After going through the forum and speaking to Opie oils I’ve gone for Red Line MTLV for the gearbox and Castrol trans max for the diff but am unsure if I need washers for the drain plugs. I’ve just got 2 new plugs from BMW but only one has an o ring washer and apparently nothing listed for the other plug. I have also just read some diffs do not have a drain plug. Any help please.
Gearbox and Diff drain plug washers
- Thread starter BostonJohn
- Start date
The one with the green o-ring is for the differential (fill and drain plugs are the same). The other one is for the manual transmission (drain and fill plugs are the same) and if you look close it should have a built in metal gasket. I've read the same thing that some diffs don't have drain plugs but I can't verify it.
I checked with my parts man at Chandlers where I got the plugs from and he spoke with a technician who said they self seal and I also picked up a thread on the forum that said the same thing so hopefully it will be okay. It also seems that it’s E86 boxes for some reason that don’t have drain plugs.
Both oils changed the RedLine gear oil does seem rather thin but the gear change does seem slightly improved. The gearbox plug supplied by BMW was different to the one we took out which seemed longer and did have a washer so we reused it. Both the gearbox and diff oil seemed okay not too black and didn’t have any particles in either. Cleared out the hood drain plugs while on the ramp as well.
I will probably take off the road soon so all my other planned work will start around April May.
I will probably take off the road soon so all my other planned work will start around April May.
E86 have a drain and fill plugs on the box but only a fill plug on the diff.BostonJohn said:
My 2003 2.5 has tapered thread plugs on the gearbox fill and drain plugs, no sealing washers, the diff however has alloy sealing washers on the fill and drain plugs, these alloy washer corrode with age and turn to lace, same on Z3's. Replaced mine on the Z4 and Z3 with copper washers.
Z4 2.5 sealing washers for diff are No 5 in the diagram here
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BT32-EUR-04-2003-E85-BMW-Z4_25i&diagId=33_1147
Gearbox plugs are No 16 here
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BT32-EUR-04-2003-E85-BMW-Z4_25i&diagId=23_0234
Z4 2.5 sealing washers for diff are No 5 in the diagram here
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BT32-EUR-04-2003-E85-BMW-Z4_25i&diagId=33_1147
Gearbox plugs are No 16 here
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=BT32-EUR-04-2003-E85-BMW-Z4_25i&diagId=23_0234
I have an 06 3.0si and the trans had a drain and fill plug with a green o-ring built into the plug (like the plug on the right does. it looks like the one on the left might have one too, but hard to tell in that image). The diff had the same thing but only had a fill plug, not a drain plug. Had to syphon the old oil out with a pump. I haven't seen anything definitive on which cars came with fill and drain plugs vs which only came with a fill plug
Just did exactly this job on my 04 2.2i.
Took out all the plugs and no real sign of any separate washers, just the green bit on the diff one.
as I hadn't read this thread at that point I popped then all back in as they were and no signs of any leaks.
A good tip if you've not already done this - make sure the fill plug will come out first.
Draining it then finding the fill plug is seized is a bit of a bugger!
Took out all the plugs and no real sign of any separate washers, just the green bit on the diff one.
as I hadn't read this thread at that point I popped then all back in as they were and no signs of any leaks.
A good tip if you've not already done this - make sure the fill plug will come out first.
Draining it then finding the fill plug is seized is a bit of a bugger!
