Please help with tranny oil, I am under the car

Post Sun Feb 26, 2006 4:19 am

This is what I found just right now after a lot of search

BUT WAIT... it's not that simple. Which type to use? In the gearbox (manual transmission), some BMW's made between 1986 and 1992 had "labeled" gearboxes with a red or green label on the passenger side of the bellhousing. These had 17mm EXTERNAL wrenching oil plugs. If the label is green, use Redline MT90. If the label is red, use Redline D4 ATF. If there was no label, the gearbox will have 17mm INTERNAL wrench oil plugs, and should use Redline MTL GL-4 70W-80.

However, My label is red and I bought Redline MT90 will that work or should I go and get the D4 ATF... The car is on the stand now and the shop is closed until monday... Please help.

Post Sun Feb 26, 2006 10:41 am

Sounds like you may be from the US - and you lot seem to have an obsession with oils.
Personally I've never seen an E30 box that uses anything other than 80W oil officially, but ATF can be used in these boxes to make shifting easier when cold.
Short answer is, I doubt if it makes any difference to the life of the box, but may affect the driving characteristics.

Post Mon Feb 27, 2006 1:44 am

Brianmoooore wrote:Sounds like you may be from the US - and you lot seem to have an obsession with oils.
Personally I've never seen an E30 box that uses anything other than 80W oil officially, but ATF can be used in these boxes to make shifting easier when cold.
Short answer is, I doubt if it makes any difference to the life of the box, but may affect the driving characteristics.

I race the car so I must have good oil in there ;)