XDrive Oil Change, Adaptation reset before and after experience
 

Hi Guys.

well, a few days ago, I got the Oil Abrasion error showing up on my DIS :(

So after reading Texmln's brilliant thread here http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...fluid-diy.html
I changed my TC's oil

After reading a million post's here about changing the XDrive Oil and the adaptation reset, I decided to test my car before and after resetting.

PS, You need DIS or you have to go to a stealer to reset the XDrive, INPA does not have the reset. also this does not reset transmission adaptations, only the XDrive itself.

Right, so after changing the "burnt toast" smelling oil, it smelt really bad and was very black. I went for a test drive. no differences though, everything felt the same. although the drive train did feel a tiny bit smoother.

After an adaptation reset, my car however felt slightly different, it felt "newer" :dunno:. Normal driving there was hardly any difference, take off from a stop felt better, the biggest difference i noticed was the response i had when i need to reverse up my very steep driveway. before my car felt a bit laggy and felt like it would struggle a bit "when cold", this morning it felt stronger up that hill when it was cold. I'm guessing with fresh oil and the xdrive reset to the current clutch wear, it's able to control it properly again.

In DIS when you do the reset, it goes through two stages, the first stage, it will gauge the internal clutch, you can hear the motor do a bit of work. the second part reset's all the oil adaptations to 0. then it will clear the oil abrasion error.

I Completely agree with JCL here from a different thread, the reset definitely measures your remaining clutch, and there is definitely a seperate sensor plugged into the side of the Xdrive close to the actuator to measure the oil properties.

So my conclusion to the confusion that i have seen around here about servicing the XDrive, I say that resetting the XDrive adaptation is a must. :D

Those guys that have changed there XDrive oil and have not done a reset, go get it done :stickpoke

I would add that if the transfer case clutch plates have slipped enough to burn the fluid (as you noted) then the plates themselves may be damaged as well. You may get away with just new fluid, or it may be the first indication of failing clutch plates. Time will tell.

Nice. Going to do mine today or tomorrow.

Ok I did the fluid change. Once I get back home, tomorrow or sat night, I will reset the adaptations. So far, nothing different. No errors, no problems, no nothing.

I did buy new fill and drain plugs. The ones that came are apparently updated. It has a magnet on each now. And is also 17mm. Copper washer fit the same. Curious why the magnet now.

The fluid was messed up black. 80k miles now on the car. Looked like coffee without milk, and the new fluid looked like like ginger ale. Crazy difference.

This cannot be good, or lifetime fluid. I don't care what anyone says.

One thing to note, when you take off the drain plug, the hole is pretty big, and fluid shoots out. It caught me by surprise a little and I had to move my catch pan over a bit. Be ready, its trajectory is such that it hits the black brace that is right next to it.

Really easy job. Going to see whats happens when I reset.

The transfer case isn't lifetime fluid. When it has degraded to a certain point, a warning comes up advising to change it (fluid out of spec). If you change it ahead of that, fine, but the computer is measuring the fluid and seeing that it is still fine (based on the fluid properties, not the colour). It is condition based servicing, not preset change intervals.

Sorry if I am missing something, but if the system is adaptive, would it not over time re-adapt to any new condition? I thought the whole idea about that was that it would monitor its own condition to set paramaters, but maybe I am just not understanding something.

Yea I'll reset it tomorrow and advise. So far, feels absolutely same. I would say tiny bit smoother, but that could be in the head. Also when gt1 scanned vtg, it didn't find errors and will only allow you to change oil adaptations if there was customer complaint of noise while turning. I guess I will have to say there was a complaint.

I've been driving around a bit now, It could be in my head too :rofl: but i still say that it feels a tiny bit smoother.

Otherwise everything else about it feels about the same as it always has been now. It was a bit different straight after the reset, but it seems to have adapted very quickly back to how it always felt.

which i'm hoping is a good thing. Especially after JCL who made me realize that i could have failing clutch plates :yikes: I guess time will tell. Thanks though JCL, I never thought of that, I still have the old fluid so i'm going to check it for any bits of metal etc.

SlickGT1, everybody that changes this fluid seems to complain about how black it is, I think it's pretty normal being so black, The smell is the giveaway. and the new magnetic bolts are probably there to catch metal shavings.

I think it's so black because we changed it after 70k miles and up. Mine didn't smell burnt, still smelled like trans fluid. I guess that's good. I poured the old stiff through a screen, part of the catch can. Nothing in there of size to get caught.

Ok so I got home. Reset adaptations. Gt1 made my actuator turn on and do some stuff, then reset all values to zero. Went for a ride. I can't tell a difference. Seriously nothing at all. Same as before. Went up my driveway, down, reverse, forward, full throttle, took it easy, nothing feels different.

Oh well. At least fluid is fresh and new plugs with magnets are in.

I took pics of the steps in GT1 so I will make a how to reset adaptations.

Cool stuff :thumbup:

That tells me that yours is in great condition, and mine is not :( I'm hoping that it was just my fluid that was in such bad condition, and the adaptations may have been way out for me. Or i have a problem in mine. Oh well. Time will tell.

Thanks for the info Slick :thumbup:

Um I don't know how to say this. I now think the car drives smoother just like you said. I don't get how this process would do that. I had a long ass drive to Staten Island today. Lots of hills, bends, ton of traffic and lots of manual mode sprints. The car really felt smoother. I thought it was in the head, but it deff isn't. The takeoff from standstill is where you notice it most. Like I need less throttle or something.

So I've done the adaptation reset before, without changing oil. That didn't do shit. Changing oil without reset doesn't do shit either. Now new oil and reset, it does make it better.

Go figure, I'm as surprised as can be. After 100 or so miles I'm convinced it wasn't a wasted effort. What else can we reset in these cars?

Killcrap knows his stuff. I know I need software updates, just don't want to pay dealer prices.

Just changed my transfer case oil with OEM BMW fluid. Better get the software reset soon. Thanks for the info guys. Will report back once I get some miles after the reset as well.

Thanks for that SLick.. I feel alot better now about my TC now :thumbup:

I didn't find any bits of wear or metal shavings in the oil, so all is good for me too. :D

great X5Boise, let us know :thumbup:

I've been driving for about the past 3 weeks with new genuine BMW transfer case oil and now that I've finally had the dealer do the transfer case adaptation reset (2 days ago for $55), my subjective thoughts on my '05 4.4i with 88k miles on the odometer:

1. Acceleration from a standstill seems smoother.
2. Acceleration in general seems a bit brisker as well.

Definitely agree with SlickGT1 with his findings. Again, only my subjective thoughts, but it was worth the $55 (as much as the quart of BMW transfer case oil costs...)

Hi Guys,

I'm going to have to install some software just to reset these adaptations, since INPA does not support it.

Should I use DIS V39, V44, V57 or SSS V32?

Thanks!

I reset mine with V44.

SlickGT1 - Your inbox is full.
I bought a laptop from a member here that has DIS, INPA etc.
I plan to change my transmission & Transfer case fluid.
How do i use this thing to reset the values?
I saw a post where you had a write up, not sure if you have it made.
Maybe you can guide me through the process? I would appreciate it.
Thanks,

wow I have an inbox? Is that the private message thing. I see, i will clean out later.

I forgot where you have to go.

Basically you need to do a quick test before you do anything else.

Then you need to set up a test plan. You will need to get into the VTG, and set up a test plan for that. You should see read and reset values options. Click Activate, and it will take you the rest of the way. If you are doing this outside the car, you will actually hear it cycling the Xdrive actuator.

I don't have a write up for this, but if you find my write-up for the transmission oil change, it is the same thing, but you need to work in the VTG module.