TRANNY PROBLEM... sorry to post but i gotta know the answer quick!!!

[ArtemLepilov]

I just got a car - 1991 525IA and overall its alright, i got it for $1200 and its fine - motor runs solid and everything (idles at ~550-600RPM but i just gotta clean the ICV once i find out where it is) except for one thing - the car was leaking fluid out of the tranny badly when i got it (about 3 drops every time i start/stop it), got that fixed and it was fine until i found out a problem that the car happened to accumulate once that prblem developed. MY TRANNY when warms up starts slipping out of park very badly... It was alright at first but now I cant stand it. Its basically very bad and I KNEW it was a low fluid and now i finally decided to go to a mechanic to get the fuids replaced BUT he told me that the tranny flush might kill my tranny... What should i do?? im lost... i dont want to spend another $2000 right away on the car... I was hoping to have to deal with this later and put upgrades in it meantime. Im also looking for wheels and front shocks.

Please let me know what I should do and if I can just top it off without consequences then please definitely let me know how i can do that and what kind of fluid to use in there? Its an automatic GM tranny form a 1991 NON-VANOS M50 525I

Thank you all in advance, Artem

[632 Regal]

MY TRANNY when warms up starts slipping out of park very badly

HUH?

[Gayle]

The way to get the most information quickly is to do a search.

[ArtemLepilov]

MY TRANNY when warms up starts slipping out of park very badly

HUH?

- im just saying when i stop at say, a red light. It will slip out of drive (sorry, not park) and when i press the pedal the car will move not right away but a little later when i rev the engine higher but with a kick...

I know Im dealing with a low tranny fluid level but i dont know how to deal with it...

-Artem

[632 Regal]

add fluid?

[Gayle]

a mechanic told me that the tranny flush might kill my tranny... What should i do??

if I can just top it off without consequences then please definitely let me know how i can do that and what kind of fluid to use in there?



I am no mechanic but I have read the all threads cover to cover in the last 3 months. What I remember is that the official BMW line is never change it, it is lifetime fluid, but I also remember someone who totally changed their fluid with no ill effects and in fact it saved them from having to replace the tranny. I can't believe that runny with low fluid is better for the tranny that whatever ill effects would be caused by adding.

Again I suggest doing a couple of search using "transmission fluid" "tranny" and "flush." You will get more info quickly cause it is going to take a while to get enough points of view on this thread to make a decision. Unless you just want someone to tell you it is ok....

[Gayle]

go here. under maintence look at transmission

http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/other/E34_crash.htm

[JonE]

yah, if it's not leaking now, top it up and see how it drives. Sometimes just a "drain and fill" will work with a tranny that has not been maintained, apparently a "tranny flush" will be more risky.

[Bill R.]

is for checking fluid levels on the GM strassbourg transmission, You can use dexron II III or mercon fluids in it. Check it after its only been running a few minutes almost dead cold, thats the closest indicator to 30C unless you have a infrared thermometer and can get a better reading. I usually jack the car up and level it using jackstands at all four corners, then i put a level on the bottom of the trans pan and shim my jackstands as needed until i have it perfectly level, since my slab isn't perfectly level... Then i let the car sit until the fluid is cool, takes a number of hours. Then check the level and add as needed, the warmer it gets the higher the level will be and you won't be able to add as much sometimes resulting in the incorrect level. http://www.bimmernut.com/%7Ebillr/images/translevel-1.jpg








go here. under maintence look at transmission

http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/other/E34_crash.htm

[uscharalph]

I just got a car - 1991 525IA and overall its alright, i got it for $1200 and its fine - motor runs solid and everything (idles at ~550-600RPM but i just gotta clean the ICV once i find out where it is) except for one thing - the car was leaking fluid out of the tranny badly when i got it (about 3 drops every time i start/stop it), got that fixed and it was fine until i found out a problem that the car happened to accumulate once that prblem developed. MY TRANNY when warms up starts slipping out of park very badly... It was alright at first but now I cant stand it. Its basically very bad and I KNEW it was a low fluid and now i finally decided to go to a mechanic to get the fuids replaced BUT he told me that the tranny flush might kill my tranny... What should i do?? im lost... i dont want to spend another $2000 right away on the car... I was hoping to have to deal with this later and put upgrades in it meantime. Im also looking for wheels and front shocks.

Please let me know what I should do and if I can just top it off without consequences then please definitely let me know how i can do that and what kind of fluid to use in there? Its an automatic GM tranny form a 1991 NON-VANOS M50 525I

Thank you all in advance, Artem
Do you have an ATF dipstick on your car?

[Bill R.]

1
Do you have an ATF dipstick on your car?

[ryan roopnarine]

my 7/91 1992 525i has one. im assuming, bill, that you are speaking of the build date of the tranny, not the car.

[Bill R.]

dipstick, i'm assuming its the car build date but maybe not... do you have the pan with both plugs in it? if so someone may have installed a dipstick in yours. or if not someone may have replaced a bad transmission with a used one from an earlier model.






my 7/91 1992 525i has one. im assuming, bill, that you are speaking of the build date of the tranny, not the car.

[ryan roopnarine]

i only have drain holes below. i remember seeing in the service history that a tranny was rebuilt, so i don't have a reason to believe that yet another tranny was put into the car.

[ArtemLepilov]

My car does have a dipstick in it for the ATF but its one of the black ones with an arrow - i couldnt get it out (was afraid of breaking it if i pulled too hard.) But now in a few hours im going to fill it up with fluid. I will let everyone know how it turns out...

Thank you all, Artem

[Gene in NC]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I fear that you have a bad trans. Why do yoiu suppose that you got such a deal on the car?

[Bill R.]

direction of the arrow while pulling it out. Then you can check the fluid like you would on a normal one. And you add through the dipstick hole as well.







My car does have a dipstick in it for the ATF but its one of the black ones with an arrow - i couldnt get it out (was afraid of breaking it if i pulled too hard.) But now in a few hours im going to fill it up with fluid. I will let everyone know how it turns out...

Thank you all, Artem

[Tiger]

Probably low fluid... but I would change the fluid regardless.

[uscharalph]

Probably low fluid... but I would change the fluid regardless.
I thought you need to slowly change out the ATF if it has never been changed. As far as I can tell, mine has never been changed. My plan was to do a tranmission service (Change filter and gasket) and then just replace what fluid I tokk out at that time. Slowly getting to the point of getting to flush to new fluid.

[ArtemLepilov]

I just added a quart of ATF and the problem lessened. However It is still there - i believe i need more ATF in there... I used Mobil ATF III. I was wondering if anyone had a way of telling when the fluid will overflow or when it is at the good level.

Please let me know.

-Artem

[Tiger]

Do you have dipstick or not? If so, use it. There is no guessing.

[Tiger]

Slowly is nice... but not necessary. Old ATF has problem of removing sludge instantly... Today's ATF formulation doesn't allow that to happen.

[ArtemLepilov]

Well it was all fine until I found out that the tranny started to leak again... Do you think it will stop if I drop the pans and replace the gaskets? Please let me know where I can find the cheaper gaskets.

-Artem