BMW 5-Series E39 (1996 - 2003) - 1999 3.0 530d Autobox Oil Change - hummmmm

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Mon 15 Sep 2008 21:34
1999 3.0 530d Autobox Oil Change - hummmmm - hm
Hello all, after searching through loads of silly dedicated BMW site's where most the people do not really know what they are talking about I have returned to trust old Honest John.

I 'stuck' with a horrid 530d 1999 BMW..... (recently moved to prague and this car was the guy how worked her before me, it was very cheap and due to all sorts of silly legal issue's of permits etc I bought it..... as soon as my permits are done.. over to german for nicer smaller Audi that does'nt look like the Titanic)

Anway, the car is on 127K mile's.... besides a really frustrating A/c issue and a slight oil leak from the main crank oil seal she runs like a dream and goes like a train....it is 110% at crusing around Czech and German....

Now to the point: I want to give her a good service and I mean everything.. I'm seriously clocking up the miles and always like to 'start' fresh...

Engine oils etc all easy, simple stuff... diff's pretty much the same... but the gearbox... dilema..

The box has 120+, normally I would not think twice about changing the oil in any gearbox... but this one say LIFETIME FILL.... hummmm, read loads of stuff... YES, NO.. LIFETIME = 100K miles etc... call BMW... might as well called my wife as asked, I just got we would not do it, it is lifetime oil....

Questions: If the box is working great (as it is), does not slip, jump or play about (from what I can tell) is it worth changing the oil

or in order to keep the box working so well, may be an oil change is a good idea.....

Any one?

H

Edited by Pugugly on 15/09/2008 at 22:09

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Mon 15 Sep 2008 21:46
1999 3.0 1999 530d Autobox Oil Change - hummmmm - Armitage Shanks {p}
I can only add a comment, which may not apply to a BMW autobox, but I recall that one can drain the box but not the torque converter. They share the same oil but only the box can be drained. PLEASE don't take my word for it and do ask some more questions elsewhere or wait for a more informed answer here! I am just giving you a heads up!
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Mon 15 Sep 2008 22:30
1999 3.0 1999 530d Autobox Oil Change - hummmmm - hm
AS,

your right... that does not worry me... I would drain and 'fill' using the oil cooler hoses... drain from the pressure side and suck from the, well suck side (low pressure)... I have done that before... keep her running until you see good oil coming out... this clears the torque converter...

done it on a few cars..... even a telehandler......

one issue I do have with the beemer is I do not know how to determine if the oil level is correct.... normally there is a level plug and I do not know on my motor (honestly not looked yet....) however..... common sense says... if I diconnect both pipes from the cooler.... one goes into the waste (h.press) and one into the fresh oil, start the engine... when good oil comes out of the pressure side then the quantity of oil should be correct (whats came out, went in.. just need to think about my logic a bit more there.... but it should be right....)

Thanks for the comment.. great some one is thinking....

H
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