1990 525i auto replacement transmission is slipping - no place to add more fluid

[notesguy]

At around 210,000 miles, I had my auto transmission replaced with one I got at a junk yard.

It worked fine for a bout 1.5 years. Now it is hesitating going from 1st to second - like it was a manual transmission and you're releasing the clutch very slowly.

I have read it might need more fluid.

I have the Bentley manual and read there are two types of trannys for that car. One where you can add oil and one that never needs oil replaced.

I see what looks like a dipstuick tube in the engine compartment going toward the tranny but I can't get the top off of it.

I don't know if I had a permanent fluid tranny and the tranny was replaced with one that where you can add fluid or vice cersa.

Either way, I need to find out if the fluid is low so I can try this tactic first before I take it to a shop.

Does anyone know how to find out if the fluid is low?

[willobmw]

If it has an arrow on it, push in the direction of the arrow and pull up at the same time.
Good Luck.

[notesguy]

Many thanks guys. I will try that technique today to get the dipstick out.
Yes, it does have an arrow. There are no instructions in the Bentley
manual.

Also, the symptom I am experiencing are:
--Starts out in first gear, then QUICKLY (around 7 MPH) shifts to 2nd gear.
--That shift is the only one where it feels like if it were a manual tranny
and you were letting the clutch out very clowly - slow to engage the next
gear.
--All the other gears shift fine.
I can start off in DRIVE 1 - forcing it to stay in first gear, then shift to
DRIVE 2 and the shift is slow. DRIVE 2 -> DRIVE 3 is fine as are the
others.

[Mr. BILL]

'90"s have a dipstick and you can chnge the fluid and filter, which I would encourage you to do. That may do the trick.

If not, the seal on thr main shaft could be on its way out. Winfred has a great write up on this in the drive train section of this forum. I did this repair to mine when it started slipping and it worked perfectly for about 35K. Then, it wouldn't shift out of 1st until it warmed up.

I changed the fluid and added a bottle of Lube Guard (red) as per Kirk the guru's suggestion. Now it works fine.

IMO, sounds like the seals are going.

[632 Regal]

ditto on Bills advice

[notesguy]

Mr. Bill - what article is that? Can you provide a link?

Many thanks to you all for you help.