Need Help

[Jetsa]

I posted this problem in the general section up top but didnt get any replies, so since I have a 530i, I guess I will try down in the proper section.

It's a 95 model and wont go forward, reverse is just fine. When put in any drive gear, you can watch the wheels and see that its trying to move but wont. The previous owner said that once he would get it to go forward it was good to go wherever he wanted as long as he didnt put it in park. Then he would have the same issue again of it not going forward. He even told me sometimes he would have to push it to get it going then jump in LOL. Anyways, the car didnt come with an owners manual and there is a lot of trans. fluid leaking. There is a fluid cannister on the left side that says "Use ATF only" and the 2 large diameter hoses that attach to the cannister look to be power steering hoses although they are attached to the bottom of the cannister with hose clamps. Both of these hoses are leaking trans. fluid badly and I'm wondering if the car just needs more trans. fluid to move forward. Can anyone offer any clues? TIA

[zubbie]

Ouch. Tranny probs.

1. Fix the leaks.
2. add trans fluid to the appropriate level.
3. Say a prayer
4. If it's answered then things will work fine.
5. If it's not start saving your money as you have the A5S310Z tranny otherwise named slushbox, autotragic, autodramatic etc. I suspect it may be one of the Lifetime fill trannys (with a loose definition of lifetime!) :(

[Jetsa]

Is it true that to fill the tranny you have to take it to a dealer to have the fluid pressure pumped in? And if that cannister I described is for power steering, why would it have "Use ATF only" stamped in it as ATF contains no lubricants which the power steering needs?

[zubbie]

Is it true that to fill the tranny you have to take it to a dealer to have the fluid pressure pumped in? And if that cannister I described is for power steering, why would it have "Use ATF only" stamped in it as ATF contains no lubricants which the power steering needs?

Ah but this is no regular PS pump. It's a BMW and it does use ATF as a fluid. As for you tranny you can change the fluid yourself.

http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/Maintenance/Transmission/Data/E34%20Autotrans.pdf

[kalevera]

Anyways, the car didnt come with an owners manual and there is a lot of trans. fluid leaking. There is a fluid cannister on the left side that says "Use ATF only" and the 2 large diameter hoses that attach to the cannister look to be power steering hoses although they are attached to the bottom of the cannister with hose clamps. Both of these hoses are leaking trans. fluid badly and I'm wondering if the car just needs more trans. fluid to move forward. Can anyone offer any clues? TIA

That's the power steering reservoir. Has nothing to do with the transmission.

The transmission fluid level can't be checked from the engine bay in your car. You have the get the car up in the air, at operating temperature, running, then open the fill bolt and fill it until fluid comes out.

If the car shows the correct gear selected on the dash, and there isn't a trans program error message, it sounds like the car has a physical, internal transmission problem.



Is it true that to fill the tranny you have to take it to a dealer to have the fluid pressure pumped in? And if that cannister I described is for power steering, why would it have "Use ATF only" stamped in it as ATF contains no lubricants which the power steering needs?

I don't say this to come off as mean or unwelcoming, but it sounds like you're in over your head. Take it to a BMW specialist, preferably someone who works _only_ on BMWs, and see what they say. There's not enough info in what you've given us to diagnose or definitively say anything, aside from the fact that it isn't working correctly.

[Jetsa]

Well I have been in service departments of GM dealerships since 1982 so I know everything about them. As I said there was no owners manual provided with the Beamer and it is like learning this stuff all over again while knowing principles. I've had every ASE certification except auto trans (wouldnt ya know it) but let the ones I dont use lapse. I currently do performance, electrical, and hvac work in a dealership.

Now, thanks to Zubbie I know that the fluid fill procedure is exacly like the late model Cavalier and Malibu's, so thank you very much Zubbie. I also now know that I am fixing a power steering leak on the 2 hoses under the p.steering resovoir. BTW Zubbie, is there an online version of the owners manual that I could print out or bookmark, or was that a repair manual link?

Okay one more question. I read that some BMW's are said to have lifetime tranny fluid. How can I find out if the A5S31OZ has that or not so I know to get the correct fluid in case I find it to be low? (Praying to see a real tranny fluid leak when I raise it up, otherwise I'm doing a tranny swap as a friend has one that he is giving me if needed...whew)

[artguy]

Sounds like you have the same tranny I have. (ZF 5 HP 18 (A5S 310Z)). Here are a couple of PDF files that may give you some good info:

http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/Maintenance/Transmission/Data/E34%20Autotrans.pdf

http://www.zf-group.com/pdf/5HP18.pdf

These should give you the fluid info you also need. Here's some quick info from one of the PDF's: "All lifetime use oils (Shell LA 2634, Esso ATF LT 71141, Texaco ETL 7045, Texaco ETL 8072 B)."

I had a similar problem as your's, and it turned out to be just low fluid. My simple explanation: these are pressurized systems so with a low fluid level the gears cannot be pushed into place properly thus you get noticeable hesitation while shifting.

You will also need to replace the filter inside. I got mine from, bavauto.com item number: 24 34 1 513 KIT

It really isn't a "lifetime" system. I don't believe it is possible for the filter to last the lifetime of the tranny. If the filter gets clogged then fluid cannot be sucked up to the gears and thus a lack of pressure. If you have a leak you get the same results.

When re-filling the tranny, the car must be off the ground and running. I filled the reservoir until the fluid topped off and then I shifted it through the gears. As you do this it draws the fluid into the tranny and allows you to then add more fluid. It's hard to say how much you will need, because you can't tell how much you lost. I had to replace about 5.5 quarts. In simplest terms, you will be done filling when the car shifts smoothly (no hesitations) and the fluid is topped off and drains back out the filler hole.

Sounds also like you have a power steering leak, which I also have right now. Mine was compounded because the previous owner put regular power steering fluid in which is WRONG. I have a label on the top which calls for Pentosin CHF11S which is a hydraulic fluid. So now I need to drain my PS system and put the correct fluid in. You may have to do the same.

Don't worry about the owner's manual. It really doesn't tell you much. But you should buy a Bentley's repair manual and use this forum, bimmernut.com, and bmwe34.net for good e34 info.

[Jetsa]

So would one be safe in assuming that putting regular trans. fluid in the power steering would be an incorrect fluid and that it would need to be the lifetime tranny fluid recommended for the trans.? I know the previous owner was putting shelf bought tranny fluid in there.

[artguy]

So would one be safe in assuming that putting regular trans. fluid in the power steering would be an incorrect fluid Yes, but you should check the top of the power steering reservoir and see if it has a label telling you which fluid it needs. It will likely list "Pentosin CHF 11S or Pentosin CHF 7.1S"

Read this info: http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Maintenance/Steering/PS_fluid.htm

Here is a thread that talked about it also:
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=910258


and that it would need to be the lifetime tranny fluid recommended for the trans.? I know the previous owner was putting shelf bought tranny fluid in there.You can use "better" tranny fluids that are replacements or comparable to: "Shell LA 2634, Esso ATF LT 71141, Texaco ETL 7045, Texaco ETL 8072 B"

The Red Line brand from bavauto.com, which is comparable, lists this: "D4 ATF - synthetic Dexron III and Mercon fluid meeting the requirements of most transmission manufacturers, while satisfying GL-4 gear oil requirements."

[Jetsa]

Okay I feel like my heart was just ripped out. Put fluid in tranny and still no go forward plus the fluid that came out smelled like burnt clutches=( I have one guy that messes with salvage stuff that said he had a tranny just like that one he would give me but I cant get in touch with him, so I ffeel like a lost sheeple atm. I was praying all I had to do was add fluid but oh well.

[Jetsa]

Ya once I had it in the air finally I started looking around. Seems the AIR pump mounting bolt holders have broken off, one of the power steering lines is leaking at the fitting, and the 2 hoses that attach to the power steering resovoir are leaking, those may be just the hose clamps loose though. Oh and the front air dam thing has broken off from hitting too many curbs prolly.

Thanks for the hotline on the tranny.

[PropellerOnMyCar]

my tranny is having similiar problems, lots of good info here. I'm gonna do a flush/fill on it this weekend and pray to God that it fixes the lack of upshifting on the highway.

[Chinman]

as ATF contains no lubricants which the power steering needs?
OK. If that is true (and it isn't) where does an automatic transmission/manual transmissions that use ATF get their lubrication from then?

BTW, Burnt smelling trans fluid means get out the checkbook.

EDIT: just noticed the post date on this. Hope you got this fixed by now.