Approved oils for BMW transmission

Got this off the ZF website. These are their approved oils and compatability.

BMW transmission fluid levels charts

These charts are helpful for knowing what fluid goes into which automatic transmission and the amount of fluid. You should be able to click on the photo to enlarge it.

Manual Fluid. Sorry, I haven't seen a chart for the manual transmissions. I do know early transmissions use 90 wt gear oil. around 1986 or 1987 they started to use ATF. There is a green sticker on the tranmission that says ATF. In 1996 manual trnamsmissions went to BMW Lifetime oil. These transmissions have a yellow sticker that says life time oil.

Automatic Fluid. I have not found a substitute for BMW Lifetime Automatic transmission fluid. I do know if you do not use lifetime fluid and try ATF it will ruin the transmissions that use lifetime fluid.Most automatics after 1992 do not have a dipstick to check the fluid level. As with manuals, there is a fill plug and a drain plug on most transmissions. Full is when the fluid runs out the fill hole. I believe some of the transmissions must be filled when at op temp and running. Pelican Parts has some info on filling early auto tranmissions.

M52 Dual Mass Flywheel

SO my new year started off with a Bang!! Right when I shifted from 2nd in to 3rd. BANG! We'll find out tonight what it was. I think my dual mass flywheel became 2 single mass pieces. The fly wheel has been shaking and chattering for the last couple weeks and I was hoping to get a lightened single mass replacement. No such luck right now. I'll just have to replace the one that's in there with another M52 oe flywheel. Hopefully it's not the transmission.

Late night update.....Dropped the trans out tonight in the driveway. Found out not only is my dual mass fly wheel bad, the car stopped moving because the center broke out of the pressure plate. Wierd! I haven't seen that before, the welds that hold the splined ring that fits over the input shaft on the trans, all broke. Maybe the vibration from the fly wheel caused it to break apart. I will post a picture of it when I get the pressure plate and fly wheel off tomorow.

All righty then, one week later and the E30 is back on the road. I ended up installing a 2000 528i E39 flywheel and self adjusting clutch. The pedal feel takes a little getting used to. Its's kind of soft. I didn't install the pressure valve on the clutch slave. I may add it later this week if I end up not liking the soft pedal.

It took me so long because of a leaky injector that wouldn't seat properly into the injector rail. I had removed my intake to make it easier to get at the starter and top trans bolts. Plus I needed to fix my pinched heater hose. I broke the bottom of the #5 injector when I popped it out of the intake and the replacement injector o-ring wouldn't seat into the fuel rail properly. What a pain in the ass.

I also have a clicking in my right rear axle shaft, so later on today I will be swapping that out. I guess this engine and injection set up is just a little bit to much for some of these old E30 parts. Luckily I can do most of the work myself.