robertbartsch

Has anyone seen these before? There is no auto transmission dip stick - filler tube in my wife's 96 BMW. It is called a "sealed" unit transmission.

I assume there is a drain plug and filler plug of some sort on the transmission case (e.g., like an M6) but I have not looked yet.

Any thoughts on how to change fluid in these "sealed" pups?

Thanks...

Camaroz

iTrader: (2)

I've heard the dealer needs to open em up to change fluid? im sure you need to write them a bigass check along with it

GM Muscle

iTrader: (9)

PM BAD *** TA WS6, I believe he works at a BMW shop.

LS1s R US

iTrader: (1)

Some of the high priced cars have long life trannys and they are sealed with no dip stick for this purpose. We have a trans machine at the shop I work at You hook the Machine up in series. It will only take out as much as it puts in, it has a valve in the machine that closes when all the new fluid is gone in and loops the new fluid constantly! If it is not done this way ya getten just half the fluid out like washing dishes with dirty dish water. Most of the dealerships are starting to use these machines. Well go luck !

robertbartsch

Yeh I've seen Northern Tool advertise these machines for $2K or so.

I've checked one JiffyBoob store in my town and they won;t touch it. I assume that the fluid change shops will all eventually have to buy these machines, however, right?

So I'm I correct in assuming that the transmission case does not have a drain/filler plug for those who don;t want to mess with the dealer?

I've always thought it was a dumb design to have a trans carry 12 quarts of fluid but you only have the ability to remove 5 or 6 by pan removal but this sealed unit stuff seems like a dumber solution.

ta12sec

iTrader: (3)

I work on porsceh and audis at worjk and ours have been that way for a long time.
You have a drain plug in the pan?
If you do you need to remove the pan to drain it. then install the pan and get a piece of 1/2 rubber line about 10 feet long You will also need some sour of jug to hook this line to the botom of. Jam the line up the hole till it bends over inside then fill your just and put it up as high as possible (we like to hang them from the hood latch. it will gravity flow into the transmission after you get abour 3 qts into it start it up let it idle in gear and put more fluid in when it starts to over flow stop adding and let it drain out when its done draining its full. Dont know how bmws work but thats how porsch audi vw are(we have special tools to do it but the above is a diy setup)

robertbartsch

I have one of those 6 quart plastic fluid change gismos with the side pump that extracts and injects fluids ...so if I can find a way to drain and fill the trans case that will work... I'll just swap fluids 2 or 3 times after driving a few miles and consider it a done deal....

Do audis an porshces use synthetic trans fluid or just the plain-Jane ATF?

Thanx

ta12sec

iTrader: (3)

Not plain ol atf, theres about 3-4 diffrent audi fluids and 3 porsche fluids all very in color blue brown and red I dont know what it is but the porsche stuff is 23-36$ a quart.

robertbartsch

Wow $36 a quart - I was not planning to drink the stuff, I only wanted to pour some in my tranny....

The unit has 65K miles. Ordinarily, I would change tranny fluid once a year to be safe. Since it probably has synthetic, however, it should last a bunch longer, I assume.

With sealed units you really can't tell the condition of the fluid; consequently, I think this idea sucks unless you are a BMW dealer!

HitmanLSX

The new fords are starting to come without trans dipsticks as well... the new mercedes don't have oil dipsticks either. Oil level is in the computer.

ta12sec

iTrader: (3)

porsche oil has been done by guages since at least 1975 911s only the 944,968, 924 928 all use dipsticks, The 911s have dipsticks but their inacurate and really can only tell if theres oil in the engines