Does Changing Lifetime Fluid Kill Transmissions?

[Gearhead]

Bump.

This is fast coming to the top of my task list. Looking for any more updates. Zhandax and Cambridge, what did you finally choose? Results? Feedback?


Thanks!

[Rustam]

I took a huge risk at getting my car without paperwork or anything - Put about as muh as I had gotten it for and now for $2400 I got a nice smooth running car. I had to replace the fluid and the seals for it too so I took it to a really great local transmission shop and they fixed it right up. Never even asked me to sign anything. Car runs beautifully now, it was sliping out of drive a bunch of times before I cleaned my ICV, so it would idle higher. Right now I believe one thing that needs to be done to it it the gear Shift lever needs to have its contacts cleaned because sometimes it would go out of D into some unknown gear - D would disappear off the LCD and the car would just act weird. Other than that and LSD needing a fill-up and a few minor things the car is great.

-Artem

Have not seen you for a while.. Did you manage to resolve cyl 4 ignintion issue?

[zhandax]

I used the MVATF and had a whine from the transmission when cold. Turns out it was caused by the aftermarket O-ring for the filter which is a smaller diameter. I got another filter and O-ring from the dealer and the whine went away. My tech thought I was nuts until he heard the difference. Changing fluid and filter twice in a few weeks probably changed most of the fluid. ~4000 miles into it I am pleased.

[pingu]

My 5HP30 had the whining noise when cold and the seal for the shift selector shaft leaked. I had the filter, pan fluid and seal changed at 130,000 miles. I asked my indy to use genuine Shell fluid and I think that they did - it cost £58 for 5 litres (I double checked by calling the local BMW dealer who was prepared to sell it by the litre for about £10/litre). Now nearly 141,000 miles, and a year later, and everything is still working fine. The whine is reduced but still there on a cold day - I wonder whether the indy used an OEM filter or set the ATM fluid level correctly. No real problems with shifting - I get an occasional hard down shift at about 60mph, but this only happens two or three times a year.

[swenpro]

Bump.

This is fast coming to the top of my task list. Looking for any more updates. Zhandax and Cambridge, what did you finally choose? Results? Feedback?


Thanks!

Likewise for me, my 540i tranny is becoming high priority now that the weather is warm... I may be looking at a valve body replacement soon, but regardless I will have to change/add fluid.

This thread has had a great discussion and poll, and I'd like to find conclusive answers too...

[632 Regal]

4000 miles is in no way a conclusive test on sub standard fluid! Maybe 40k or so.

I used the MVATF and had a whine from the transmission when cold. Turns out it was caused by the aftermarket O-ring for the filter which is a smaller diameter. I got another filter and O-ring from the dealer and the whine went away. My tech thought I was nuts until he heard the difference. Changing fluid and filter twice in a few weeks probably changed most of the fluid. ~4000 miles into it I am pleased.

[632 Regal]

interesting...nikasilholics last post was bragging about the MVATF fluid and he is gone. It would be interesting looking into who used the geeneric fluid and has since disapeered.

[ThoreauHD]

I changed mine as well. The dealer was reticent about doing it, but I forced him to. The engine has 83K miles, but it's a replacement engine when BMW did the alusil switch. So I have no idea how many miles are on the transmission itself. In any case, they changed it and found that the fluid had evaporated/deaminated for the most part. It was shifting very rough but now it slides through gears like a champ.

The weather that the car was in was upstate NY- very cold. Currently it's in a moderate environment of 70 degrees F or so. Central Virginia. I have put a little of 1000 miles on it and it's fine.

Lifetime for BMW has changed.. from forever to 80-100K miles. I changed it at 80K with the new engine, but it could mean 180K- don't know. I would prefer to risk blowing away my transmission rather than waiting for it to slowly seize up. I want this car to last, so there really was no other option for me. Everything degrades, and I wanted to bring it to mint condition nuts to bolts.

I have had no adverse affects due to the fluid change.

[632 Regal]

the correct fluid or the 7-11 stuff?

[zhandax]

4000 miles is in no way a conclusive test on sub standard fluid! Maybe 40k or so.

I typed this in a hurry out the door to work. But he did ask what I used and I added the ~4000 so he would not think this was an exhaustive test. It does shift better, though.