Should you have zf8HP serviced after break-in?

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FlyingTexan

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Jan 28, 2017
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Location
Texas
Few questions here related two vehicles.

1) Should I have my ZF 8HP transmissions serviced after a solid break-in on a new vehicle?
2) I'm selling my Discovery which has 72k miles and never had the transmission serviced. Is it time I do so? What's the general cost? I had do the partial fluid drain/refill but I don't have the setup to pull pans and everything. Some things are just better to pay someone else.
 
I would not do anything to either. Since the Discovery has had drain and fills which is more than most on the road - it will be fine. These are, in my opinion, the best transmissions currently available in most situations. I have 3 vehicles with them (2 Jeeps 1 Ram). Drain and fills are fine. You may decide to change the filter/pan combo at the 100k mark but that's about it.
 
FlyingTexan said:
Few questions here related two vehicles.

1) Should I have my ZF 8HP transmissions serviced after a solid break-in on a new vehicle?
2) I'm selling my Discovery which has 72k miles and never had the transmission serviced. Is it time I do so? What's the general cost? I had do the partial fluid drain/refill but I don't have the setup to pull pans and everything. Some things are just better to pay someone else.
Click to expand...
If you can drain the fluid you can remove the pan - just bolts nothing special.
 
GMBoy said:
I would not do anything to either. Since the Discovery has had drain and fills which is more than most on the road - it will be fine. These are, in my opinion, the best transmissions currently available in most situations. I have 3 vehicles with them (2 Jeeps 1 Ram). Drain and fills are fine. You may decide to change the filter/pan combo at the 100k mark but that's about it.
Click to expand...
The Discovery has never had anything done. It's at 72k. Just regular engine oil changes is all. I was wondering if I should service it.
 
FlyingTexan said:
The Discovery has never had anything done. It's at 72k. Just regular engine oil changes is all. I was wondering if I should service it.
Click to expand...
I would if you were keeping it. I know lifetime fill is the industry catchphrase, but fluid is somewhat cheap insurance. I don't think you have anything to gain other than peace of mind to the buyer if you're private selling. I used to do all of this work myself, but these days I'm a bit too busy for anything more than a basic oil change. I had a Jaguar with the ZF 6 speed and I do remember the fluid being pretty expensive, but I don't know what they charge for the change as I did that one myself. I do know my VW DSG twin clutch service was around $400 for fluid and filter.

I've never done a break in trans fluid change, but I either follow the manufacturers fluid change intervals or before 50k, whichever comes first. I haven't seen anything that would concern me into wanting to do an early drain and fill on any of the vehicles I have owned at least.
 
What vehicle are we talking about for the ZF 8HP? As a whole, these are pretty solid transmissions. A lot of them are never touched.

In my area, a lot of places won’t touch that transmission. The filter is integrated in the pan, so a filter replacement means a pan replacement. There are aftermarket options but that’s not always the best plan. PPE makes one for some applications, Dorman makes some.

For example, for my truck, a Mopar pan is about $350, Mopar fluid is $30-35/qt and you need 6. So you’re starting at $530-560 to do it yourself with OE stuff. You can get official fluid from FCPEuro, Lifeguard 8 for $16/qt to save money. The fill procedure isn’t bad, just tedious.
 
racer12306 said:
What vehicle are we talking about for the ZF 8HP? As a whole, these are pretty solid transmissions. A lot of them are never touched.

In my area, a lot of places won’t touch that transmission. The filter is integrated in the pan, so a filter replacement means a pan replacement. There are aftermarket options but that’s not always the best plan. PPE makes one for some applications, Dorman makes some.

For example, for my truck, a Mopar pan is about $350, Mopar fluid is $30-35/qt and you need 6. So you’re starting at $530-560 to do it yourself with OE stuff. You can get official fluid from FCPEuro, Lifeguard 8 for $16/qt to save money. The fill procedure isn’t bad, just tedious.
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I believe the ZF6 was the same way with the filter. I didn't replace that on mine. I ruptured a cooler line so I replaced that and did a garage flush using the transmission's pump. That's likely all I would do if I was doing it myself.
 
FlyingTexan said:
Few questions here related two vehicles.

1) Should I have my ZF 8HP transmissions serviced after a solid break-in on a new vehicle?
2) I'm selling my Discovery which has 72k miles and never had the transmission serviced. Is it time I do so? What's the general cost? I had do the partial fluid drain/refill but I don't have the setup to pull pans and everything. Some things are just better to pay someone else.
Click to expand...
Don't do anything. ZF specifically says that first service should be at 100,000km or 60,000mls. Only drain and fill!
 
racer12306 said:
What vehicle are we talking about for the ZF 8HP? As a whole, these are pretty solid transmissions. A lot of them are never touched.

In my area, a lot of places won’t touch that transmission. The filter is integrated in the pan, so a filter replacement means a pan replacement. There are aftermarket options but that’s not always the best plan. PPE makes one for some applications, Dorman makes some.

For example, for my truck, a Mopar pan is about $350, Mopar fluid is $30-35/qt and you need 6. So you’re starting at $530-560 to do it yourself with OE stuff. You can get official fluid from FCPEuro, Lifeguard 8 for $16/qt to save money. The fill procedure isn’t bad, just tedious.
Click to expand...
2017 Discovery TD6 with 72k miles.
 
demarpaint said:
Selling it don't bother, keeping it, I'd service it.
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Well I was going to trade it in at the dealership but my boss said he'd like it to take to his Georgia plantation. I don't want to sell it to him if it's going to go to crap right around the corner. It's a ZF8hp70
 
FlyingTexan said:
Few questions here related two vehicles.

1) Should I have my ZF 8HP transmissions serviced after a solid break-in on a new vehicle?
2) I'm selling my Discovery which has 72k miles and never had the transmission serviced. Is it time I do so? What's the general cost? I had do the partial fluid drain/refill but I don't have the setup to pull pans and everything. Some things are just better to pay someone else.
Click to expand...
Q1: No
 
FlyingTexan said:
Well I was going to trade it in at the dealership but my boss said he'd like it to take to his Georgia plantation. I don't want to sell it to him if it's going to go to crap right around the corner. It's a ZF8hp70
Click to expand...
Why would it die? There is plenty running 200k miles plus never been touched.
 
This topic was addressed today in the BMW CCA weekly newsletter today:

The ZF 8HP can be found in brands beyond BMW, with Jaguars, Land Rovers, and Chryslers all being outfitted with variations tailored to their power outputs. Unlike BMW, which says the ZF 8HP has a “lifetime fill” and doesn’t have a service interval, the other manufacturers and ZF themselves recommend a transmission fluid service every eight years or 50,000 to 75,000 miles.

So, what’s with the “lifetime fill”, BMW? Per Gareth Foley at FCP Euro, “BMW rates these transmissions for a ‘lifetime fill,’ however, through our channels at ZF and speaking with the engineers of those transmissions, we’ve learned that the transmissions are tested to 100,000 miles with an “acceptable rate of failure” on the original fill. 100,000 miles is BMW’s definition of a ‘lifetime fill’ and that’s passed the extended warranty and ‘good-will’ repair limit, meaning a failure after that is no longer BMW’s responsibility.”
 
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