No filter on the manual transmission. Warm the car up on a nice drive, put the car on jacks, remove the fill plug then remove the drain plug, refill with almost 2 quarts. I use Amsoil MTF 5W-30 and love it. I'm sure others will chime in on their favorite oil. It's a nice time to also change the rear diff fluid. The procedure is the same but with different fluid. On my M, I use Amsoil Severe Gear 75W-140, the 2.5 gets 75W-110.

I use BMW LTF2 fluid in the tranny. But Royal Purple and Mobil 1 are also good. I am not an Amsoil fan boy. And I am NOT a fan of RedLine.

I put Mobil 1 in the diffs, except for the E46 M3, same diff as the MZ4, and that gets the special Castrol fluid.

Wertles: thank you for the detailed input.

Pinecone: my local autozone carries Mobil1 so I'm thinking of going with that one... Are there any grades or just one Mobil 1 manual transmission? So use the same stuff for the rear dif? How many quiets does the diff take?

Thanks

I use Mobil 1 75-90LS in the transmission and 75W-140LS in the rear differential of our 98, 2.8. Been pleased with all this.

The rear diff also takes a little less than 2 quarts but make sure to get the right stuff. The diff gets gear oil, the trans takes MTF. Your rear diff won't like MTF at all neither will your tranny like gear oil, especially in NJ where it gets a little cold. Southerners can get away with a little thicker oil than us northern folk. Make sure to get a pump (~$10 at NAPA) to make life easy as there will be no way to pour them in using a funnel.

Hi. For my E46 (since sold) I used 2 bottles of Pentosin MTF2 Manual Transmission Fluid SAE 75W-80 API GL-4. Back label stated: "MTF Manual Transmission Fluid Pentosin MTF2 can be used on many European passenger cars equipped with ZF or Getrag manual transmissions from 1997-On. Manufactured by Deutsche Pentosin Werke GMBH Wedel/Germany."

DIY is straightforward.

Depending on your box, you may need a pair of crush washers. Check www.realoem.com to see.

1. Warm up car but not excessively. Quick Starbucks, no muffin as we are on a diet. And besides, your wife always busts you anyway.
2. Identify, and ensure, you can undo the FILL plug on the transmission first. Very awkward moment to discover you can't refill the tranny after draining the fluid.
3. Undo drain plug using suitable tool. Use a suitable catch container.
4. Drink the Starbucks. Wish you bought the muffin anyway.
5. Refit the drain plug, replacing the crush washer. Don't go all mental on the torque. Check specs, or you don't have a torque wrench, put it tight, and add one grunt.
6. Fill the box with your fluid, basically till it overflows. Clean up the spill you just made.

Hint: Harbor Freight Tools (mmmm...Harbor Freight...) sells a neat plastic hand "pump" that happens to screw into many plastic oil containers. Dead useful.

7. Refit the fill plug.
8. Record the mileage.
9. Repeat this in 30,000 miles for a happy, carefree transmission.
10. Dispose of the fluid in an environmentally safe manner.

Congrats, your car should now shift like buttah. :bigpimp:

Guys you simply are the best. Thanks so much for helping out!

I use the 75W-90 in the diffs. The only place I use 75W-140 is in my Jeep Grand Cherokee due to towing.

Not sure of the exact specs for the tranny oil, as BMW considers it a lifetime fill. I use the BMW fluid, which is not cheap, but works well. I have used RedLine, but was not happy with the condition after a fairly short stint in the transmission.

MTF is basically Automatic Transmission fluid. RedLine specifies D4 ATF for late model BMW manual transmissions, I don't see their MTF on their website any longer. Royal Purple says for BMW gear boxes that use MTF-LT-1, 2 , or 3, use Synchromax. And about Synchromax:

Synchromax is a manual transmission fluid that increases performance and the life of your equipment. It improves shifting, reduces gear noise and increases power transfer to the wheels. It also lowers operating temperatures and provides outstanding wear protection for longer transmission life.

Synchromax is recommended for manual transmissions that specify an automatic transmission fluid. It***8217;s also ideal for 4×4 transfer cases and motorcycle gear boxes. Synchromax is fully compatible with all types of friction materials. It provides excellent corrosion and oxidation protection without affecting the soft metals commonly found in manual transmission synchronizers.

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So Mobil 1 ATF should work.

Just a point of clarification - The BMW MTF-1 & 2 are gear oils, not auto tranny fluids. The Pentosin MTF-2 is also a gear oil as MMME30W references below. See link below for a discussion I started when I bought my Z3 in 2009:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=415514&highlight=

Pinecone said:

...Not sure of the exact specs for the tranny oil, as BMW considers it a lifetime fill. I use the BMW fluid, which is not cheap, but works well. I have used RedLine, but was not happy with the condition after a fairly short stint in the transmission.

MTF is basically Automatic Transmission fluid. ...QUOTE]

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Aba 4430 so from your previous thread, I saw that you ran Mobil 1 gear fluid 75w-90 to the tranny. How did that go? What did you use for the dif and where do you live? I've heard temperature/climate has to do with oil usage

See my previous post above. The Mobil 1's are what I have in the car now (see grades above). No issues at all. The Z3 lived in Chesterfield, VA until July 2011, and then it drove down to Pace, FL. Has been in Pace, FL for a year now.

aba4430 said:

I use Mobil 1 75-90LS in the transmission and 75W-140LS in the rear differential of our 98, 2.8. Been pleased with all this.

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After mostly valuable input from all
of you knowledgeable gentlemen, I have decided to go with the pentosin MTF 2 SAE 75-80 for my tranny and Mobil 1 gear lube 75w-140 for my diff. I bought 2 bottles of Pentosin and only 1 of the Mobil 1. My plan is to do the tranny fluid first and top off the 0.3 quarts of pentosin to the Mobil 1 in the diff. I don't think this would matter ESP since I have 75w-140

also not an amsoil fan.

coupla questions: should we be using a friction modifier in the diff?

this idea of running the car before draining does heat up the fluid but it also coats the internal parts. instead of the fluid sitting on the bottom of the pan where it can drain straightaway, it will have to run down over mechanical internals, thru galleys, etc. maybe better to drain cold and just allow the vehicle to sit and drain for awhile?

Well, I just finished with the job and I would like to share some points of my experience...
1. The fluid from the dif wasn't that contaminated and still had the amber color.
2. The fluid that came out from the transmission was BLACK and thin, indicating broken down.
3. I hope you are strong... The 17mm bolts for the trany are brutal to take out.
Didn't know the ft/lb torque specs so I just went with 35.
4. Again I used Pentosin MTF2 for the tranny and 75w-140 for the dif(1quart and topped it off with the Pentosin 75w80 for the last 0.3quarts) this way I used 2 quarts of Pentosin MTF2 and 1quart of mobil 1 75w140.
5. Test drive: shifts like butter

Thank you very much!

Just for the sake of being correct, you absolutely cannot tell the performance characteristics of fluid just by looking at it. Most likely it was broken down (as I am NOT a believer in ANY lifetime fluids, but the BMW fill is thin to begin with), but if you were to look at my truck oil 25 miles after a change, you would say that I am neglecting my trucks routine maintenance as it is blacker than sin. The only way to truely know the amount of life left in a fluid is to send a sample to have it analyzed ie, Blackstone laboratories, and that will tell you when it is time to change oils. For things like transmission fluid, it is just easier to change it than to sample it.

Yes, you are definitely correct. I have a question for you... What do you think about using 1 quart of mobile 1 75W-140 and topping off 0.3 quarts with the Pentosin 75w-80 stuff I used for the tranny?

Wertles said:

Just for the sake of being correct, you absolutely cannot tell the performance characteristics of fluid just by looking at it. Most likely it was broken down (as I am NOT a believer in ANY lifetime fluids, but the BMW fill is thin to begin with), but if you were to look at my truck oil 25 miles after a change, you would say that I am neglecting my trucks routine maintenance as it is blacker than sin. The only way to truely know the amount of life left in a fluid is to send a sample to have it analyzed ie, Blackstone laboratories, and that will tell you when it is time to change oils. For things like transmission fluid, it is just easier to change it than to sample it.

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Not the tranny but the differential!!!

Did you mix fluids?? Why?

It's not what I would have done but I'm sure it's better than what was in there and will 98% be just fine. I understand using what is local. I happen to get Amsoil products at a great price and I am a firm believer in their products. Most (not all though) who poo poo them have never used them. When over 90% of people who use them love it, it's pretty hard to argue. I could say that Amsoil did nothing for my transmission and is crap but the truth is that my transmission is damaged and NO oil would make it improve. Thats why Tuesday a 6 speed (with Amsoil) is going in.

You will be the best judge as to how your car responds. Glad you got them changed out. It really is an easy job with a little planning.