Replacing transmission oil in my 730d E65 - which oil?

[Frejord]

Hi there!

I'm planning to replace the transmission oil of my BMW 730d E65.

Here is the pic:




I've searched this code on eBay and I found different prices:
From 4$/Liter to 30$/Liter. What's the difference between these oils?
Here is the products:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-Liter-ATF...item3a8b44e79a

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-ATF-PLUS...item27ee439423

It is worth to buy the cheapest or not?

[LANDCRUISER]

i think the dealerships should have knowledge and tell customers that bmw was wrong to say this is lifetime. no oil can last a lifetime. you know anything that lasts a lifetime beside jeweler. everything breaks down. what pissed me off more is that some service people say bmw recommends not to change it. i think many will agree with me that changing the tranny fluid extends life. !

[3rdcoast228i]

Originally Posted by LANDCRUISER

i think the dealerships should have knowledge and tell customers that bmw was wrong to say this is lifetime. no oil can last a lifetime. you know anything that lasts a lifetime beside jeweler. everything breaks down. what pissed me off more is that some service people say bmw recommends not to change it. i think many will agree with me that changing the tranny fluid extends life. !

Absolutely

Your lifetime goals vs BMW goals are very different.

[insanecoder]

Its been said over and over.. even ZF recommends 50-60,000 mi oil changes.. earlier if you drive hard. I drive hard.. every 30,000 mi for me.
As far as oil.. do your own dd and decide.. I'm ben a lifelong AMSOIL guy and they told me their signature ATF will work in the ZF and its a workhorse protector.
I'm way over 10k miles and my trannys humming along its early but I trust the stuff.
Anyway decide for yourself Im not paying $200 for ZF tranny oil which is supposedly "formulated" for their specific application and is likely inferior to other ATF on the market.
do your own dd and decide..

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by Frejord

Hi there!

I'm planning to replace the transmission oil of my BMW 730d E65.

Here is the pic:

Attachment 1202637


I've searched this code on eBay and I found different prices:
From 4$/Liter to 30$/Liter. What's the difference between these oils?
Here is the products:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-Liter-ATF...item3a8b44e79a

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-ATF-PLUS...item27ee439423

It is worth to buy the cheapest or not?

The transmission in your car I believe is GA6HP26Z, manufactured by ZF. If that's the case, then I'd just use ZF Lifeguard6. It's not the cheapest, but the last thing I'd ever recommend doing is putting the cheapest fluid into a transmission. I spend a little bit more for Lifeguard6 for my E60, but to me it's well worth the peace of mind it gives me.

BTW, anyone, including the dealer, that tells you to never change your transmission fluid is delusional. ZFs own literature recommends regular transmission services roughly every 50000 miles, or less if you use your BMW to tow anything.

Good luck, and don't forget to follow proper fill procedures per ZF guidelines, there is more to it than just draining old fluid out and putting new fluid in. If you don't do it correctly, you'll underfill the gearbox.

[3rdcoast228i]

Originally Posted by Chihuahua

The transmission in your car I believe is GA6HP26Z, manufactured by ZF. If that's the case, then I'd just use ZF Lifeguard6. It's not the cheapest, but the last thing I'd ever recommend doing is putting the cheapest fluid into a transmission. I spend a little bit more for Lifeguard6 for my E60, but to me it's well worth the peace of mind it gives me.

BTW, anyone, including the dealer, that tells you to never change your transmission fluid is delusional. ZFs own literature recommends regular transmission services roughly every 50000 miles, or less if you use your BMW to tow anything.

Good luck, and don't forget to follow proper fill procedures per ZF guidelines, there is more to it than just draining old fluid out and putting new fluid in. If you don't do it correctly, you'll underfill the gearbox.

Any tips on finding the guidelines or just general tips to do the job?

[Meeni]

I recommend you use ISTA-D and follow the procedure steps dictated by the computer. The computer will monitor oil temperature and tell you when you are ready for the next step (or if you have exceeded fill temperature, and need to stop and wait).

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by 3rdcoast228i

Any tips on finding the guidelines or just general tips to do the job?

This is for a 6HP19, but the process on your 7er should be nearly identical. Follow the instructions and skip over the steps that don't apply to what you're doing. Good luck!

https://5series.net/forums/diy-do-yo...thread-137584/