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Change your Gearbox Oil !

2003 - 2009, roadster, coupe, facelift
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Fox889
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Change your Gearbox Oil !

Post by Fox889 » Fri Apr 21, 2017 6:10 pm

No brainer.......just do it! :thumbsup:
2004 3.0 Z4 in Sterling grey metallic

paul shivers
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Change your Gearbox Oil !

Post by paul shivers » Fri Apr 21, 2017 6:20 pm

thanks a million

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Steve84N
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Change your Gearbox Oil !

Post by Steve84N » Fri Apr 21, 2017 8:35 pm

Redline MTL.

It's not strictly speaking to spec as they want you to use automatic transmission fluid. However, this I understand is mainly because it gives a lighter shift action and not because the gears require it. MTL is designed for manual gearboxes and gives better protection for the synchros and my experience is that the shift quality is fine, including when cold.
C63 AMG Estate 6208cc

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kis
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Change your Gearbox Oil !

Post by kis » Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:19 pm

Steve84N wrote: Fri Apr 21, 2017 8:35 pm Redline MTL.

It's not strictly speaking to spec as they want you to use automatic transmission fluid. However, this I understand is mainly because it gives a lighter shift action and not because the gears require it. MTL is designed for manual gearboxes and gives better protection for the synchros and my experience is that the shift quality is fine, including when cold.
So redline doesn't meet BMW spec MTF-LT-2? But I've seen many people still use it? More expensive oil doesn't bother me (unless it's ridiculous). Why use redline over say the Castrol stuff that patriot66 has used?
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4 Series - F36, F82 M4
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X5 - E53, E70
X6 - E71

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Steve84N
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Change your Gearbox Oil !

Post by Steve84N » Fri Apr 21, 2017 9:23 pm

It's designed for manual gearboxes not auto fluid that the marketing guys specced to get a lighter shift action. Changed the 330 too and it now selects gears much more smoothly. The later cars went to even thinner versions of ATF but it was the same gearbox as used earlier... Better economy but not better for looking after the cogs.
C63 AMG Estate 6208cc

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Change your Gearbox Oil !

Post by kis » Sat Apr 22, 2017 12:05 am

Ah I see, so feels like a better shift instead of actually physically functioning better. You got any links for the redline? :)
My E85 Z4 3.0i SMG

BMW Family History (past and present):
1 Series - E87
3 Series - E46 Coupe, E46 M3, E90 (x3)
4 Series - F36, F82 M4
5 Series - E34 (x2), E39
7 Series - E32
X5 - E53, E70
X6 - E71

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Steve84N
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Change your Gearbox Oil !

Post by Steve84N » Sat Apr 22, 2017 12:21 am

Just search Redline MTL on eBay, 2 quarts needed. If you're unsure you can mix MTL with the recommended oil but I didn't bother.
C63 AMG Estate 6208cc

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Change your Gearbox Oil !

Post by paul shivers » Thu Apr 27, 2017 8:05 pm

thanks for the reply , would i be right in saying that 1 litre of oil in diff & 1 litre of oil in gear box ?

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Steve84N
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Change your Gearbox Oil !

Post by Steve84N » Thu Apr 27, 2017 9:14 pm

No.

You'll need 2 quarts for each as I said, although you won't use it all.
C63 AMG Estate 6208cc

csquire4
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Change your Gearbox Oil !

Post by csquire4 » Thu Apr 27, 2017 9:26 pm

For my 2004 3.0 manual gearbox I changed to 50/50 mix of Redline MTF and Redline ATF 4 as recommended by forums and OPIE oils. You'll need to buy 1 quart of each. It did improve the shift.
2004 3.0i, manual, toledo blue

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Change your Gearbox Oil !

Post by mjennings23 » Thu Apr 27, 2017 11:43 pm

Is this as simple as draining and refilling, or do people take the casing apart and change the filter too? Not sure if this is applicable to manual, just watched a video of an auto change online and they took the filter out as well as flushed the torque converter.

I assume with manual it's a lot simpler job?

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Change your Gearbox Oil !

Post by MACK » Fri Apr 28, 2017 9:38 am

Its just a drain and refill on the manual, there's no filter to change. There's not even a flush you can add prior to draining, like you can with engine oil if memory serves. If yours is an auto I would be doing a filter change, filter kits usually work out a bit cheaper in this respect.
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Change your Gearbox Oil !

Post by csquire4 » Fri Apr 28, 2017 12:57 pm

Yep, for manual gearbox it's just a drain plug, refilling requires a big syringe type device.
2004 3.0i, manual, toledo blue

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