TRANNY PROBLEM... sorry to post but i gotta know the answer quick!!!

[ArtemLepilov]

I just got a car - 1991 525IA and overall its alright, i got it for $1200 and its fine - motor runs solid and everything (idles at ~550-600RPM but i just gotta clean the ICV once i find out where it is) except for one thing - the car was leaking fluid out of the tranny badly when i got it (about 3 drops every time i start/stop it), got that fixed and it was fine until i found out a problem that the car happened to accumulate once that prblem developed. MY TRANNY when warms up starts slipping out of park very badly... It was alright at first but now I cant stand it. Its basically very bad and I KNEW it was a low fluid and now i finally decided to go to a mechanic to get the fuids replaced BUT he told me that the tranny flush might kill my tranny... What should i do?? im lost... i dont want to spend another $2000 right away on the car... I was hoping to have to deal with this later and put upgrades in it meantime. Im also looking for wheels and front shocks.

Please let me know what I should do and if I can just top it off without consequences then please definitely let me know how i can do that and what kind of fluid to use in there? Its an automatic GM tranny form a 1991 NON-VANOS M50 525I

Thank you all in advance, Artem

[632 Regal]

MY TRANNY when warms up starts slipping out of park very badly

HUH?

[Gayle]

The way to get the most information quickly is to do a search.

[ArtemLepilov]

MY TRANNY when warms up starts slipping out of park very badly

HUH?

- im just saying when i stop at say, a red light. It will slip out of drive (sorry, not park) and when i press the pedal the car will move not right away but a little later when i rev the engine higher but with a kick...

I know Im dealing with a low tranny fluid level but i dont know how to deal with it...

-Artem

[632 Regal]

add fluid?

[Gayle]

a mechanic told me that the tranny flush might kill my tranny... What should i do??

if I can just top it off without consequences then please definitely let me know how i can do that and what kind of fluid to use in there?

I am no mechanic but I have read the all threads cover to cover in the last 3 months. What I remember is that the official BMW line is never change it, it is lifetime fluid, but I also remember someone who totally changed their fluid with no ill effects and in fact it saved them from having to replace the tranny. I can't believe that runny with low fluid is better for the tranny that whatever ill effects would be caused by adding.

Again I suggest doing a couple of search using "transmission fluid" "tranny" and "flush." You will get more info quickly cause it is going to take a while to get enough points of view on this thread to make a decision. Unless you just want someone to tell you it is ok....

[Gayle]

go here. under maintence look at transmission

http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/other/E34_crash.htm

[Bill R.]

is for checking fluid levels on the GM strassbourg transmission, You can use dexron II III or mercon fluids in it. Check it after its only been running a few minutes almost dead cold, thats the closest indicator to 30C unless you have a infrared thermometer and can get a better reading. I usually jack the car up and level it using jackstands at all four corners, then i put a level on the bottom of the trans pan and shim my jackstands as needed until i have it perfectly level, since my slab isn't perfectly level... Then i let the car sit until the fluid is cool, takes a number of hours. Then check the level and add as needed, the warmer it gets the higher the level will be and you won't be able to add as much sometimes resulting in the incorrect level.

go here. under maintence look at transmission

http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/other/E34_crash.htm

[JonE]

yah, if it's not leaking now, top it up and see how it drives. Sometimes just a "drain and fill" will work with a tranny that has not been maintained, apparently a "tranny flush" will be more risky.

[uscharalph]

I just got a car - 1991 525IA and overall its alright, i got it for $1200 and its fine - motor runs solid and everything (idles at ~550-600RPM but i just gotta clean the ICV once i find out where it is) except for one thing - the car was leaking fluid out of the tranny badly when i got it (about 3 drops every time i start/stop it), got that fixed and it was fine until i found out a problem that the car happened to accumulate once that prblem developed. MY TRANNY when warms up starts slipping out of park very badly... It was alright at first but now I cant stand it. Its basically very bad and I KNEW it was a low fluid and now i finally decided to go to a mechanic to get the fuids replaced BUT he told me that the tranny flush might kill my tranny... What should i do?? im lost... i dont want to spend another $2000 right away on the car... I was hoping to have to deal with this later and put upgrades in it meantime. Im also looking for wheels and front shocks.

Please let me know what I should do and if I can just top it off without consequences then please definitely let me know how i can do that and what kind of fluid to use in there? Its an automatic GM tranny form a 1991 NON-VANOS M50 525I

Thank you all in advance, Artem

Do you have an ATF dipstick on your car?