6MT fluid change - yes or no?

[vinylengraver]

2012 135i 6MT, car is 6.5 years old, but has traveled 30,000kms (18.5K miles) in its lifetime.
I am getting oil changed tomorrow and was planning on changing the 6MT fluid at the same time.
I don't have any transmission issues, save for an odd "bumpy" shift from 2nd to 3rd, when the shifter literally feels like it bumps over something on its way into the gate. But that happens very seldom on really quick shifts and it is near impossible to replicate at will... super random.
So my thought was to fill it with fresh MT fluid to smooth things out, but my indy insists on using original BMW stuff... which is what's in there right now - except it's 6 years old.
The cost is very reasonable, but is this going to be beneficial other than contributing to a peace of mind and a lighter wallet?
Or should I convince them to use Redline or something else known to improve shifter feel?

[NorthernDancer]

If your indy wants to use OE BMW stuff, then do that. Both are great products. Its not so much the product as it is regular changes.

[Cavpilot2k]

What is the recommended "regular" interval?
My car is at 80k miles and I don't think my dealership has ever done it as a matter of course (I have been on the extended maintenance plan until next month), but they had to replace my transmission (yes, full MT replacement) under warranty about a year ago, so I know I had fresh fluid then.

Now that I am coming off of the maintenance plan, I am going to start maintaining the fluids myself.

[Enoe Ulbeht]

Changing the fluid will improve the feel and you will definitely not regret it.

I did RedLine, but as mentioned above, the important thing is to change the fluid with some appropriate new fluid.

I think typical intervals are 30K miles.

But I would point out that if it has never been changed, it would not hurt to use the opportunity to get rid of whatever debris is floating in there from the initial few thousand miles of operation and start fresh.

[tracer bullet]

I've got it written down as 24 and 48,000 miles, or years 4 and 8 of life, whichever comes first. But - that was copied and pasted into a Word doc from a source I have long since forgotten. I'd have trusted it to copy it, but can't tell you what it was.

If you'd stopped me on the street and asked I'd say 10 years / 100k miles whichever comes first, and maybe sooner if you make the car work pretty hard sometimes (i.e. track use). Even then I don't have a source for it! So FWIW.

[ShocknAwe]

Best fluid is new fluid

[Cavpilot2k]

Yeah, now that my extended maintenance is about to be over, I am going to get my full record from the dealership and start getting intimate with my 1er and doing the things they have neglected plus doing my own oil changes, etc.
I haven't had any reason to change my own oil in years, but now I will and I'm actually looking forward to doing some of my own maintenance again.

[tracer bullet]

Originally Posted by Cavpilot2k

about to be over

If it's still running make sure to press for a list of what's supposed to be done and be sure that it has been / will be done. I got lazy and thought I had another year left, didn't verify. Oops. I'm a DIY'er but I'm also lazy. I would rather have had them do a few things for me but was 6 months too late (thought I was 6 months early).

[vinylengraver]

So I got the 6MT fluid changed with a fresh BMW OE stuff yesterday.
The shifts are nice and crisp and haven't had any of the weird bumps between 2nd and 3rd since.
Money well spent for sure.

[Cavpilot2k]

Originally Posted by tracer bullet

If it's still running make sure to press for a list of what's supposed to be done and be sure that it has been / will be done. I got lazy and thought I had another year left, didn't verify. Oops. I'm a DIY'er but I'm also lazy. I would rather have had them do a few things for me but was 6 months too late (thought I was 6 months early).

Yeah, I know the exact date (May 5th). And my SA said to bring it in and he'll get as much done as he can before it expires, so it should be good.

[Zombie_Head]

Originally Posted by vinylengraver

2012 135i 6MT, car is 6.5 years old, but has traveled 30,000kms (18.5K miles) in its lifetime.
I am getting oil changed tomorrow and was planning on changing the 6MT fluid at the same time.
I don't have any transmission issues, save for an odd "bumpy" shift from 2nd to 3rd, when the shifter literally feels like it bumps over something on its way into the gate. But that happens very seldom on really quick shifts and it is near impossible to replicate at will... super random.
So my thought was to fill it with fresh MT fluid to smooth things out, but my indy insists on using original BMW stuff... which is what's in there right now - except it's 6 years old.
The cost is very reasonable, but is this going to be beneficial other than contributing to a peace of mind and a lighter wallet?
Or should I convince them to use Redline or something else known to improve shifter feel?

There are several items BMW will refuse to replace/flush and will only do so if repair are made:

- Coolant System Fluid/Coolant

- Manual Transmission Fluid

- Differential Fluid

Unless a water pump/thermostat or a hose replacement was made, the dealership will never replace the fluid, just top up. All coolant manufactures will say 24,000 kms or 2 years, whichever comes first but not BMW.

Same for the manual and differential fluids, unless the transmission or differential were opened up, they will never replace the fluids (BMW) but again, like the coolant, all manufactures recommend the same interval (24,000 kms or 2 years).

Every BMW owner i have spoken to regarding this that has replaced any of those fluids, reported back that the car ran better, shifted much much smoother and less noise from the rear. They also reported how blacked out/dark grey the oils in the transmission and differential came out.

At the end of this month, i will be getting all the fluids replaced along side a major service (all filters, plugs and coils) since they are the original day 1 items and 6 years old now (48,000 kms).

[m_thompson]

Originally Posted by Zombie_Head

There are several items BMW will refuse to replace/flush and will only do so if repair are made:

That may be true when the car is under warranty. Our local dealer changed all of the fluids on our 328xiT when we asked at 50,000 miles.

[Cavpilot2k]

It's funny - I see some of you mentioning bumpy shifts between 2 and 3.
Sometimes I miss that shift and grind a bit. I always thought it was me being inattentive and making a lazy/incomplete shift, but it always does seem to be the same shift (2-3). Maybe I should change it out and put some Redline in.

[Zombie_Head]

Originally Posted by m_thompson

That may be true when the car is under warranty. Our local dealer changed all of the fluids on our 328xiT when we asked at 50,000 miles.

Then you have a one off dealer, locally here in Bavaria the dealership wants to charge me €700 for a major service, will replace everything except those three items i mentioned.

[vinylengraver]

Originally Posted by Cavpilot2k

It's funny - I see some of you mentioning bumpy shifts between 2 and 3.
Sometimes I miss that shift and grind a bit. I always thought it was me being inattentive and making a lazy/incomplete shift, but it always does seem to be the same shift (2-3). Maybe I should change it out and put some Redline in.

Yeah, this has happened to me more than once. I don't get a grind though, just an odd "hump" - like the spacing between the 3rd and 5th gate is vague - if the shifter isn't aimed just right there's an obvious resistance felt when going up from 2nd... it would go in, eventually, but the revs drop significantly by then and it feels forced.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by vinylengraver

So I got the 6MT fluid changed with a fresh BMW OE stuff yesterday.
The shifts are nice and crisp and haven't had any of the weird bumps between 2nd and 3rd since.
Money well spent for sure.

I would also change your differential fluid too.

For years and years, BMW said to change your trans and diff fluids every 30K miles. Then suddenly when they included "service maintenance" with the cars... they say "ohh... it's a Lifetime fluid" now. Yeahh... right.


See my post #70...

DIY: manual transmission and diff fluid change
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...=409293&page=4


Dackel