DIY Manual gearbox fluid change

Ouroux71

Member
Ouroux sur Saone, FRANCE
I'm looking ahead to getting my list of Winter projects and one of them will be changing the transmission fluid. There are no transmission issues and this is just preventitive maintenance. I know BMW say this is lifetime fluid but we all know their lifetime is the lifetime before you are pushed into buying another car.

So if anyone has done this on a manual please jump in:

Question: Have I correctly identified the gearbox on a 2009 23sdrive as a GS6-17BG ?
Question: Is the capacity is 1.3L?
Question: And should the specification should be MTF-LT2?

Method:

I'll be getting the car lifted level on a car lift so it will be easy to access and the car will be level. Thetransmission will already be warmed up. Refill plug opened up first to confirm it can be refilled after draining. Then drain the old fluid. Clean lower transmission hole area and replace the drain plug with a new one (M18x1.5) 45Nm tightening torque. Clean the area around the refill plug and then fill up with new fluid until it just starts to overflow (or should it just be 1.3L regardless?). Replace the refill plug with another M18x1.5 plug same torque.

Anyone see an error in my specs or methodolgy?

Regards

Mark
 
tintoverano said:
all the instructions and details are available here
Thanks.
That confirms most of what I thought... I sometimes have difficulty navigating that site but that's what it confirms what I thought although I need MTF-LT3 rather than LT2

Noticed you had the CDV delete in your signature... Still happy you did that? It's on my list of potential mods.
 
Thanks. I'll do the gearbox fluid change myself and check for leaks. I think the CDV thing is a DIY operation but it is possible to lose fluid I believe - maybe not much though. Then I can get the brake hoses redone with a brake fluid change done by a local independant.
 
I don't think it is necessary to replace the drain and fill plugs with new ones...unless you mash them up taking them out!
 
Always a god idea to drain old oil through a piece of coarse cloth, will reveal any metal debris in the oil that could indicate impending failure (DOOOM)....
 
I had planned to have a look at the old fluid for signs of chards... Maybe not knowing is best..... :o
 
mcbutler said:
Always a god idea to drain old oil through a piece of coarse cloth, will reveal any metal debris in the oil that could indicate impending failure (DOOOM)....

Doesn't the drain plug have a magnet on it.........? Pretty sure my old Land Rover gearbox did.
 
bob4333 said:
mcbutler said:
Always a god idea to drain old oil through a piece of coarse cloth, will reveal any metal debris in the oil that could indicate impending failure (DOOOM)....
Doesn't the drain plug have a magnet on it.........? Pretty sure my old Land Rover gearbox did.

yeah, this doesn't
 
Best fluid yet, and i have tried a few different fluids, try Redline MT-LV gear box oil, the only one that stopped my crashy 2nd gear.
Comes 1 quart and just enough to fill the box.

The first time i drained the oil i had access to a ramp. The ramp owner fixed Land Rovers.
When we drained the gear oil, he said that it looked like Landy auto transmission oil. He showed me some he had in a drum.

Perhaps something BMW took on from their Rover days.
 
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