Originally Posted by Doru (Post 1016364)

You can see if the sealing sleeve is leaking just by crawling under the car - it's in the back, pass side corner of the tranny and up.

Concerning the misfires, you said you owned a few BMW's before. So do I (I still have them). I know 100% that for the inlines, when the car wasn't run for a while, and if it'sparked in a cold environment, you can get the misfires, and then the CEL lights up. Then, you turn off the engine and re-start, and the car acts like nothing ever happened. It might have something to do with engine management, and it cuts off fuel supply, then once the engine is re-started, and the cylinders are bit warmer, they don't act anymore. Weird but true. Maybe the v8's have something similar going...Never happened to my X

Originally Posted by Chad800xt (Post 1016371)

I recently had to rebuild my 5spd zf trans, I did the removal and reinstall myself. Pretty easy if you have done this sort of work before, nothing out of the normal.
Took me about 4 hours to take it out and about 4 back in, drinking beer and not rushing. Costs were $1200 for parts and fluid (all zf factory parts and fluid, seal kit, steels and friction disks) torque converter was expensive at $700 and I payed a local shop $900 to perform the overhaul. Hope this gives u a little insight

Originally Posted by David.X5 (Post 1016507)

I've called ZF (they have a US office - Connecticut I think) asking about the tranny for a 4.4i. The guy said list was $3600 but almost instantly offered it for $3k. That's with the torque converter and filled with factory fluid. They require a rebuild able core be returned.

Not such a bad deal. Mine has been behaving (knock on wood) since a fluid/filter change.

Originally Posted by David.X5 (Post 1016531)

That was rebuilt by ZF... I don't think you can get new ones from anyone - I am pretty sure the $7k (tranny+TC) dealer units are rebuilt also.

I was happy to hear this, too, - I am not looking forward to such an expense, but at least I know that I don't have to worry about the cost of the tranny causing me to junk the car.

I didn't do it in the end, as the filter&fluid change solved my problems, so I don't know how they deal with the different versions and computers, etc.


I just looked up the phone number I saved. My memory wasn't exactly correct - I spoke to a US based "ZF authorized distributor". They did not answer email. They were helpful on the phone.

Eriksson Industries, division of Wentworth Engineering Inc.
146 B Elm Street
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
800-388-4418
860-395-0047 Fax
[email protected]

Originally Posted by Doru (Post 1016184)

Mike, here are my thoughts - sorry if I repeat what other members suggested (I didn't read through the answers).

I noticed you have GT1, by the screenshots. Now, go into TIS and see how to replace the air bags (rear). I know I did it a few months ago. BMW is very peculiar about how to remove the air lines and how to re-install them. You said the air bags are new. So my take is that whoever changed the airbags, either over tightened the air lines (TIS mentions 4 Nm if I'm not mistaken, which is very little - and if the nut is over tightened, it might leak) and you might need to replace some parts (minor $$$), or when re-installing them, the air lines were dirty, and the smallest amount of debris will do it. So you need to open the TIS, and inspect the air connections. Inspect thoroughly #15 and #2 in this diagram

http://realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/s/p/258.png