To change or not to change ATF fluid 3.0 x5
 

I am kind of torn on if I should change my ATF fluid in my 2001 auto 3.0 e53 X5. It was changed about 4 years or so ago at 100,000 miles and now has 137,000 miles. I will probably only put 2k miles a year tops on this this thing.

Is it overkill to change it out so soon? The fluid only has 37k miles on it now. It shifts fine, but would probably shift better with some new fluid.

I haven't changed mine at 155K
they tell me its lifetime, I take that that as MY lifetime

Yes. Why do you think it would shift better with new fluid?

Is there a reason new fluid would not help this old tranny shift better, however small?

No lifetime fluid, ZF shot that BS down.

60 to 100k mile fluid changes are the way to go.

FWIW, BMW considers "lifetime" as surpassing 100k miles. :rolleyes:

Did several drain/fills and filter change on the last fill at 100k miles, almost 180k now with no issues.

Yea guys Lifetime is a relative term lol They're not talking your lifetime , in general though I checked the color of mine recently granted I only have 50K miles basically on my E53 but it looked practically new so as of now not worried about it.
At 100k or so I may change it out along with the filter. It's pretty simple guys maintain your vehicle it will run forever it's like preventative medicine lol

Yes. Your transmission has systems that adapt to the characteristics of the fluid that it has in it (the fluid characteristics that change over time, like viscosity and frictional characteristics for clutch engagement). Until the fluid is outside the range that the transmission can handle, there is no benefit to changing it. The transmission won't know the difference. It isn't a lubrication issue, since lubrication places such a low demand on the fluid.

If you want to do it, fine, go for it. Just don't try and claim that it is for the benefit of the transmission. It is for your feelings of having done something.

How can you judge the quality of a fluid by the colour? If it is burnt (smell), sure. But colour? Why would that matter at all?

OK thanks. I will let it slide until 50k miles, which will be 150k on the X5 and that will take about 5 years to get there.

80k - 100k / fluid & filter change... that's straight from a good friend that owns a transmission shop.

I have owned many vehicles of all types and makes. lived by those rules and have never had any trouble :)

I'd do it at again at 150k. I plan to.

Is that just drain and refill a couple times or have someone exchange all fluid in one go with a fluid exchange machine?

I am having work done on my wife's van and read on the Trans shop website they drop the pan, hook up lines and start the car to use the transmission internal pump to move the fluid. I think that is not the same as a "flush" but am not sure.

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its always a good idea to replace the fluid every 100k miles. And although BMW insists that its lifetime and would refuse to service your vehicle, incidentally they sell the fluid.

Roundel concurs that it should be replaced

I have changed mine in the same x as yours with 180K miles on it only once at about 100K. Mostly highway driving. It shifts perfectly, smooth, no jerky or slipping in all gears sport or regular. If you can do it yourself easily and you'll feel better than get a new filter, gasket and maybe the linkage gasket and change it. You'll sleep better at night and feel better when you drive your ultimate d.m. Now all you have to worry about is idle issues .

Sorry I was using the term "looks fine" loosely more of a "I checked it out everything seems fine"
To clarify or elaborate yes I smelled it as well as my motor oil everything smells good lol I still changed my oil though and filter.
In general though normally lightly red tinted or opaque ATF fluid is a good sign since we're on the topic mine is lightly tinted red.

A sign of bad fluid is indeed a brownish to even black colors (black is burnt lol) which would indicate oxidation and overheating which at this point a flush is probably a good idea lol.
With that in mind I was also looking at the color being I bought it used even if it only had 50k on it.

http://www.magna-guard.com/Images/ATF1.jpg

I disagree that fluid colour means very much. We have to separate engine oil and transmission fluid here, because they can be dyed different colours, but it is a myth that colour relates to fluid quality. A good fluid can be dark, and a clear fluid can be worn.

If a transmission fluid is burnt, that is a sign that it has been overheated. That isn't based on colour, but smell. If a fluid is milky, that is a sign that it has water in it. That colour matters.

But to suggest that it should have a red colour is wrong, because only some transmission fluids are dyed red. More often amber these days.

Transmission fluids are designed to keep particles in suspension (particles too small to be filtered out). That property will make them non-translucent. That doesn't mean they are worn out, it means they are functioning as designed.

Using engine oil as a different example of the limits of colour analysis, a diesel will soot up the oil in minutes, and it will look black. Some will get very worried and claim that their shop must not have changed it, given the colour, but it is perfectly normal for it to be black.

Anyone using a colour chart to sell oil or fluid changes is overselling, IMO.

Did you perform the prior change? If not, I'd be concerned that the unit was properly flushed and the correct replacement fluid was used. If you can't verify those items, then I would go ahead and do a complete flush, filter change, and replacement with the factory specified fluid. Then...leave it alone.

I have 252,000 miles on my original fluid with no transmission performance issues at all.

2002 X5 3.0 252,000 miles
2004 325i 113,000 miles

I never said they "Had" to be red. Listen I'm not going tit for tat it's not worth it believe what you want you're entitled. Comparing diesel fuel applications with synthetic mineral oil applications that never sees combustion is a new one but okay lol
If your transmission fluid is turning brown and black this isn't good plain and simple regardless of what color it was lol
I really don't feel like getting into a molecular level on this one with carbon and oxidation so whatever you reply with next I'll just agree it's easier these days..
~Locomotive Engineer

FYI- when anyone asks for an opinion on changing ATF fluid it becomes a debate of strong factions on both sides of the question. I take that as an indication that there is no answer that cannot be very logically challenged. I say it is your call.

If you decide to proceed I suggest you have the fluid drained out of the torque convertor as well, fill with fluid that meets BMW specs, change the filter and if only for grins have a gander at the old fluid verses the new stuff to see how it looks. I would also check the pan for 'debris' and follow appropriate fill instructions so the tranny is not under or overfilled.

My logic is simple. Any lubricant I know of is less efficient over time. 50,000 miles seems like a long time to expect ATF fluid to be good enough. Some say a change breaks loose stuff that will cause problems. I say that means the fluid should have been changed sooner so the junk hadn't collected.

I always consider the input of both sides of the story looking for something that results in consensus, hasn't happened. Right or wrong I haven't had any problems with my over stressed tranny for 110,000 miles changing it every 50,000.

:iagree:
Lol see that makes sense, yea guys I was thinking the same thing it doesn't help to flame the forums over differences or point of view.

Preventative maintenance is the best way to go.. My last car I changed the oil every 3k since I bought it right off the lot with 1 mile on it.
Before some idiot took it out and almost killed me in the process it had 134k on it and you couldn't hear the engine at idle. However it was a manual which I wish my X5 was too lol

This is a trivial task actually. Just buy a used /junkyard fuel pump (20-70, Suzuki swift or something) Clean it out or let it sit in the sun for an hr or 2. Submerge it In bmw ATF and use it instead of the bmw tool/handpump tool they sell at parts places. Make sure you do the torque converter or whatnot while at it.

I changed mine at 180,000. Driving smooth at 265,000

I just recently changed mine at 95k and the oil was very dark. I honestly feel like the X is much smoother on the shifts.

I agree you didn't say they had to be red. But there are a lot of posters on here who aren't engineers, and a chart that shows amber fluid with a label that says change it now may not be helpful.

My only real point was that colour is generally a poor indicator of anything with a lubricating fluid, unless it shows water.

And the issue with transmission fluid is that it isn't really designed to be much of a lubricant. It is a hydraulic fluid that carries heat, and has specific frictional characteristics at the point of clutch lock up, but the lubricating demands on it are very minimal, particularly with modern transmission control strategies.

I am a firm believer in preventative maintenance, lots of history with mining and industrial equipment. I do regular PM work on my BMWs. What I don't promote personally is changing out things for the sake of changing them out. Preventative maintenance should be designed to avoid catastrophic failure, to maintain the function of a component, and to manage TCO over the machine's life, IMO. If it doesn't contribute to those things, it is maintenance, and it adds to cost, but it is hard to call it PM.

You used fuel pump to change your atf?