Cooling System Replaced - One big problem

[luckydogtoo]

with the Pelican instructions is it doesn't mention at all what to do about the quart of AT fluid lost when removing the radiator. I dutifully went through projects 34, 35 and 36 even 5 and got to refill and bleed the cooling system. Then went to find out how to add that quart of AT back and nothing. Nothing on bimmerfest yet either except a bunch of mumbo jumbo about replacing the fluid. So now I'm stuck with my bimmer up on ramps and I cannot get to the trans pan as show in project 36 (at fluid). It wont even say what side the fill and drain holes are on.

So any suggestions or previous posts, I have the rest the weekend though it will rain tomorrow. Yuck! don't have a way of jacking it up evenly as instructed either. If the project book would have said something up front I could have been prepared.

Will I damage trans by driving it on and off ramps with fluid this low. btw, red fluid was already leaking from the front of the car when I got under there.

BMW 325ic - convertible, 94 - Automatic

Thanks for help asap!

Eric .

[Manolito]

I have never been able to properly top off the tranny in my e36. On my '97, I have an external oil cooler so I can pull the radiator without breaking the tranny lines if I am careful, leaving the oil cooler on the car, however, I removed the bolt on the line clamp and the lines came out last time, dumping about a pint of oil on the floor.

After I bled the cooling system and the car was warmed up, I raised the fill plug side of the car up higher than the other side so that I could be sure that I could get in the pint or so that I had lost. With the tranny warm, I pulled the fill plug, and another cup of fluid gushed out at me.

Now I was down more than a pint and had two stains on the floor.

I gave up and drove it 10 miles to the mechanic where I take the jobs that I cannot do - Capital City European in Sacramento (*****). It seemed like shifts might have been just a little slow, or perhaps I was imagining it. I doubt that I did it any harm driving it.

[Jeron]

Even if you just want to add lost fluid you have to do the ATF oil fill procedure. If you are going to do that you might as well just replace the fluid.

You need the car raised and level, engine running but cold and car run through the gears as you pump fluid into the fill hole until it is full.