cnrdean@ucbtopaz.CC.Berkeley.ARPA (05/03/85)
I have a 1981 BMW 320i 5-speed (am I a yuppy??). When I bought it new, it shifted fine. Since I had the 30,000 mile service, it shifts like a MAC truck when it is cold; fine once it is warm. I have figured out why (it has to do with the trans design). I've been told that this stiff shifting is normal if I have the proper trans fluid in. However, if I put ATF in instead, it will shift fine. Could it be that the dealers put ATF in before the car was sold (so that potential buyers wouldn't be scared off)? Anybody out there put ATF in? I'd like to if there is no problem. I haven't looked in net.auto very much lateley, so I might be asking a question which has been asked before. (Didn't there used to be groups for different types of cars?) Thanks. Sam Scalise
seifert@hammer.UUCP (Snoopy) (05/06/85)
ATF is officially approved for manual transmissions by BMW NA. It is actually better in cold weather, since the "normal" 80 weight stuff is so thick that the syncros can't work. In summer, the 80 weight stuff is fine. (This depends on where you live, of course!) With ATF in the box, you can actually shift gears at 30 below. (brr!) What you DO NOT want to use is "hypoid" gear oil, which is the stuff normally sold for the rear end. Non-hypoid 80-weight gear oil is a pain to find. ATF is easy to find. Use the "Dexron II" (sp?), not the "type F" stuff. To change the trans oil, you will need a 17mm allen wrench, a pan to catch the old stuff, and some way to get the new oil into the hole in the side of the trans. I used to use a Black and Decker "Jackrabbit" hand pump. ($12 at K-mart) The trans is full when the oil/fluid reaches the bottom of the fill hole. (with car level) Assuming you haven't lowered the suspension, it is possible * to do all this without jacking the car up. Wear old clothes and plan on making a mess. * that's "possible" not "easy", especially the first time the Bavarian Beagle, Snoopy tektronix!hammer!seifert