Rhys

The auto boxes on the 330d and 530d they pretty built proof? Especially if car has full BMWSH? Do you know who often oil gets changed at service and does it add much expense to service costs?

Im supposed to be getting a cheap car once Civic goes but im getting nast nasty urge to get another BMW Derv as was the BEST car i have ever had.

AlexF

sealed for life....

Paddy

And far less trouble than the fucking Mercedes auto box on the later E class diesel

Rhys

Oh i didnt relise they never had oil changes. Makes change from auto boxes of old You heared of many bad storys Alex? Anything to keep eye out on them with? As i really fancy auto instead of Manual if i get one. Yes im a lasy fooker

biglee

they are 'sealed for life' but buy this months total bmw mag and it goes thru step by step oil and filter change becuase they do get all clogged up the same as a normal auto box. there is a rubber bung covering the drain plug and on that plug it says 'sealed for life' and also writen on it is the bmw part number for the oil you need. they reckon if you do it your self it costs no more than 75 quid.

AlexF

Why change it then?

They are very good in all honesty - its noot easy to get broken ones for training purposes from BMW from their warranty dept!

biglee

the artical says, the auto box even tho it is supposed to be 'SFL' can still have issues such as sluggy changes, hesatation when selecting gear, and overheating in some cases, it shows pics of a SFL auto box with loads of crud in it and a clogged filter, it says the owner changed this box for a new item becuse it was a SFL box and thought it was totaled, and all total bmw did was replace the oil and filter and cleaned the cooler ect.. put it all back together with new gaskets ect.. well one gasket being the sump and he box was good as new..

just saying what i read whilst sat on the toilet haha

Spiky

iTrader: (1)

two words

BANGER


HOUSE

gingeRS

agreed, why do you think i'm driving a 1995 fiesta diesel with a dent in the door

get saving

Graceland

Banger and then BMW for me

House in 6 months hopefully

Graceland

Forgot to add Rhys.

If you get a manual flavoured BMW, be sure to remove the CDV (Clutch Delay Valve) asap - you will get a better feel from the clutch in general, the car will be more driveable due to the clutch doing what YOU want and not what BMW wants it to do

Also the clutch will last longer aswell as it is not being put under undue strain by slipping, which is what the CDV allows it to do when releasing the clutch quickly

30 min job to remove it, I'm doing mine as soon as it stops raining

bud-weis

what models does this affect??

mine needs a new clutch soon....and anything like this may be good to do at the same time

Graceland

All BMW's except the and M5 have a CDV - here is a list (NOT a definitive list I might add)

E39 5 Series - 525i, 528i, 530i, 540i (1997-2003) - All except M5
E46 M3 (Late 2002, all 2003-2006), ZCP Model
E46 3-Series (1999-2005) 320i, 325i, 330i
E53 X5 3.0i (1999-2006)
E60 5 Series - 525i, 530d, 530i, 545i, 550i (2004-2008)
E63/64 6 Series - 645Ci, 650Ci (2004-2008)
E83 X3 2.5, 3.0 (2004-2008)
E90/91/92/93 3-Series (2005-2008) 325i, 328i, 330i, 335i
Z3 2.5i, 3.0i (1999-2002)
Z4 2.5i, 3.0i, 3.0si (2003-2008)

Z8 (1999-2003)


It looks like a little adaptor that is in line with the clutch hydraulic hose and the slave cylinder.

On the E39 5 series, it is attatched directly to the slave cylinder, but not sure on the location on other models.

here is a picture of the offending article as fitted on an E39:




And here is the little bugger on an E46 3 series:



Here are what various CDV's look like as fitted to various different BMWs.

E39 and E60 will have a CDV that looks like one of these (different one for different engine):



Here are the others:

E363 series:


E46 3 series and Z4:


Z3:


E46 M3:


E90 3 series:





You can either remove the CDV completely or drill the CDV out to remove the internals - much easier and neater to remove it and then slightly adjust the solid hydraulic pipe to adjust


Don't forget to bleed the clutch aswell - the reservior is the same one as for the brake fluid (its a dual res with seperator tank incase of failure of the clutch circuit meaning you keep your brakes and vice versa )


Good luck

bud-weis

Wow fantastic, detailed info

i've ordered a braided clutch hose as i'm told the standard rubber one expands and gives a notchy feel to the gear selection ( mine is a little notchy into 1st and 2nd ).

i'll have to have a look for that little doofa and whip it out if it's there

thanks

Graceland

Where did you order the braided hose from? as I get a slight notchy feel from my gearbox in all gears on the E39

MSN if you want

AlexF

Not sure a hose can give you a notchy lever......

bud-weis

i'm at work so no MSN

the clutch hose was actually from BMW ( circa Ł60 ) they obviously saw the need for an upgrade after hearing so many complaints from E36 M3 EVO owners.

it's a fairly simple looking hose though, certainly something you could have made up fairly easily i reckon...i'll just search for a piccy.

Is yours a 6 speed ?

Graceland

I think mine might well be clutch drag, altho the clutch feels nice and the biting point is nowhere near the floor, removing the cdv and replacing the hose to a braided item are a worthwhile place to start looking, and then an oil change (unless knowing my luck its a sealed for life thing )

Graceland

Fair play, if BMW have produced an item like that then there was definately a problem somewhere.

Mines a 5 speed with looooooooong ratio's - the ratio's in the box on my sport are so long that it gives near as damn the same road speeds on the red line as my cossie did on the redline with the mt75 box

No wonder the bugger wants to pull past 140

bud-weis

It does on the M3....literally hundreds of people have changed it and it has cured the problem.

this is the hose i think.

Graceland

That looks like something I can have made up at my local hydraulic place for a couple of quid

xr2i-carl

i aint heard of a box failure yet?

bud-weis

quite possible

gotta be worth a shot?

Graceland

Definately

Only thing I need to find out is how long I need to get the hose made up and what fittings on either end

bud-weis

just remove your existing hose and get them to copy it

Graceland

All good and well doing that, but the hydraulic place is 2 miles away and I have no other cars

bud-weis

borrow a bike

Graceland

I have a pushbike, but its freezing out there

cfoster

My 530i Sport (petrol) had this supposed sealed for life oil but the specialist I took the car to for its service (PMW in Chelmsford) recommended to get it changed (mines on 90k). I could even notice the difference / smoothness of it. Also they updated the gearbox ECU software to 2003> as pre this they suffered jerky gearchanges. Again worth doing and is only a 2 minute upgrade for them!

Chris

Rhys

Thanks for information guys!! The one i had my eye on E46 2004 330d with 46k has just sold Gutted as exact car i would have LOVED!

At end of day can do both for house, i havent lost much on cars over last year

C4llyT

Don't trust sealed for life, is nonsense.
Changed my manual box oil, old oil was shit, and gearchange improved immensely.
Even on an auto, for a few quid, why not change an oil that's been in there for years and years?

As for that clutch hose, is changed to ease first gear selection, not notchiness.
A weighted selector rod improves that, I wound 400 grams of solder round mine, great mod.

That clutch delay valve, many say they notice no difference, others say it's a great mod, is a weird one.