Some people used Valvoline. Not sure how good it is, or how it will last, or if it will affect the transmission negative.

One point I have to make: they list all those BMW approved ATF's, which are all different p/n (11 digits per BMW) and have different applications (different transmissions), yet this magic Valvoline MaxLife can be used for any of these?

Attached is the BMW ATF approved list of oils. Call it the BMW ATF bible if you will.

Attachment 60036

Cheers

hi,thanks for that bible...

now ,for 5hp24, does it go under 11a or 11b?

i think is 11b from what i see.

thanks,

Correct. It's 11B.

Thanks,Doru.

Regards.

It is unfortunate that this is the way the world works, but you actually have to read those labels like a lawyer, to see the subtle differences in the labels they put on each bottle. That label is designed to fool unsuspecting consumers.

"Recommended for use in...." is a phrase that oil and atf companies use when they don't meet the specification. They are saying, essentially, that they don't meet the specification but you should trust them and use it anyway, it will be fine. It very well may be. But it doesn't meet the specification. And as was pointed out above, ZF themselves caution not to use Dexron due to issues with clutch engagement, yet this fluid is somehow a Dexron fluid and a ZF fluid at the same time. The fact that they say it is good for different specifications, when those specifications themselves are contradictory, is a sign that they are playing games. They are saying that they know more about the ZF transmission than ZF does. I think that is nonsense.

Valvoline say on this bottle that it is recommended for use where Dexron is called for. But at the same time, they sell a different ATF that does meet the Dexron spec. The language they use on that label is "...meeting and exceeding the requirements of the General Motors' DEXRON®-VI specification." That is very precise language. (As an aside, you will note that they use the trademark symbol. That is another tell tale.) And the bottle you showed the picture of is not the same fluid, but they think you should use it anyway. If you needed Dexron fluid, which would you use? They can obviously blend a fluid to a spec if they want to. They are already paying the license fee. And they are selling a generic fluid at the same time. The trouble is, with the ZF fluid spec, they don't have one that meets the spec, they just sell the generic fluid.

The multi purpose fluids are not designed for your transmission. They are designed for automotive shops who don't want to stock different fluids, and want one generic fluid so as to keep their inventory costs down. It is a bad reason to select a particular fluid.

@JCL,
you right, i am starting to see the image more clear about this oil ,what to use.

now ,on that 11b list that @Doru added as attach,looks that the

oil at oreillyauto/kragen : (post 34 also):
Pentosin - Automatic Transmission Fluid
Part Number: ATF1-1L link here,
meets BMW standards...

based of the chart.

thanks

Dude...just buy the ZF oil. Quit trying to save pennies that could cost you $$$$.

Your location says you are on the west coast. You could have had the fluid by now and saved gallons of gas running back and forth to the cheapy parts stores... :stickpoke

:iagree:

The engine and transmission are way to expensive to repair to skimp on lubrication.

off course i was not going to put some non-bmw tranny oil in my x5, i only did some research to see what oils may have the bmw numbers,

and from the bmw specs ,

Pentosin and ZF lifeguard5 are both on the bmw chart.

now if i want to get Pentosin witch is 17$ /1L local pickup,witch at 6 pc,is 102$ plus tax ,free local pickup.
now,for the ZF lifeguard5 at $87 for 6L comes at $104 with tax and shipping.

so ZF brand will be better to get.


(still waiting on the inpa soft and cable to arrive)

Update,

I got the software and cable did the test of the cooling test with INPA like @fmugur, advise me too,
now we have come to a point that it may not be related to the cooling/heating related.

You can see test here:

video part 1:

2003 bmw x5 4.6is inpa test cooling monitoring part 1 test during driving. - YouTube

video part 2:

2003 bmw x5 4.6is inpa test cooling monitoring part 2 test during driving. - YouTube

video part 3:

2003 bmw x5 4.6is inpa test cooling monitoring part 3 test during driving. - YouTube

Test done:

M= Miles
E=Engine
T=Tranny

at:

3 Miles done / 105'C Engine / 96'C Tranny
6M / 106 E / 100 T
10M / 107 E / 104 T

(up to here i had flat freeway,from here i started going up the heal ):

at:

12 M / 99 E / 107 T
16 M / 105 E / 109 T
17 M / 99 E / 110 T
19 M / 95 E / 111 T ***
20 M / 108 E / 109 T

(here at this point was exiting out from the freeway ramp and getting ready to stop, at 4.48pm,then
crossed the bridge and before i went back to enter the freeway i stopped at 4.49pm)

From here ,i enter freeway and started to come down on the freeway,
at:

26 M / 105 E / 107 T
27 M / 105 E / 107 T (turned a/c on to see if any changes)
30 M / 105 E / 107 T (no changes, turned a/c off , also at this point i got to flat freeway)
34 M / 106 E / 106 T
38 M / 105 E / 106 T
39.5 M / 107 E / 106 T

(here i stopped in drive ,
then in parking and i had:
39.5 M / 109 E / 106 T.

I drove 40 miles, at 2500 Rpm's ,and at 70 mph.

This was the test done with my x5 driving and laptop connected to the inpa software and the x5.

All test was done in Celsius .
(converter to Fahrenheit is here if you need it)
111'c = 231'f

So ,as you can see in here or videos, engine temp was from 95 to 108 , and the tranny was up to 111'c.

Now, not sure where the tranny temp should be, or it could be okay...


Next,to take the tranny pan down to see if any findings...