E90 330d Steptronic Gearbox

Bradmax57 · 15 Mar 2013 at 22:00

So I just recently got my E90 330d Sport, its running fine at the minute but someone has just told me their prone to gearbox problems, any truth in this? its shifting smooth as silk at the moment when it goes in for its engine oil service next month should I be enquiring about a gearbox oil change? In the service booklet theres no mention about this

PMKeates · 15 Mar 2013 at 22:06

How many miles has it done?

Bradmax57 · 15 Mar 2013 at 22:11

80k just done today, it has full bmw service history but from what I can tell in the service book theres no mention of gearbox oil change?

PMKeates · 15 Mar 2013 at 22:12

There is no scheduled transmission oil change. If you intend to keep the car for some time, I would maybe recommend changing it at that mileage.

Bradmax57 · 15 Mar 2013 at 22:24

PMKeates said:
There is no scheduled transmission oil change. If you intend to keep the car for some time, I would maybe recommend changing it at that mileage.

Yeah, I think ill be keeping it (all being well) for at least a couple of years, been in touch with the two local bmw dealers to me one wanted £225 for an oil change and the other was £190 which is still a lot for what it is but £35 difference would go a bit towards the gearbox oil change I guess.

PMKeates · 15 Mar 2013 at 22:31

Especially since the oil service for the transmission will probably cost more than the one for the engine

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-ZF-6H...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3cc1e91ec9

£200 for an eBay service kit...

Bradmax57 · 15 Mar 2013 at 22:44

gawd, that means £500+ from a dealer

pepsilol · 15 Mar 2013 at 22:47

Just do the fluid..can't remember what it takes, I think its LT71141. If so just get the febi stuff, around £20 for 5L and just replace the fluid.

I wouldn't really bother with replacing the filter etc. Just remove the pan and clean it up.

Django x2 · 15 Mar 2013 at 23:13

Did mine just the other week to be on the safe side (85k) E60 530d. No issues, took about two hours all in

[TW]Fox · 15 Mar 2013 at 23:26

They do tend to go, just keep 1.5k aside for when it goes and stop worrying about it.

pepsilol · 16 Mar 2013 at 00:12

Keep on top of fluid changes and give the valve body a service when you get to 100k. You'll be fine. The ZFs 6 speeds don't just randomly pop, they're quite good.

PMKeates · 16 Mar 2013 at 10:21

[TW]Fox;23946685 said:
They do tend to go, just keep 1.5k aside for when it goes and stop worrying about it.

It 'going' is not the problem, it starting to behave differently and be altogether a less pleasant transmission for tens of thousands of miles before hand is the problem!

PMKeates · 16 Mar 2013 at 10:25

pepsilol said:
Just do the fluid..can't remember what it takes, I think its LT71141. If so just get the febi stuff, around £20 for 5L and just replace the fluid.

I wouldn't really bother with replacing the filter etc. Just remove the pan and clean it up.

The idea of replacing the ZF fluid, known for happily lasting a hundred thousand miles plus, with something 15% of the price would make me nervous. What ownership reports are there with Febi oil in the transmission long-term?

pepsilol · 16 Mar 2013 at 10:35

None.

PMKeates · 16 Mar 2013 at 10:37

For the sake of £100 extra on a fluid going in to an automatic transmission for another 100,000 miles or more, I'd probably go for the ZF stuff

Scuzi · 16 Mar 2013 at 10:38

I haven't had any problems with my box (same car as you) to date but one thing I did notice is that after having the car serviced the other day, the gearbox behaves in a very different manner. It is holding on to gears a lot longer and doing a lot less searching on hills which is quite nice actually. Whatever they did to change it I like it

Would a fluid change in the gearbox void the BMW warranty?

pepsilol · 16 Mar 2013 at 10:46

PMKeates said:
For the sake of £100 extra on a fluid going in to an automatic transmission for another 100,000 miles or more, I'd probably go for the ZF stuff

Even though it's made in Germany, the correct yellow colour, and is specifically for Lt71141 ?

You like being taken for a ride don't you?

PMKeates · 16 Mar 2013 at 10:47

Scuzi said:
Would a fluid change in the gearbox void the BMW warranty?

They might one day try to argue it, but that would never stand up; ZF themselves recommend changing the fluid in certain conditions.

pepsilol said:
Even though it's made in Germany, the correct yellow colour, and is specifically for Lt71141 ?

You like being taken for a ride don't you?

Are all fluids the same if they are made in the same country with the right colour, to the same specs? Show me the chemistry report. A browny 5W-30 engine oil made in the UK to LL04 doesn't suddenly become the same as Castrol Edge.

pepsilol · 16 Mar 2013 at 10:47

Scuzi said:
I haven't had any problems with my box (same car as you) to date but one thing I did notice is that after having the car serviced the other day, the gearbox behaves in a very different manner. It is holding on to gears a lot longer and doing a lot less searching on hills which is quite nice actually. Whatever they did to change it I like it

Would a fluid change in the gearbox void the BMW warranty?

Either unhooked the battery which cleared the throttle adaptions or the cleared the tranny adaptions via obd2.

pepsilol · 16 Mar 2013 at 10:49

PMKeates said:
Are all fluids the same if they are made in the same country with the right colour, to the same specs? Show me the chemistry report.

Go look for it, it's the LT71141 version.

Does this mean you wouldn't use ESSO LT71141 either?