Too late to change my trans fluid?

[passthetongs]

I'm sitting around 124k miles on my '11 e70 35i and have yet to change any fluids in my trans, diffs, TC. Should I go ahead and do it? Anything I have to worry about? No issues that I am experiencing(knock on wood) aside from an occasional slightly bumpy shift from 1-2 at low speed.

[pearlpower]

Nope, I would not flush it, but nothing wrong with dropping the pan, swapping filter, and putting in fresh fluid.

With that mileage I would also pull the valve body and change all of the rubber seals.

If there any shifting concerns, might as well put in a set of solenoids-a weak BMW area.

[Poppyboy]

Fear of changing the fluid, even at this mileage, is nonsense. Go ahead and drain, not flush, the fluid. Fluid gets dirty. It should be changed. I’m actually waiting for a transmission pan from FCP Euro. Just know that their pans have a no-time use drain valve (plastic, can’t be torqued) and you’d need to install a specific drain plug.

[pdX5M]

Originally Posted by Poppyboy

Fear of changing the fluid, even at this mileage, is nonsense. Go ahead and drain, not flush, the fluid. Fluid gets dirty. It should be changed. I’m actually waiting for a transmission pan from FCP Euro. Just know that their pans have a no-time use drain valve (plastic, can’t be torqued) and you’d need to install a specific drain plug.

Was just looking through the FCP website and didn't see that they had a transmission pan for an E70 X5 M. I'm going to service my transmission soon and was thinking of just buying their Liqui Moly service kit that runs about $240. Out of curiosity what's the reason you're replacing the entire trans oil pan?

[TwinSnailz]

On the M, the filter is not integrated to the pan. Therefore you reuse the awesome M pan that’s got the cooling fins. Just replace the filter and metal gasket.

[pdX5M]

Originally Posted by TwinSnailz

On the M, the filter is not integrated to the pan. Therefore you reuse the awesome M pan that’s got the cooling fins. Just replace the filter and metal gasket.

OK that's what I thought but was second guessing myself. Looking forward to getting some fresh fluid in there...and in the diffs and transfer case...and doing a coolant flush. Lots to do.

[pearlpower]

Originally Posted by pdX5M

OK that's what I thought but was second guessing myself. Looking forward to getting some fresh fluid in there...and in the diffs and transfer case...and doing a coolant flush. Lots to do.

I exchange emails with them last week, they do not have the filter separate, they sell it with the wrong gasket, so you need to get the rubber gasket separate from them also. Just toss the paper gasket that comes with the filter.

[pdX5M]

Originally Posted by pearlpower

they sell it with the wrong gasket

Did they say why they include the wrong gasket? That makes no sense at all lol

[X5 MAN]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it

[pearlpower]

Originally Posted by pdX5M

Did they say why they include the wrong gasket? That makes no sense at all lol

Yes, that is the only way they sell it.

This thread might help you.
https://www.xbimmers.com/forums/show...t=transmission

I plan on doing mine next month.

[Poppyboy]

Originally Posted by pdX5M

Was just looking through the FCP website and didn't see that they had a transmission pan for an E70 X5 M. I'm going to service my transmission soon and was thinking of just buying their Liqui Moly service kit that runs about $240. Out of curiosity what's the reason you're replacing the entire trans oil pan?

For my N55 (35i), it has the 8-speed trans (GA8HP45Z). The filter is integrated into the pan, necessitating it be replaced at the same time as the fluid.

[FastCletus]

I just watched a vid on how to change transmission filter and mechatronic sleeve, etc. and thinking about doing this myself. Only problem is I don't have a level ground to work on. My driveway is pitched and my car wont fit in garage (too many motorcycles and scooters) only solution is to put car halfway in drive way and half on street to maybe make it level. I pull my camper about once a month so I am thinking probably a good idea to change fluid. I am at 100K miles and I don't think PO changed it since around 50 or 60K

[Poppyboy]

Just grab some wood planks to drive up on to get level. It doesn’t take much since the car is relatively high already.

[jcattletown]

Originally Posted by Poppyboy

For my N55 (35i), it has the 8-speed trans (GA8HP45Z). The filter is integrated into the pan, necessitating it be replaced at the same time as the fluid.

I have a 2013 X5 35i with the same transmission as yours. When you do transmission oil change, do you need to reset the oil level and adaption? Here is what I read from the manual:

IMPORTANT: To set the correct level, it is mandatory that the service function "Transmission control unit: oil adjustment" is performed using the diagnosis system. Failure to comply with this requirement will result in serious damage to the automatic transmission.


If this has to be done using ISTA+, do you have detailed step by step instructions? Thanks.

[Poppyboy]

I believe all of that is simply to ensure that the transmission fluid is at the proper temperature for the final fill. Instead, use an infrared thermometer gun pointed at the transmission pan to ensure the temperature is between 30 and 50°C before the final fill. There’s nothing to reset. I did the job yesterday. Just be mindful that three of the perimeter pan bolts are almost impossible to remove due to them being located an inch above a transmission brace. You’ll need to use some ingenuity to loosen, then tighten them. I shaved down my T40 bit and taped it to a tiny wrench to accomplish the task. Took lots of patience.

[jcattletown]

Originally Posted by Poppyboy

I believe all of that is simply to ensure that the transmission fluid is at the proper temperature for the final fill. Instead, use an infrared thermometer gun pointed at the transmission pan to ensure the temperature is between 30 and 50°C before the final fill. There’s nothing to reset. I did the job yesterday. Just be mindful that three of the perimeter pan bolts are almost impossible to remove due to them being located an inch above a transmission brace. You’ll need to use some ingenuity to loosen, then tighten them. I shaved down my T40 bit and taped it to a tiny wrench to accomplish the task. Took lots of patience.

Have you measured the amount of oil drained? if you put back the same amount of oil in the transmission, the oil level adjustment may not be needed. Thanks for the heads-up for the three screws. I will take a look and see what I can do with those. I can use ISTA to monitor the oil temperature continuously, and do the final fill when the temperature falls between 40 and 50C.

[Poppyboy]

You don’t need to check the level. It is full at initial fill when fluid trickles out as you pump it in. At that point, close the fill plug finger tight. Then, run the car, foot on brake, through the gears, including M1, M2, D and R, 10 seconds each. Then, put it in P and bring the car up to temperature. While running at temperature, open up the fill plug and fill again until fluid trickles out, taking care to not burn yourself too much on the exhaust. At that point, button it up and you’re done. You must do both an initial and secondary fill since the fluid changes under temperature.

[jcattletown]

Originally Posted by Poppyboy

You don’t need to check the level. It is full at initial fill when fluid trickles out as you pump it in. At that point, close the fill plug finger tight. Then, run the car, foot on brake, through the gears, including M1, M2, D and R, 10 seconds each. Then, put it in P and bring the car up to temperature. While running at temperature, open up the fill plug and fill again until fluid trickles out, taking care to not burn yourself too much on the exhaust. At that point, button it up and you’re done. You must do both an initial and secondary fill since the fluid changes under temperature.

Sounds a good way to go. Thanks.

[Makaveli69]

i did mine the other week, changed oil, filter, and mechtronic seals, was pretty easy and took about 7L of oil, i also had to top it up 3 times the first time it wouldnt change out of park due to not enough fluid. To get the 3 back bolts i loosened (dont take them right out) the brace bolts and held it out of the way with a big screw driver.

[jcattletown]

Originally Posted by Makaveli69

i did mine the other week, changed oil, filter, and mechtronic seals, was pretty easy and took about 7L of oil, i also had to top it up 3 times the first time it wouldnt change out of park due to not enough fluid. To get the 3 back bolts i loosened (dont take them right out) the brace bolts and held it out of the way with a big screw driver.

That's a good idea to loosen the bolts of the cross bar without removing it to gain access to the three hidden bolts. Thanks for sharing.

[Alex Ander]

Originally Posted by Makaveli69

i did mine the other week, changed oil, filter, and mechtronic seals, was pretty easy and took about 7L of oil, i also had to top it up 3 times the first time it wouldnt change out of park due to not enough fluid. To get the 3 back bolts i loosened (dont take them right out) the brace bolts and held it out of the way with a big screw driver.

Hi,
I assume with "brace" you mean what the manual calls the "cross member".
as per the second photo on this link:
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...l-sump/QCnlmZc

Did you just loosened the bolts marked in the picture?
No danger of dropping the transmission?

I have found this ultra low profile T40 wrench that should be able to get through the space and access the 3 pan bolts, although there is no way to torque correctly those 3 bolts and maybe still not enough space to extract the bolt.

https://www.amazon.com/Neiko-01328A-..._wg=1hiWS&th=1


If you can answer it would be of great help.

[Poppyboy]

I didn’t even mess with the transmission brace. I simply ground down my T40 to make it very low profile, then taped it to a tiny crescent wrench to work those three bolts. As it turned out, there’s really no need to check the torque values anyway. 7.5Nm is not much at all.