E46 manual transmission fluid replacement

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My Account Sign In. BMW 2 Series. BMW 3 Series. BMW 4 Series. BMW 5 Series. BMW 6 Series. BMW 7 Series. BMW 8 Series. BMW Classics. BMW X Series. BMW Z Series. BMW i Series. BMW transmission fluid is stated to be 'lifetime' with no maintenance necessary. That being said, if your BMW has over , miles, it is time for a filter and fluid change. Keeping this fluid and filter serviced is absolutely imperative to ensuring a long service life.

Turner Motorsport carries only BMW approved fluids that will have you shifting smoothly for years to come. Sort By:. T : In Stock. Add to Wish List. Add to Cart. Show More Show Less. The ZF 8HP can be serviced with a full oil pan and gasket kit available. This is a chain-driven transfer case mounted on the back of the transmission with a driveshaft extending from the front and rear of the housing.

The front differential is a traditional hypoid gear design very similar to the rear differential but in a smaller size. The ATC transfer case has a proprietary blend and we do not offer an alternative at this time. Nearly all non-M models use an open differential and rely on traction control to limit wheel spin.

Vintage models and M cars use some form of limited-slip - clutch-type, viscous, or Torsen designs. If you exceed this at the track you may want to invest in a diff oil cooler which will also increase capacity. You can move up to the next highest weight 90 to but realize there may be other consequences including limited slip behavior or not reaching your optimum temp. This must have been part of a larger effort to switch to full synthetic instead of mineral-based oils.

The 75W weight is strange to us but it's the only gear oil listed in BMW's official fluid guide for these differentials. We have used Red Line 75W90 in just about everything with great results and have adopted the new 75W for hot climates or heavy track use. Normally, GL-4 and GL-5 oils should not be mixed. They are incompatible with soft metals such as brass, used in high pressure applications like a transmission. The differential does not see the same high pressures and Red Line has approved their 75W85 GL-5 oil as an alternative to the factory GL The fully-synthetic base oil from Red Line will cling better to metal surfaces and have greater strength especially when temperatures rise.

Any fluid other than the factory-approved type will likely void the warranty for that particular part. If you wish to stay compliant the factory GL-4 is your only choice. These diffs are usually built with some form of a limited-slip feature, using traditional clutch discs, a viscous unit, or helical gears. Below you will find fluid recommendations for each. This fluid does not contain friction modifier additives and will make the clutch plates engage quicker in limited-slip diffs.

This is good for track use but will be noisy for regular street use. Dexron has been their brand-name for ATF since the s but the specs have been adopted industry-wide. GL "GL" is a rating used to differentiate various grades and formulas of gear oil. The fluid must be compatible with the various metals used in transmissions and differentials. So while a higher GL rating means better fluid shear resistance, it may be harmful to certain types of metal brass synchro rings for example.

Pay close attention to the bottle label to verify the GL rating. Hypoid A type of gear set where one gear is at a right angle to the other.

These are the types of gears used in BMW differentials - an input shaft pinion contacts a crown wheel, which is connected to each axle shaft. The pinion and crown are at right angles to one another.

The term is most often used in "hypoid gear oil". MTL vs. Both are for manual transmissions but due to the chemical differences there is a need to differentiate which cars they apply to.

Viscosity The rating for the internal friction of fluid dependent on temperature. These are grades based on a system devised by the SAE and not a measurable value see cSt below. It means the oil performance aligns with a particular grade in the SAE system. The higher the number, the thicker the oil and the longer it will take to reach operating temperature. However, it does not mean that a MT is twice as thick as a 10W It's only an assigned rating.