BMW autobox expert needed.

[warren t claim]

Been offered a cheap E39 5 series with the 2.5 litre straight six engine.

 

The problem is that the box goes into limp mode when it gets warm. Am I right in saying that these boxes are sealed for life and the fluid may be borked? Is there an easy solution to this problem?

 

Thanks.

[red5]

I'll ask my colleague in morning - used to work at Main dealers.

 

Sam

[cort16]

They say sealed for life but they're not really. Normally you can drain the fluid and change the filter. The fluid is usually eyewateringly expensive given how much you need (loads).

 

This is good for figuring out the parts you need for BMW's and gives you a diagram of the parts to see if they're available.

 

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partgrp.do?model=DT42&mospid=47541&hg=24&fg=15

[andrew e]

Is it borked or just slurring? Mine wouldn't kick down I the end, but the box still worked (199k). Otherwise as cort sez!

[warren t claim]

It drives as normal until the box warms up and then goes into limp home mode. I quite like the car (and the price) and would like to save it if I can.

[andrew e]

A proper one on proper tyres properly 4 wheel aligned is SUBLIME. They must have been fabulous new.

 

I'm sure the box has a secondhand premium, and you have to pressurise the ATF inwards or some such awkwardness.

[warren t claim]

A proper one on proper tyres properly 4 wheel aligned is SUBLIME. They must have been fabulous new.

 

I'm sure the box has a secondhand premium, and you have to pressurise the ATF inwards or some such awkwardness.

 

Hydrolastic pump and a quiet prayer?

[hairnet]

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showth ... p?t=607693

 

bmw atf doesnt break down and get lumps in oh no

 

manuals are supposed to be sealed too and thats bolox too (we did ours about 3 yars ago)

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

These use the 5 speed ZF Auto 5HP19 and they are officially sealed for life. The fluid does the job and they can do over 200k so it's not really the fluid that's no good. However, if the car is cheap enough (i.e £200) you can drain the oil, replace the filter and refill with the correct oil, Esso LT71141 synthetic. Don't use anything else. Check the level first - the box needs to be at working temp, on the level and oil just trying to run out of the refill hole with the engine idling in N or P.

You need to make sure the tyres are all the same size as wrong sized ones will confuse the ABS sensors (the ABS is linked to the box electronics) and that the battery is absolutely 101% fighting fit and the right size. The wrong/shagged battery will send it into limp home. A knackered cam sensor will do the same.

If you want to take a 200 quid punt, get these checked out by someone with a good code reader. You could clear the codes, change the oil and filter and it'll be right.

[warren t claim]

Fuck ME!!!!!

 

What's this Esso LT71141 made of, unicorn jizz?

 

Assuming the cars cheap enough, is there an alternative that doestn't cost as much? I'm not arsed about longevity as the car will probably be scrapped within a couple of years anyway.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

You could fire Dexron 111 in there as long as you do a full flush. The synthetic oil is there to protect the lock up clutch in the converter. But before anything else, get the fault codes read, check for wanked battery etc.

[warren t claim]

Any idea what the oil capacity is for that particular transmission?

[cort16]

It's says 9 litres here. My 740i needed 8 litres for the normal fluid change then another 12 for the full torque convertor, which I found a bit confusing. I don't know if these are the same.

 

http://www.bimmerinfo.com/files/e46trans/ZF5HP19.pdf

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

It's 3.3 litres for a refill, but a lot more for the fluid lines and talk perverter as the Cortmeister says. Have the engiune idling for 15 mis to get it up to normal temp and pump oil in via the recessed refill plug when it starts to run out, run it through the gears, and if it'll take no more oil, that's it.

I'd buy three 5 litre containers of Dexron. Drain the box, refill with Dexron, run it, drain it. Do that again and then drop the sump, clean it out, change the filter and refill again.An alternative is to disconnect the fluid cooler return line from the box and run it until bugger all else comes out. It's not under any strain so it won't damage it as long as you shut it off as soon as the flow becomes a trickle. Then pump new oil in with the engine running as described.

On these boxes, the converter lock up doesn't kick in at 55 like it did on the old four speeds. It shifts in and out between every gearshift to provide a super smooth gearshift. The LT71141 was designed for this job, and be in there for up to 200k. If it's of any comfort, the previous 5 Series (E34) used virtually the same box and ran on Dexron.

 

Fuck it, just do a flush with Dexron. It'll probably be alright.

 

But, if the level is alright and the box is externally dry you'll need to check the other things first.

[warren t claim]

Fuck it, just do a flush with Dexron. It'll probably be alright.

 

That's more like it!

[dieselnutjob]

Personally if ZF say to only use Esso LT71141, then I would use only Esso LT71141.

It's impossible to totally drain the oil, so once you put the wrong stuff in you can never completely get it out.

It's not so expensive from opie oils, and probably 5 litres would be enough

[Pete-M]

I'm with DNJ on this.

 

Which means that WTC will no doubt fill the box with EP90 or summat.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Pack it in, buy an old Mini automatic and never think about ATF again. Moss do a sound deadening kit which should bring the refinement up to near E39 levels.

[ShiteRider]

Pack it in, buy an old Mini automatic and never think about ATF again. Moss do a sound deadening kit which should bring the refinement up to near E39 levels.

Christ auto minis' are bad, you reminded me of the one we had as a runabout at a garage i worked at when i was 19 (patchy orange m-reg clubman).

Trying to hold the fucker back on the shite brakes in traffic, then it would scream through the gears till it hit top (around 20/25mph in that thing) then felt like it was going to bog down and cut out everywhere......don't know if it had the wrong oil in it (no one ever checked/changed it) or they're all like that. It was a laugh though, nowt faster than a works car

[warren t claim]

Personally if ZF say to only use Esso LT71141, then I would use only Esso LT71141.

It's impossible to totally drain the oil, so once you put the wrong stuff in you can never completely get it out.

It's not so expensive from opie oils, and probably 5 litres would be enough

 

Only a tenner a litre from Opie Oils. I might invest.

[warren t claim]

Anyway, I went for a proper look today and its seems a straight old bus other than a few faults, the brake light warning lights are on even though the brake lights are working fine, the ABS light is on and after a short drive in reverse I could smell burning oil. The black paintwirk would come up nicely other than the bonnet that looks like a barrier has hit it.

 

For the right money it might be worth a punt.

 

And the gearbox refused to missbehave.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

What year is the turd? Post 9/98 or thereabouts = the dreaded '001' ABS ECU that goes tits up. It'll show as a rear sensor that's buggered but in fact it's the ECU. Brake light switch fault 'may' have an impact on the autobox.

[cort16]

The 525i was only on the facelift ones it was 523i before that. I'm pretty sure the brake light thingy comes on if the fluid is low. It certainly did on my old 520i.

[warren t claim]

Come to think of it, the traction control light is on as well.

[cort16]

It certainly sounds appealling*

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Did u geddit? Eh? Eh? Did u geddit????

[Tetleysmooth]

Come to think of it, the traction control light is on as well.

 

Sounds like a god awful V6 Omega I had a while back.

ABS+TC lights on = ABS ecu.

Poxy job on the Omega so I got shot pronto.

Don't know about the Beemer though.

[warren t claim]

THREAD FROM THE DEAD

 

I've been offered an E36 318iS with an autobox that seems to only want to pull away in third. Any idea why? Will a fluid change sort it out? 

[Eddie Honda]

Yeah, it's fucked because sealed for life bollocks has lunched itself. A starting point would be drop pan and see how much shite is in there, mibbie clean it and whilst in there change the filter too. Alternatively, if you find it too manky, go to the pub instead.

 

In my other post was the key info: Gearbox: A4S 310R Auto which to you and me means "ALL GENERAL MOTORS R SHIT". It's a GM box.

 

 

Note GM model designation: GM 4L30E

 

ETA:

 

Transmission bloke on the internet sez: "The A4S-310R (also known as the 4L30E) transmission [snip] does have a history of wearing out the drive clutch discs, especially if the fluid is not kept changed and clean right from the beginning. The rebuild kit would address all of the wear parts as well as the seals and gaskets. There is one additional friction band that should be replaced as well (low-band)"

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

THREAD FROM THE DEAD

 

I've been offered an E36 318iS with an autobox that seems to only want to pull away in third. Any idea why? Will a fluid change sort it out? 

 

 

 

Forget it. One drive of a functioning 318iS auto will put you off for life. Wouldn't pull your foreskin back.