ATF for gearbox ?

[Ross]

'88 525e Getrag box? ATF for winter? REALLY stiff until warm.
What do you guys think?

[rob101]

whats the recommended, I put EPX into my old 528i's gear box it has additives to help low temperature shifting and it did help the low temp shifting, I don't know about ATF though you could even use engine oils "theoretically". but I am not sure how the engine oil additives would affect the synchros.

[Ross]

Don't know what's recommened. The book for my '89 says non-hypoid 80w gl-4 or single grade engine oil 20 to 40w.
This is for an E28 I sold to a nice kid who is now freaked at how stiff it is in the cold(0f) and looking for advice.

[BillionPa]

if you want good ATF, pick up some Redline D4.

[Ross]

I just bought a car with Redline in it and it's stiff even when warm.

[rob101]

hmmmmmm its an interesting dilemma, Single grade engine oil? weird man perhaps try some thick engine oil like a 20W-70 or something. by the sounds of it though ATF would be waaaaaaay too thin (isn't it 10W or 5W)

[Bill R.]

,
'88 525e Getrag box? ATF for winter? REALLY stiff until warm.
What do you guys think?

[Dave M]

I've run my 525 with a ZF (ATF-Oil!) in Canadian winters using Mobil 1 synthetic. I have no complaints, but then again, i baby it until its warm :)

Dave M

[rob101]

lifetime fluid what a crock of s**t, typical BMW bastards couldn't care if you had maple syrup in your gearbox so long as it doesn't break before the warranty is up.
OT: FYI for ZF S5-310 transmissions "The recommended long-life oil for S5-31 transmissions is ESSO MTF LT1 (BMW Part # 83 22 9 408 942).
Dexron III can also be used, but is not recommended as long-life oil (see also ZF lubrication list TE-ML 11)"

Notice how ZF says "long-life" not "lifetime"
taken from this document (http://www.zf-group.com/pdf/S531.pdf)
but thank you for the info Bill, as usual very interesting.

[BillionPa]

redline D4 and redline ATF arent the same thing.

im using a 50/50 mix of D4 and B&M TrickShift synthetic. a year so far, very nice combo.

[brick8]

I am pretty sure I used ATF in my e28 535i gearbox when it was really cold (below 0F) and it made a big difference.