Reco Auto Troubles

[Fullysikbro]

So i brought a reco ZF auto for my 535 From Bm's R Us in Melbourne (Australia) and the first one wouldnt run properly and computer kept telling me there are issues with it, "Transmission check"

Second on burnt through 3 clutches and wouldnt engage all the time.

Third one, is NOISY and i mean like having ball bearings in a can and rolling it down a hill and slips (whizzzz) and wont stay engaged for longer than about 500 metres at a time.

I have contacted them and again its going in to their shop to be looked at, however im just wondering if anyone could shed any light into why it keeps failing apart from just human error, is there anything mechanically/internally that would make it keep doing this? :help






"If your in Melbourne, take your car to WORX Automotive they are the best BMW and general car mechanics in the country, http://www.worxauto.com.au"

[ArnZ]

I know revving it in park or neutral will definately kill the "A" clutches, that and also poor maintenance will dramatically reduce life expectancy of the 4hp22.

[Fullysikbro]

Not a maintenance issue this is over the last 4 weeks, 3 auto's. No revving in fact i have babied this auto haven't taken it past 120kph, haven't opened it up either so its not me being too hard on it. Just doesn't add up hey?

[ShapeShifter]

I came across this post from shogun the other day.
Dont know if it will help.
http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41883

[ArnZ]

Yeah might just be down to human error. Dodgy automatic re builders do exist.

[Binjammin]

I know revving it in park or neutral will definately kill the "A" clutches, that and also poor maintenance will dramatically reduce life expectancy of the 4hp22.

Not true. It will kill the A clutch if the stator shaft seal has gone bad. It's why they recommend you not do it, because nobody can predict if the seals are good or not anymore. You can have bad seals and not know, it won't kill the tranny unless you do the park/neutral revving. A 4hp with the newer style teflon seals should not have this issue.

[Fullysikbro]

So in the end of this saga, the reco was finally just replaced, something to do with not tightening the bands and a bent valve? Just be aware i guess is the moral to this story, be careful where you buy your parts from, learn from my misfourtunes LOL

[ArnZ]

Not true. It will kill the A clutch if the stator shaft seal has gone bad. It's why they recommend you not do it, because nobody can predict if the seals are good or not anymore. You can have bad seals and not know, it won't kill the tranny unless you do the park/neutral revving. A 4hp with the newer style teflon seals should not have this issue.


Ahhh i thought it was the case of, the more you rev it N or P the quicker it will die. And yes i know about the teflon seals which is why my rebuilt box has them. But....

I read somewhere that to fix the "A clutch pack" issue you need to modify the valve body and drill a small hole somewhere, along with the teflon seal. Is this true?

[Fullysikbro]

Ahhh i thought it was the case of, the more you rev it N or P the quicker it will die. And yes i know about the teflon seals which is why my rebuilt box has them. But....

I read somewhere that to fix the "A clutch pack" issue you need to modify the valve body and drill a small hole somewhere, along with the teflon seal. Is this true?

I will chase it up and find out for you, cause i wonder if thats what they have done in the end, its still not 100% on the 6th return to me and the 6th rebuild lol, 4th gear kind of falls in as apposed to glides into gear so im going to give it a week an see how i go, but will def find out because im interested too to see if thats what part of the fix was!

[Fullysikbro]

OMFG!!!! So i just walked into my garage and it had transmission oil all over the cement. Guess repair no 7 is on its way..... Why would it just be leaking like this for the first time?

[ArnZ]

Wow man, you are having some real bad luck there.

[Binjammin]

Ahhh i thought it was the case of, the more you rev it N or P the quicker it will die. And yes i know about the teflon seals which is why my rebuilt box has them. But....

I read somewhere that to fix the "A clutch pack" issue you need to modify the valve body and drill a small hole somewhere, along with the teflon seal. Is this true?

No, that fix is for before they came out with the teflon seals. Trust me, I chased that to no end, only to have absolutely nobody tell me to do it, over putting good seals in. And no, revving in park or neutral won't make the seals die any faster.


OMFG!!!! So i just walked into my garage and it had transmission oil all over the cement. Guess repair no 7 is on its way..... Why would it just be leaking like this for the first time?

You probably blew out the torque converter seal, the output shaft seal, one of the cooling lines, or the pan somewhere.