Buttery goodness (redline + !CDV)

I got a Motive Power Bleeder Magnum for Christmas this past year... and I had this morning free... No better time to remove the CDV (clutch delay valve) and replace my tranny fluid with Redline synthetic while I was under there.

First of all, a HUGE thanks to www.bmw325i.net for providing me easy to follow instructions on both procedures:

bmw325i.net CDV removal
bmw325i.net Tranny fluid change
bmw325i.net's review of Redline tranny fluid

First, I crawled under the car to verify I had all the tools I needed. a-ha! Good thing I did this - on the 330i 6spd tranny, the drain and fill bolts are actually 8mm hex. This has obviously changed since the 5spd on bmw325i.net.

I called around and found a local auto parts store that had the Redline as well as a fluid pump.

Came home, put the car up on jack stands, and went at it. No problems at all. The entire process for both the CDV removal and tranny fluid change took me under 90 minutes.


The results: Not astounding, but the clutch engagement and shifting are both noticably smoother. Is it worth it? For the small amount of time it takes - absofriginlutely.


Here's a picture of my removed CDV:

I have to say, this is one of the best writeups/DIY I have ever seen...if I ever get some cycles free I will get under my car and see if I have one of these CDVs to get rid of it...After doing the bleeding on the Mini last year this is a piece of cake...KrisL thanks for taking the time to post this...

Kris, you're at 666 posts...
Anyway, I considered long and hard and I think I'll keep the CDV in place since I pretty much have adapted to it being there. Seeing as how it's my first stick shift car, the drastic change in behavior from the clutch probably doesn't affect me as someone who's been a hardened manual driver.

Originally Posted by allaboutme

Kris, you're at 666 posts...
Anyway, I considered long and hard and I think I'll keep the CDV in place since I pretty much have adapted to it being there. Seeing as how it's my first stick shift car, the drastic change in behavior from the clutch probably doesn't affect me as someone who's been a hardened manual driver.

Understood. For what it's worth, it really isn't a drastic change.

..and yeah, I guess I could consider myself a "hardened" manual driver. I've only owned one automatic (my first car) out of 7 cars.

I'd also like to make this offer to bimmerfesters... For those in the Bay Area, come by and buy me lunch- I'll remove your CDV (or assist you in doing it if you wish) since I have all the tools + motive power bleeder.

Do I have one?

Originally Posted by KrisL

I'd also like to make this offer to bimmerfesters... For those in the Bay Area, come by and buy me lunch- I'll remove your CDV (or assist you in doing it if you wish) since I have all the tools + motive power bleeder.

Hah. But since you are offering I might reconsider. Name your food of choice and I might bring some down to you.

Originally Posted by allaboutme

Hah. But since you are offering I might reconsider. Name your food of choice and I might bring some down to you.

Well, I'm busy this and next weekend... maybe some weeknight?

Hmms.. I'm really not available on weeknights.. weekends are best for me. Well, maybe some other time then. I'm in no rush to getting the CDV removed

Originally Posted by rumratt

Yes.

Originally Posted by rumratt

If you didn't know until I told you, then you can't be that upset.


Actually, now that I look at the picture again, you don't have one. You're good to go.

Originally Posted by rumratt

If you didn't know until I told you, then you can't be that upset.


Actually, now that I look at the picture again, you don't have one. You're good to go.

Originally Posted by KrisL

I'd also like to make this offer to bimmerfesters... For those in the Bay Area, come by and buy me lunch- I'll remove your CDV (or assist you in doing it if you wish) since I have all the tools + motive power bleeder.

Hey, you under-cut you-know-who.

I'd probably take up that offer sometime in the spring/summer.

Originally Posted by KrisL

.... replace my tranny fluid with Redline synthetic while I was under there.

Have to agree - the 325i.net pages are great.

Which Redline fluid did you use? I've got some MTL left over from the first attempt on the 535. It was great until about 20F, then the shift gates were basically closed for business. Don't have quite a full load of D4ATF around. Have never used their straight Synthetic ATF.

Generally, I'd guess the D4 is the best thing for these trannies, and it's what they recommended via email.

Thanks in advance--

Originally Posted by rumratt

For slow to medium speed shifting, it makes essentiall no difference at all.

But when starting on a hill, I noticed a huge difference.. Trying to quickly release the clutch and get it to grab on a hill was impossible with the CDV.

Exactly.


I'm very happy with the CDV removal. If you let the clutch out too fast by accident when shifting the CDV will help to reduce some of the harshness, but unfortuntely the CDV also creates abnormal clutch behavior in other cituations. I didn't remove the CDV so I could abuse the car, but rather have more control over the clutch when driving normally and it acomplished that goal very well.

Originally Posted by MicahO

Generally, I'd guess the D4 is the best thing for these trannies, and it's what they recommended via email.

Yep, I used D4 ATF.

I don't think I'll ever be able to tell you how it performs in temps of 20F - there's no good reason my car would ever seen those kind of temps .

Anyone in the DC/Baltimore area want to make a similar offer to Kris's? I'd try to make it up to see DZeckhausen sometime, but I may not be able to do that for 5-6 months...

Originally Posted by swchang

Anyone in the DC/Baltimore area want to make a similar offer to Kris's? I'd try to make it up to see DZeckhausen sometime, but I may not be able to do that for 5-6 months...

I'm taking mine out when it warms up a bit, maybe April? Have the Motive and will see how hard the job is(n't). If its a snap, maybe I'll be up for doing some others.......will work for food and all that .

Originally Posted by shortyb

I'm taking mine out when it warms up a bit, maybe April? Have the Motive and will see how hard the job is(n't). If its a snap, maybe I'll be up for doing some others.......will work for food and all that .

Excellent, do let me know. A weekend in April would be a good time for me.

One should NOT use MTL in the E46. I know of one person who managed to burn it.

I personally dislike MT-90 and D4 ATF as well. They both did nice thigns for shifting for a little while, but they did not last at all. Within a couple thousand miles, they generally felt a good deal worse than the used OEM fluid that came out. I highly recommend sticking with the OEM stuff (but not at the OEM intervals).

Originally Posted by Nick325xiT 5spd

One should NOT use MTL in the E46. I know of one person who managed to burn it.

I personally dislike MT-90 and D4 ATF as well. They both did nice thigns for shifting for a little while, but they did not last at all. Within a couple thousand miles, they generally felt a good deal worse than the used OEM fluid that came out. I highly recommend sticking with the OEM stuff (but not at the OEM intervals).

Not a big RedLine fan anymore. Here is the link to what I'll be using in the tranny when I get underneath it in the spring www.specialtyformulations.com I'm going to use their MTFglide as its the best ATF grade fluid for manual trannies they offer.

swchang-will PM when I get ready to do it

Originally Posted by shortyb

Not a big RedLine fan anymore. Here is the link to what I'll be using in the tranny when I get underneath it in the spring www.specialtyformulations.com I'm going to use their MTFglide as its the best ATF grade fluid for manual trannies they offer.

swchang-will PM when I get ready to do it

Originally Posted by KrisL

Came home, put the car up on jack stands, and went at it. No problems at all. The entire process for both the CDV removal and tranny fluid change took me under 90 minutes.

Which procedure did you use for putting the car on jack stands?

Originally Posted by Moderato

Which procedure did you use for putting the car on jack stands?

I have a nice floor jack I put under the left side rear jack point. With three full pumps, I can get both left wheels off of the ground.

I put one jack stand under the left front jack point. I then released the floor jack. This gave me enough clearance to slide the floor jack under the front center jack point. Jacked it up, and then raised the left/front jackstand, and put a jackstand under right/front.

If you need them in the rear, you should now have enough clearance to jack up the rear center jack point..