So I found out that the "lifetime" ATF in my BMW is Dexron VI. Will that last till 100k or is 50k a better choice? Also would a drain and fill be ok or is a whole pan drop with new filter what I should do?
Does Dexron VI last 100k?
- Thread starter ryland
- Start date
I would not run anyones ATF for 100K. I would think 50K would be a good time to change. A drain and fill would probably work just fine.
Originally Posted By: ryland
So I found out that the "lifetime" ATF in my BMW is Dexron VI. Will that last till 100k or is 50k a better choice? Also would a drain and fill be ok or is a whole pan drop with new filter what I should do?
My Hyundai manual says 105k miles. I can't imagine running ANY fluid that long. And where the heck do they get 105? Not 100? I do 30k.
John
So I found out that the "lifetime" ATF in my BMW is Dexron VI. Will that last till 100k or is 50k a better choice? Also would a drain and fill be ok or is a whole pan drop with new filter what I should do?
My Hyundai manual says 105k miles. I can't imagine running ANY fluid that long. And where the heck do they get 105? Not 100? I do 30k.
John
Toyota/Lexus is doing this too with the Toyota WS (World Standard) fluid. It's very similar to Dex VI.
Originally Posted By: John_K
Originally Posted By: ryland
So I found out that the "lifetime" ATF in my BMW is Dexron VI. Will that last till 100k or is 50k a better choice? Also would a drain and fill be ok or is a whole pan drop with new filter what I should do?
My Hyundai manual says 105k miles. I can't imagine running ANY fluid that long. And where the heck do they get 105? Not 100? I do 30k.
John
Probably to coincide with their 3750 and 7500 mile intervals.
The expected service life of automatics is usually 150k or 200k, anyway.
Originally Posted By: ryland
So I found out that the "lifetime" ATF in my BMW is Dexron VI. Will that last till 100k or is 50k a better choice? Also would a drain and fill be ok or is a whole pan drop with new filter what I should do?
My Hyundai manual says 105k miles. I can't imagine running ANY fluid that long. And where the heck do they get 105? Not 100? I do 30k.
John
Probably to coincide with their 3750 and 7500 mile intervals.
The expected service life of automatics is usually 150k or 200k, anyway.
Is dexron VI red or is it more clear?
Stuff I've seen is red.
Im not sure what color the stuff in the GM transmission for BMW is but I know the ZF stuff is clear but thats not Dexron VI. I saw some info that the stuff that the dealers use is Mobil Dexron VI. So I think I'm going to just do a drain and fill with that but it will be funny if the stuff I drain out isn't red. That is if its not so black that I cant tell what color it was anyway.
I work at a BMW dealer; I just went back and asked a mechanic about the ATF's that are currently used. He showed me one bottle that said Dextron VI on the label; it comes in a gallon bottle. He also showed me what looked like a 5 gallon bucket of a different ATF that he said is gold in color; it's extremely pricey. Apparently the car's transmission indicates on the bottom what fluid to use in many cases. He thinks the fluids are made by either Esso (?), Shell or someone else; the containers don't say who makes it for BMW.
Originally Posted By: BGK
I work at a BMW dealer; I just went back and asked a mechanic about the ATF's that are currently used. He showed me one bottle that said Dextron VI on the label; it comes in a gallon bottle. He also showed me what looked like a 5 gallon bucket of a different ATF that he said is gold in color; it's extremely pricey. Apparently the car's transmission indicates on the bottom what fluid to use in many cases. He thinks the fluids are made by either Esso (?), Shell or someone else; the containers don't say who makes it for BMW.
Well I have the GA6L45R so I guess I buy the Dexron VI. Like I said I saw somewhere that Mobil made it for them and it was supposedly the same as the stuff you can buy from the auto parts store but I dont know if they add the red dye.
I work at a BMW dealer; I just went back and asked a mechanic about the ATF's that are currently used. He showed me one bottle that said Dextron VI on the label; it comes in a gallon bottle. He also showed me what looked like a 5 gallon bucket of a different ATF that he said is gold in color; it's extremely pricey. Apparently the car's transmission indicates on the bottom what fluid to use in many cases. He thinks the fluids are made by either Esso (?), Shell or someone else; the containers don't say who makes it for BMW.
Well I have the GA6L45R so I guess I buy the Dexron VI. Like I said I saw somewhere that Mobil made it for them and it was supposedly the same as the stuff you can buy from the auto parts store but I dont know if they add the red dye.
Hmm $48.26 for the link below or just use mobil Dexron VI???
http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/_...;catalogID=4462
Oh I just found a local dealer that has the 4L jug for $38.96! Sold! I know its the same stuff but I'll feel better useing the offical BMW stuff when I get under there and see that warning label that says stop lifetime fill!
http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/_...;catalogID=4462
Oh I just found a local dealer that has the 4L jug for $38.96! Sold! I know its the same stuff but I'll feel better useing the offical BMW stuff when I get under there and see that warning label that says stop lifetime fill!
Last edited:
There is no pre-determined "life" for an auto trans. Too many variables to list.
Of the ones we can control, the fluid is an easy one to manipulate.
Dex VI is a very sophisticated formula, in a full synthetic brand like Valvoline you could expect pretty long service life. I would say 60k miles or so for most drivers.
30k miles is a typical 'severe' recommendation.
Of the ones we can control, the fluid is an easy one to manipulate.
Dex VI is a very sophisticated formula, in a full synthetic brand like Valvoline you could expect pretty long service life. I would say 60k miles or so for most drivers.
30k miles is a typical 'severe' recommendation.
ATF is just too cheap to gamble cost of tranny. Just do a drain and fill every 30k and you are good.
Kestas
Staff member
According to PetroCanada, Dex VI lasts twice as long as Dex III with respect to oxidation and shear stability. Whatever change interval you use for Dex III, double it for Dex VI. Change it more often if your main concern is contamination from clutch wear, especially after break-in.
Mike Lovrich of Inglewood Transmission, probably the foremost expert on Allison 1000's said he wouldn't flush his toilet with Dex VI.. he's suggesting TES-295 like TranSynd in the Allisons, and if not, DEX III (on the older models only).... now granted, that's a heavy duty application, and not likely a 100,000 miles interval either, but I suspect he knows something about Dex VI that we don't.
I am VERY worried about what my stealer tells me to do with my X5.. he said you "Never" change it.. which tells me one of two things.
a) this transmission isn't meant to last more than 100-125,000 miles.
b) the Dex VI in my BMW is made of pure liquid magic.
Somehow I think the later is unlikely. Kinda sad for an $80,000 "SAV"
I am VERY worried about what my stealer tells me to do with my X5.. he said you "Never" change it.. which tells me one of two things.
a) this transmission isn't meant to last more than 100-125,000 miles.
b) the Dex VI in my BMW is made of pure liquid magic.
Somehow I think the later is unlikely. Kinda sad for an $80,000 "SAV"
Originally Posted By: PDX2500HD
Mike Lovrich of Inglewood Transmission, probably the foremost expert on Allison 1000's said he wouldn't flush his toilet with Dex VI.. he's suggesting TES-295 like TranSynd in the Allisons, and if not, DEX III (on the older models only).... now granted, that's a heavy duty application, and not likely a 100,000 miles interval either, but I suspect he knows something about Dex VI that we don't.
I am VERY worried about what my stealer tells me to do with my X5.. he said you "Never" change it.. which tells me one of two things.
a) this transmission isn't meant to last more than 100-125,000 miles.
b) the Dex VI in my BMW is made of pure liquid magic.
Somehow I think the later is unlikely. Kinda sad for an $80,000 "SAV"
Why would he want to flush his toilet with Dex VI? That doesn't makes any sense in the first place. And stealerships crack me up with "lifetime" liquids...yeah the fluid is lifetime, it will last until the tranny dies @ 100k! They the stealership will tell you, "hey, it was lifetime fluid right? You never had to change it."
Mike Lovrich of Inglewood Transmission, probably the foremost expert on Allison 1000's said he wouldn't flush his toilet with Dex VI.. he's suggesting TES-295 like TranSynd in the Allisons, and if not, DEX III (on the older models only).... now granted, that's a heavy duty application, and not likely a 100,000 miles interval either, but I suspect he knows something about Dex VI that we don't.
I am VERY worried about what my stealer tells me to do with my X5.. he said you "Never" change it.. which tells me one of two things.
a) this transmission isn't meant to last more than 100-125,000 miles.
b) the Dex VI in my BMW is made of pure liquid magic.
Somehow I think the later is unlikely. Kinda sad for an $80,000 "SAV"
Why would he want to flush his toilet with Dex VI? That doesn't makes any sense in the first place. And stealerships crack me up with "lifetime" liquids...yeah the fluid is lifetime, it will last until the tranny dies @ 100k! They the stealership will tell you, "hey, it was lifetime fluid right? You never had to change it."
Kestas
Staff member
That sounds a bit arrogant and conceited for Mark to make such a statement.
Is he suggesting that our transmissions will never fail for >200K with regular TranSynd changes, and that it only costs pennies more?
Is he suggesting that our transmissions will never fail for >200K with regular TranSynd changes, and that it only costs pennies more?
