Parts required for 6 speed auto gearbox service

T

Timmyboybunter

Senior member
 Bristol/Bath
Little help please.

Got some work looming, none of which I fancy myself, but I'll source parts to save a few quid.

Car is on 102k and I'd be amazed if the ATF has ever been changed, so seems like a good bit of preventative maintenance.

The gearbox on the 23i/30i is the ZF 6HP19.

Getting a bit confused as to what the full list of parts needed is.

This seems like a good place to start given genuine ZF parts:

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/zf-getriebe/8817964

ZF.jpg

But that kit also mentions an addional part is required which helpfully has no picture (part number 1071.298.041)

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/zf-getriebe/15251412

Looking around (other web pages and Ebay) I see kits for the same gearbox which include these bits: (are they the additional kit above?)

Additional.jpg

Appreciate any help!
 
Just be aware that sourcing parts yourself is not always cheaper, get the garage to give you a price on the parts before you buy them yourself.
 
To change the gearbox oil you need the oil and a new sump (integral filter) and bolts.

The rest of the bits you've shown (mechatronic sleeve etc) are sensible to change at the same time but not mandatory - and take more time to do (you need to remove the mechanic unit).
 
The ZF standard kit is a good place to start only 50k miles overdue.. :thumbsup:
 
Once we can move about again I'm booking mine in for a gearbox service. Even though the car has only done 32k it will be 11 years old this year, so the gearbox fluid must be getting v thin. I'm going to leave this to a ZF specialist and Ive been quoted £275 ex vat. I don't know if anyone has had it done and what they paid?
 
tintoverano said:
Jakg said:
To change the gearbox oil you need the oil and a new sump (integral filter) and bolts.
Click to expand...

I don't find any of that in the service manual besides oil
Click to expand...
Ok - you don't need to replace the filter when you change the oil, in the same way you don't need to change the oil filter when you change engine oil... but of course you do.
 
Very helpful as as ever, thanks.

mcbutler said:
Just be aware that sourcing parts yourself is not always cheaper, get the garage to give you a price on the parts before you buy them yourself.
Click to expand...

Good advice yes, and if you're looking for BMW parts the difference is unlikely to be that great. It's also worth bearing in mind that most garages will not guarantee their work fully for customers supplying their own parts e.g. if a part supplied by a garage fails for some reason, they will cover replacing it and any labour. If a part supplied by a customer fails, yes you can probably get a refund for the faulty part but the labour to refit will be on you.

Having said that, I'll generally never pay for branded (i.e BMW) parts when you can usually get the exact same part from the same manufacturer for a fraction of the cost - while I drive around in old sheds anyway :D

I'll also try to use Euro Car Parts or German Swedish and French, when they have a discount code running - the savings are amazing, so much so that my local garage is quite sniffy about using parts they know to be supplied by them. Kind of see their view as I'm sure there is a small margin to be made on parts (and there is the overhead of ordering, returns, accounts etc etc) but last time I compared like for like with them (this was new discs and pads all round on my E85, which coincided with 50% off braking weekend at ECP!) they were north of 40% more expensive for the same pagid kit.

Today's example: Air filter (Bosch), oil and cabin filters (both Crossland, the cheapy green boxed brand - been using for 15 years on cars and bikes without issue), 6 spark plugs (Bosch), sump plug, liter of brake fluid (Pagid) - £132.79, could have used the bank holiday code valid this weekend for a £44 saving, but instead used the 'are you a new customer' code that flashed up for a £49 saving - final bill was £83.42 delivered.

Jakg said:
To change the gearbox oil you need the oil and a new sump (integral filter) and bolts.
The rest of the bits you've shown (mechatronic sleeve etc) are sensible to change at the same time but not mandatory - and take more time to do (you need to remove the mechanic unit).
Click to expand...

Perfect, thanks - a bit more reading around shows oil and new sump/gasket is the most common approach as you say, so the first link above will be fine. Seems to be £30 quid cheaper than everywhere else so I think I'll grab it.

Pbondar said:
The ZF standard kit is a good place to start only 50k miles overdue.. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Ha, yes indeed :D can't say for certain as I only have a partial history, but it drives and shifts perfectly fine. The only noise I've picked up seems more like the diff but I'm no expert - will be changing that fluid too.

I don't want to throw too much money at it - like I did with my E85, before quickly getting bored and selling it :headbang:

Zed Baron said:
I'm going to leave this to a ZF specialist and Ive been quoted £275 ex vat. I don't know if anyone has had it done and what they paid?
Click to expand...

I've had 3 prices back so far, only 2 of them were itemised enough to be useful - gives you an idea at least.

1) £359 including VAT - BMW parts

2) £275.18 (kit), £103.50 (fitting), both plus VAT = £454.41

(compared to your £330 including VAT)

So if I supplied the kit linked above, the 2nd quote would be £155 (kit) plus £124.20 (fitting inc. VAT) = £279.20 - though the price of that kit has risen to £164 in the few hours since I posted the link, doh.
 
I don't know how it works for the E85, but on my 335d (which uses a slightly different version of the same generation of ZF gearbox), eBay is the cheapest place for the genuine ZF oil.

EuroCarParts do sell it, but with some obscure part number you'd never find unless you contacted them.
 
I did a quick search around, looks like the company in my first link above has many other websites operating the exact same pricing structure (including the increase in the last few hours), but the price for those genuine parts including ZF oil is definitely cheaper than everywhere else, including Ebay.

Installing the 'Autodoc' app gives a further small discount off the web price, so the final cost of the kit is £160 - annoying that I've lost a few quid but I'd be even more annoyed watching the price for the next few weeks (won't be getting it done for a while) for it to drop again - and then inevitably having to fork out more than I just have :D
 
Timmyboybunter said:
I did a quick search around, looks like the company in my first link above has many other websites operating the exact same pricing structure (including the increase in the last few hours), but the price for those genuine parts including ZF oil is definitely cheaper than everywhere else, including Ebay.

Installing the 'Autodoc' app gives a further small discount off the web price, so the final cost of the kit is £160 - annoying that I've lost a few quid but I'd be even more annoyed watching the price for the next few weeks (won't be getting it done for a while) for it to drop again - and then inevitably having to fork out more than I just have :D
Click to expand...
Have you checked 'opie oils' for your ZF fluid?
 
I purchased a replacement MANN Sump/filter online, actually came from Germany.
The oil to BMW / Shell Spec was purchased from Smith and Allan in Darlington
https://www.smithandallan.com
For the 3.0i ZF 6 speed Auto : ATF M1375.4
It is supplied in 5L bulk (x2) and they do delivery
A Hozelock 5L garden pressure pump to fill was very useful.
 
mcbutler said:
Have you checked 'opie oils' for your ZF fluid?
Click to expand...

I was quite keen to use the proper ZF stuff, which didn't come up on the Opie site when I plugged in my car - 7 litres are needed, so the product they do have available would be £120 for the fluid alone. I have used Opie a few times in the past, very helpful company dealing with queries etc.

Rucky said:
I purchased a replacement MANN Sump/filter online, actually came from Germany.
The oil to BMW / Shell Spec was purchased from Smith and Allan in Darlington
It is supplied in 5L bulk (x2) and they do delivery
Click to expand...

As above (and kind of contradicting one of my earlier replies about branded products :)) I'm quite happy to be using a ZF part and ZF oil in my ZF box - would be interested to know how much that lot above cost you though for comparison?
 
Timmyboybunter said:
mcbutler said:
Have you checked 'opie oils' for your ZF fluid?
Click to expand...

I was quite keen to use the proper ZF stuff, which didn't come up on the Opie site when I plugged in my car - 7 litres are needed, so the product they do have available would be £120 for the fluid alone. I have used Opie a few times in the past, very helpful company dealing with queries etc.

Rucky said:
I purchased a replacement MANN Sump/filter online, actually came from Germany.
The oil to BMW / Shell Spec was purchased from Smith and Allan in Darlington
It is supplied in 5L bulk (x2) and they do delivery
Click to expand...

As above (and kind of contradicting one of my earlier replies about branded products :)) I'm quite happy to be using a ZF part and ZF oil in my ZF box - would be interested to know how much that lot above cost you though for comparison?
Click to expand...

I think it’s a very wise choice..these boxes are a marvel and I’m sure that there are many ‘functionally equivalent’ alternatives but for the number of times you are going to do it I’d spend the ‘extra’ to get the OE supplied service kit...

On the 8 speed there is quite a complex fill procedure...pls check if it similar on the 6 speed version :thumbsup:
 
Thanks, yes I've had a look, it involves getting the ATF oil to a certain temperature for the final level check/adjustment - which was already enough for me to conclude it was a job for a BMW indy rather than me!
 
The Oil from Smith and Allan is a fractioin of cost from standard retailers - they have been supplying agricutural oils greases and paints for donkeys years. Best value I could find.

Yes the oil does have to be at working temperature but that is achieved by running the engine and getting the gearbox up to working temp. A drive out pre oil change ensures a hot box and the fresh oil soon gets to working temp. Its not really that complicated.
 
Rucky said:
The Oil from Smith and Allan is a fractioin of cost from standard retailers - they have been supplying agricutural oils greases and paints for donkeys years. Best value I could find.

Yes the oil does have to be at working temperature but that is achieved by running the engine and getting the gearbox up to working temp. A drive out pre oil change ensures a hot box and the fresh oil soon gets to working temp. Its not really that complicated.
Click to expand...

Slightly more complicated than that..but not that much..

https://aftermarket.zf.com/go/en/aftermarket-portal/passenger-cars-and-lcv/know-how/useful-tips/transmission-oil-change/
 
Yes slightly more complicated in that you have to fill the box with the engine running and cycle through all the gears so it means being under a car thats running and in gear but not as complicated as the OEM makes out. Its certainly not beyond a capable diyer
 
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