Checking transmission fluid on a 95' E34 525 auto

[charlE30]

Hi guys my mate has a 95 E34 525 auto (without the dipstick) and he wants to check and top up the ATF fluid. I've read in my 5 series Bently manual you have to do it with the engine running and the oil at a certain temperature, is this really true or can you do it another way?

Any help much appreciated as I don't have access to a proper lift and don't want, make that will not be under a running car on axle stands/wheel ramps.

Charlie

[B7]

Its a bit hit and miss and if you get it wrong, it gets expensive! Basically BMW check the correct amount of fluids in there by checking the temperature and pressure of the box. I think they also use a special syringe type pump to put the stuff in.

I've had a couple of these and for peice of mind I sent them to the dealer for a drain and refill with a filter (gauze) change at the same time. I seem to remember it was about £150 to £175 to do but that was a long time ago and of course your paying BMW fluid prices as well .

You could drain it off, drop the sump and change the service items and refill with the correct amount of oil specified in the manual then just get them to check its okay. At least by dropping the sump, you'll know that 90% of the oil is out and therefore the amount of new you add will not be added to too much original.

Thats probably not what you wanted to hear but just my experience in the past. Cheers

[charlE30]

Cheers B7, £150 - £175 is this way of doing auto trannys a BMW only thing or are there other makes out there that require similiar procedures.

The idea about draining completly and refilling to the correct specified amount is a good one, I wonder how much they'd charge for just checking it

I think this could well be one of the reasons I love E30's, you can do all the work on them yourself without having to pay a spanner monkey top $$

Cheers

[B7]

Yeah I have to say as well that I actually prefer the earlier 4 speed boxes (as on the e30's and the early 12v E34's) that the later "adaptive" 5 speeds with no poxy dipstick! I reckon they drive better, my cab with 104k up is one of the smootest slush boxes i've ever had. My 525 M20 was the same but my M50 525 with the 5 speed was always getting confused at low speeds.

The only reason i got mine drained and filled was that when I bought the car it had 56k up and had 1 Insp2 in its life (4 years). I figured that A. no one would have ever checked it, B. it could be black for all I knew and C. a new box is thousands!!!

Good luck