5HP30 owners, tranny whine solved...

I bought a tranny filter kit from BMA about four months ago that came with a
non-Filtran filter along with the pan gasket for about $20. I filled it up with
Redline D4 ATF and noticed a whine under load in first and second gears. Since I do a lot of highway driving, I wasn't in a big hurry to diagnose it. Well, this weekend, I drained the fluid and installed an OEM "Filtran" filter from the stealer along with 7.5 quarts of Pennzoil Multi-Vehicle ATF that Kragen is now selling for $3 per quart. Car now no longer has any whine sounds in any gear and everything is great. One thing I noticed about the filter kit I bought from the stealer this weekend was the O-ring. I compared the O-ring from the BMA kit to the stealer kit and noticed the OEM O-ring is slightly thicker than the kit supplied by BMA. I'm now wondering if a generic 5HP30 filter along with an OEM O-ring would work.

How long have you been running the Redline D4 ATF? How come you didn't go for the OEM fluid aside from the $$$?

Very interesting...I, too, recently experienced the same problem. Purchased filter kit from BMA and paid the stealer 200 bucks to change filter and fluid. Got it back and the car had a new whine...took it back to stealer and they couldn't figure it out. I have been stumped trying to figure out where the noise was coming from ever since. I have always speculated that it was from the trans, but it has been hard to tell because I can only hear it when driving. Stealer even put it up on lift and could hear it...they blamed it on the speed-o cable. I am not surprised. Unfortunately, I don't have a leg to stand on since I supplied the parts. So it appears I'll have to go back to them with my tail between my legs. :(

Aside from that, I too, am surprised to see that you have been using alternate fluid. I wanted to use an alternate fluid, but almost everyone recommended the OEM lifetime fluid. After seeing how much of a PITA it was to change the fluid and that it was not easy to fully drain all of the trans fluid (you know, don't want to mix orig. w/ something different), I figured it was better to suck it up and pay the few extra bucks. Sooooo, how did you do the fluid change? Yourself? OR do you have a lift? Also, where can I get one of those gravity fed fluid transfer tanks (it's the thingy the stealer used to change my fluid) ??? ('94 540IA)

BTW, All those who used other fluids please respond... Let us know how long you have been using other fluids... for 5HP30 tranny only please... Also how you drain all fluids.

before I switched to the Pennzoil Multi-Vehicle ATF. I guess I could have used the Redline that drained out again but I wanted to get more of the dirty fluid out through dilution by using the new Pennzoil. FYI, the Pennzoil Multi-Vehicle ATF is co-developed with Shell and Quaker State and, according to the Pennzoil engineers, is compatible with the Esso and Shell OEM fluids. As far as how to fill it, I use an oil funnel hose clamped onto a
clear piece of tubing from Home Depot with a bathtub rubber drain fitting on the other end. The rubber drain fitting fits over the hose and I fill the trans with the funnel about five feet above the trans (standing on a chair of course). I drained 7.5 quarts of D4 ATF with the pan off and put the same amount in via the funnel. Start the car up and stepshift (manual-winter program) to 2nd and 3rd gears, pull the drain fitting and put the original 17mm plug back on. As far as cost goes, the Redline D4 ATF was aboput $8 per quart while the Pennzoil ATF is $3 at Kragen.

I dont know guys... from all that I read on these transmissions and the special fluids required, I wouldnt even think about using anything but the specified fluids. I read that if you use other stuff it will in some cases de-laminate the friction disks material which is not something that you want to do. Sometimes they claim it will work for up to a year before serious problems rear their ugly head. I dont have any of the links here at work but there is a ton of information about this fluid subject and NO WHERE did I read that it was ok to substitute the recommended fluids.

The whine is most likly caused from the thinner O ring sucking in air and getting into the pump.

just my 2¢

my tranny filter fluids r&r was $76 plus fluid done at my indy. I did it last year, and my indy told me that my valve body bolt was about two turns from falling out. He torqued it back in and only on rare occaisons do I get the 4-5th going uphill around 48mph skip where it goes into 5th and skips back into 4th. Whenever it does this I am sure to accelerate in such a way that it won't do it again.

I'm thinking of changing the fluid again just to have him look at the valve body.

Will Kurt sell a rebuilt valve body, and then accept the old one back afterwards? Is this a good idea from a preventative maintenance perspective?

I agree...For what it's worth, Shell's engineers indicated to me that they do not know of an equivalent to their Shell LA 2634 fluid. But, I didn't really expect them to tell me otherwise.

And, thank you "guest" for the DYI filling the trans info. Most of the items will be easily attained, but I'll need to look for one of those bathtub rubber drain fittings -- not exactly sure what you are referring too, so any more details you could offer would be appreciated.

Yes, Kirt offers that at $500... whereas if you send for rebuild is $375 with filter kit.

but according to Kurt only the 5hp-30s (540i) had the questionable valving, balls and seperator plates, he said that the 5hp-18 (530i) didn't have any valve body problems. Thats what I got out of the conversation and don't know of an upgrade for us 530i folks. If there is please let me know, I'm just going from what I read and talked to him about. The 530s simply take dextron III synthetic fluid wheras the 540 folks get the real pricy stuff.