add that the oft-repeated advice of 'replace the battery' is actually a combination of a diagnostic call AND a strategy for managing repair cost and complexity. I'll explain.


It would be nice to have perfect diagnostic data and only replace parts that are proven to be bad....but sometimes we are giving advice to people that are using shops for work, that dont have tools, and/or that pay $120 a hour for every little thing. (And also may be paying 120 and NOT getting expertise.)


Spending $200 and crossing it off the list of possible problems can often times be the cheapest overall strategy for getting at a solution to what turns out to be a non-battery issues.




It is also surprising how a battery can be borderline- for a long time- and then something happens, cold temps, a long day doing a vacuum and detail, or just nothing at all, and it falls off a cliff.