98TredSVT
Veteran CEG'er
just wondering how long everyone goes.... I'm using RP synchromax and I've gone about 10k on it, but was thinking about changing it before winter. I drive like 99% city.
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how often do you change your fluid?
- Thread starter 98TredSVT
- Start date
I have had several manual transmission cars each for over 100,000 miles and never did or had to replace the transmission fluid. However I never raced the cars. IF you are a hard driver I would recommend a change at 75,000 to 100,000 miles.
erb13
1998 SVT
erb13
1998 SVT
98TredSVT
Veteran CEG'er
Are you saying there is no good in replacing the fluid? My last BMW 325i 5-spd had 167k on original fluid and I thought it shifted pretty decent. I changed to RP synchromax and the difference was like a new transmission(beside the fact that it quit going into 2nd gear a month later)
CSVT1214
Addicted CEG'er
Transmissions should never go that long without a fluid change. :nonono:
beyondloadedSE
Hard-core CEG'er
By the book.
Are you saying there is no good in replacing the fluid? My last BMW 325i 5-spd had 167k on original fluid and I thought it shifted pretty decent. I changed to RP synchromax and the difference was like a new transmission(beside the fact that it quit going into 2nd gear a month later)
I'm no BMW specialist, but there's some unofficial conventional wisdom surrounding these cars with particular regard to tranny fluid. It works something like this: If you haven't changed the fluid regularly, according to the owner's manual, don't change it. In other words, if you bought one with 100K plus on it, and the fluid had never been changed, you're better off just leaving it in. From what I've heard, their transmissions are more sensitive to a late fluid change than others out there. Had a buddy make that mistake on a 1991 525i -- slipped nicely after the fluid change. Some of this may carry over to manual transmissions as well.
mcgarvey
Veteran CEG'er
That's not true for any automatic transmission, and especially not for a manual. It NEVER hurts to change the fluid. I hear it all the time where someone changes their ATF and the trans promptly dies, starts slipping, whatever. Well, guess what, it was going to do it anyway!
Manual transmissions don't really beat up on gear oil so much. It doesn't heat up or get pressurized like an automatic. The reason we change it is because of contamination from soft metals. Your synchros wear out over time, and that metal has to go somewhere- most of it splashes around with the gear oil.
If you haven't changed your fluid in 100k miles and it was factory filled with synthetic- you're due for changing it but you probably haven't done any damage at all. On my cars, I change the gear oil using only full synthetic at 30k intervals. Even that is probably overkill, since my cars are driven 90% highway miles, which hardly causes any wear whatsoever on the transmission.
And as for a 10k interval-- you're crazy! That's about how long i leave motor oil in for.
Wait another 20k and save your money.
Manual transmissions don't really beat up on gear oil so much. It doesn't heat up or get pressurized like an automatic. The reason we change it is because of contamination from soft metals. Your synchros wear out over time, and that metal has to go somewhere- most of it splashes around with the gear oil.
If you haven't changed your fluid in 100k miles and it was factory filled with synthetic- you're due for changing it but you probably haven't done any damage at all. On my cars, I change the gear oil using only full synthetic at 30k intervals. Even that is probably overkill, since my cars are driven 90% highway miles, which hardly causes any wear whatsoever on the transmission.
And as for a 10k interval-- you're crazy! That's about how long i leave motor oil in for.
Wait another 20k and save your money.
98TredSVT
Veteran CEG'er
I'm 99% sure that the not changing the fluid if you're forgot to do it regulary theory is ONLY for automatic transmissions....I would never hesitate to change a manual trans's fluid with any amount of miles.
mcgarvey
Veteran CEG'er
Indeed, that MYTH typically only involves automatics.
SVTJON87
Hard-core CEG'er
I'm no BMW specialist, but there's some unofficial conventional wisdom surrounding these cars with particular regard to tranny fluid. It works something like this: If you haven't changed the fluid regularly, according to the owner's manual, don't change it. In other words, if you bought one with 100K plus on it, and the fluid had never been changed, you're better off just leaving it in. From what I've heard, their transmissions are more sensitive to a late fluid change than others out there. Had a buddy make that mistake on a 1991 525i -- slipped nicely after the fluid change. Some of this may carry over to manual transmissions as well.
i changed atx fluid and filter on a 89 325I E30. fluid was brown and burn. tranny did not up shift well at all. the car has i think 130K on it and that fluid had to have been at least 50K+ old. after the fluid change the tranny was 200% better.
Big Jim
Hard-core CEG'er
Indeed, that MYTH typically only involves automatics.
I have changed really bad fluid in many auto transmissions with no problems. As long as the trans is behaving well before there should be no problem. If the trans is already acting up it may be too late, but it may be worth trying to see if it helps.
I say that old myth is just that. A myth.
Manual transmissions are even less likely to have problems from changing old fluid.
On my own cars, I never leave the old fluid in long enough for this to be a concern.
only reason to do it at 10k would be to 'rinse' out some of the remains of the ATF from the previous owner that have diffused into the RP. Other than that I would just wait another 20k+.