Flush with Syn or drain and fill with OE

[901Memphis]

The Mityvac will pay for itself pretty quick in the time and money you will save changing your own fluids including transmission and oil. It's a very versatile machine and if you have shop air or an air compressor you don't even have to pump it, pretty sweet.

 

[threeputtpar]

Just like the previous gen ZF trans, the 5HP series, the fluid spec is based mostly on a full synthetic version of Dexron, with the 5HP following the Dex III spec and the 6HP following the Dex VI spec. I've even run the new version of Maxlife (Dex VI suitable) in my 5HP19 without any issues.

It really doesn't matter what the color of the Lifeguard 6 fluid is, any compatible fluid can be mixed with it. My original fluid was a very light brown, and now it's a dark cloudy shade of red after the Maxlife and Wolf's Head.

Do 1 or 2 drain and fills with any full syn Dex VI or equivalent and add a 10 oz bottle of Lubegard Red on the last fill and you'll be good.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

ZF severe service* is ~45-65k miles otherwise it's 100k (aka lifetime). Apparently the unit is good for 200k-300k miles.

ZF Lifeguard 6 is OE.

*pan drop and fill.

 

[srbarnes4ever]

Anyone using Redline ATF for this? The price on Lifeguard 6 is ridiculous....good grief.

 

[antiqueshell]

Originally Posted By: BMWTurboDzl
ZF severe service* is ~45-65k miles otherwise it's 100k (aka lifetime). Apparently the unit is good for 200k-300k miles.

ZF Lifeguard 6 is OE.

*pan drop and fill.


....

The ZF severe service interval is a good one to follow for
ANYONE that is planning on keeping the car for a long time.
Don't wait until 100k even if you THINK you drive it gently.

I also agree that in this case it is best to go with a
reputable shop that specializes in BMW to change the fluid properly. You do NOT want to make errors on the level.

 

[threeputtpar]

Originally Posted By: srbarnes4ever
Anyone using Redline ATF for this? The price on Lifeguard 6 is ridiculous....good grief.


Yes, ZF is quite proud of their brand of ATF. Redline D6 will work just as well as any other synthetic Dex VI fluid, but will hurt your wallet more.

Valvoline Maxlife or Dexron VI are both full syn fluids and will work just as well as Lifeguard 6.