'93 525 Touring self leveling fluid?

[calmloki]

Owners manual and Bentley call for either ATF or CHF 7.1 hydraulic oil, depending on the sticker on the side of the resevoir. Only problem is I find no label at all. Again, this is a Touring with self leveling, and the existing fluid is clear. What say you all as to the correct fluid? Hate to make assumptions based on what is in existance - the PO thought it was a lifetime fill transmission, and the radiator has green antifreeze. :-(
Tom Walrod

[shogun]

Antifreeze:
some are greenish.
For example the BMW approved Glysantin which is new has a purple colour.
The Glysantin Protect Plus/G48 is blue-green.
Just do not use Glysantion Protect Plus/G05 which is yellow colored, as this is for heavy duty cast iron engines. Unfortunately I can only find at the moment the German page.
http://www.basf.de/basf/html/d/produ...odukte/g48.htm

If your car is 1993 and has LAD, there is Pentosin CHF11s inside. Pentosin CHF 7.1 was used in early models.(at least that was for E32 models)
Buy some Pentosin and compare it with the fluid inside. Use a white paper kitchen towel and dip it into the reservoir.
What is mentioned on the cap of the reservoir?

[Rigmaster]

Pretty sure ALL self-levelling uses Pentosin- NOT ATF...

If it's got a small brown plastic reservoir- it's supposed to use ATF (but I don't think these have self-levelling...), the larger gold colored metal reservoir is the one for self-levelling- it uses a small knurled round knob on top to hold the round metal lid onto the container- the other type (brown plastic) uses a black plastic screw-on lid.

HTH, let me know if you need more info- or I can take some pics of my '92 525iT reservoir to show you.


Bret.

[calmloki]

Shogun,
you are quite right - I went out to check again (wearing my reading glasses) and on the center top of the knurled knob was stamped "CHF11s". I totally missed it as I was looking for a big label or sticker. Here in the states I'm most familiar with a BMW proper (for E28 or E30) long life low phosphate antifreeze being amber/orange in color - the green stuff is not what I expected, though the latest long life Dexcool I bought was green, so color may no longer be a good indicator. E34 recommended antifreeze is different from E28 or E30?
Thanks, Tom Walrod

Antifreeze:
some are greenish.
For example the BMW approved Glysantin which is new has a purple colour.
The Glysantin Protect Plus/G48 is blue-green.
Just do not use Glysantion Protect Plus/G05 which is yellow colored, as this is for heavy duty cast iron engines. Unfortunately I can only find at the moment the German page.
http://www.basf.de/basf/html/d/produ...odukte/g48.htm

If your car is 1993 and has LAD, there is Pentosin CHF11s inside. Pentosin CHF 7.1 was used in early models.(at least that was for E32 models)
Buy some Pentosin and compare it with the fluid inside. Use a white paper kitchen towel and dip it into the reservoir.
What is mentioned on the cap of the reservoir?

[Qsilver7]

Pretty sure ALL self-levelling uses Pentosin- NOT ATF...

If it's got a small brown plastic reservoir- it's supposed to use ATF (but I don't think these have self-levelling...), the larger gold colored metal reservoir is the one for self-levelling- it uses a small knurled round knob on top to hold the round metal lid onto the container- the other type (brown plastic) uses a black plastic screw-on lid.

HTH, let me know if you need more info- or I can take some pics of my '92 525iT reservoir to show you.


Bret.

Bret, I was under the assumption that the 92 & 93 525iT both came standard with LAD (rear self leveling)...then the 94-95 model years it was only available on the 530iT.

[Rigmaster]

Bret, I was under the assumption that the 92 & 93 525iT both came standard with LAD (rear self leveling)...then the 94-95 model years it was only available on the 530iT.

Q-

you are probably correct, I really do not know- I was just trying to help him ID the type of reservoir he had- so he didn't use the wrong fluid and then have to spend $$$$$$$ getting things fixed.


Bret.

[632 Regal]

BMW antifreeze is Cool Blue and is for all BMWs, at least for what we are talking about here.