What is your question?
·
·
What is your question?
Whattype of transmission fluid do i use in my 1996 bmw 328ic? Will Dexron III work? It is an automatic. Also, I've read that it is not good to change the type of fluid, but I cannot tell what is has, as it is pretty dirty and black.
1 Reply
Dexron III is the right fluid. Here is the spec from the manual: Fluid Type Specifications: Transmission Fluid: Unical Dextron III "Multi Purpose ATF", Castrol Dextron III - Mercon, Texaco ATF Mercon - Dextron III Note: Always check for label on transmission oil pan to verify fluid type. Zee
Great, thanks a bunch. I assume that is from a BMW repair manual? The owner's manual that came with the vehicle had no spefication for type of fluid, but referred to dealer. Also, I am having a hard time removing the fill plug. There is a flexible hose that goes across the bolt, and it is diffficult to get a wrench on. I can't tell what this hose is for, but there is a crimp right there to disconnect it. If I disconnect it, will I cause more problems? Could it be a brake line, or what?
Oh, I forgot to add, that I have read that this model may have lifetime transmission fliud? And if ATF is used in place of lifetime, it will RUIN the transmission. So was Dexron III the lifetime fluid? Will I hurt the transmission if I use it?
The spec is from the BMW manual and the Dex III is the lifetime fill. Well, define life time, tell me what's the lifetime of a BMW transmission? If the transmission lasted 70,000 miles, the fluid really lasted to the life of the transmission, however if you would change the fluid you could get 3 or 4 times of that out of the tranny. I hope you get my point. We do change -or least suggest to change- the fluid somewhere between 80 to 100K miles to prevent transmission failure. If you post an e-mail I can send you instructions about how to exchange the fluid. Zee
I have the same issue. All the references for my 1996 BMW 328i indicated that it has a black labeled transmission, when in fact it has a green labeled automatic/GM transmission that states (Lifetime Fill in case of repair use BMW part No. 83229407858 (Dexron lll). However, the Castrol, Unical, and Texaco Dexron lll ATF's are no longer manufactured. Every time I do a query for a approved, green label fluid, it cautions that it won't work with my vehicle. Maybe because it thinks my BMW has a black label tranny? What can I add to my transmission when I service it (I'm not flushing the system) that will mix with the existing ATF in the system, not harm it, and provide good performance? Thanks