Preventative Maintenance or Peace of Mind

[Dave Hess]

With such an expensive BMW, it would be very wise to change the ATF often

 

[brianl703]

quote:

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This transmission has no dipstick and claims lifetime fluid.

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The tech who changed the transmission fluid on my mom's car (a Chevrolet Malibu Classic with the 4T40E trans) said that it's set up exactly like the BMW transmissions (he normally works at the BMW shop two doors down from the shop I use).

There's a level checking plug on the side of the transmission and a filler cap on top of it.

After re-installing the pan, add fluid with the level checking plug removed until fluid just starts to come out of it (you can add more fluid, it'll just be wasted).

Then start the engine and again add fluid until it just starts to come out of it. When the pan is warm to the touch, then reinstall the level checking plug, then shut off the engine and you're done. (Do not shut off the engine without the plug installed..otherwise all the fluid you added after you started the engine will come back out).

You can do a partial fluid change without dropping the pan by removing the check plug without the engine running (on the 4T40E about 3 quarts will come out; I don't know how much will come out of the BMW transmission), then starting the engine and adding fluid.