Transmission fluid additives

[bking66]

I'm looking for anyone who has experience or advice on automatic transmission fluid additives.

I have two 1990's, a 535 and 735, that I switched over to Redline ATF after I bought them and both still work ten's of thousands of miles later, but they make increasingly more noise, esp a rumble or vibration when the vehicle is standing still and in drive (but vibration all but disappears when shifted into P or N) and a whirring sound that seems to begin as the vehicle comes to a stop and ends shortly after the vehicle comes to a complete stop. Both transmissions exhibit similar sounds, and now one occasionally hesitates on a shift, second to third. The Bentley has little to say about any maintenance, and my mechanic told me to "pull out both the Tranny and my wallet".

Thanks for your ideas!
BKing

[Bear]

REDLINE ATF or D4 ATF is good stuff, I use their MTF in my manual tansmission car. I have not gone to a synthetic in my 750 and I do not know why not as I use MOBIL-1, 20W50 in the engine. I currently use Valvoline MAX LIFE DEXRON III, as a transmission fluid and so far I have had no problems.

[bking66]

Thank God someone replied!
I can't beleive my tranys' are the only bimmer trany's that make noise!
(see my challenge on the 5-series board)
Thanks again, Bear.
BKing

[Bear]

There are additives out there, hundreds of them but I am not sure I would use any except the one put out by BG Products, the same company that makes BG44K. Check their website at www.bgprod.com.

[bking66]

Bear, thanks again. (this is good advice) Actually I'm considering the BG intake treatment by a local mechanic. A car club member suggested that it eliminates the numerous but minor hesitations as you accelerate up through the higher rpm's on older cars (ie my 635csi w/170kmi). I'll ask the dealer about the tranny cleaning, too, for my two automatics.
BKing

[bking66]

Bear, are you still there?
I was curious, why 20W50? Is your 750 engine badly worn or do you live in the desert? I use Mobil 1 10w40, mainly because I've heard at least from a couple sources that the 40 weight is the highest to use for old engines if using a 100% synthetic product, because they don't breakdown (therefore not needing the 50 blended in for protection). -Other than reduce engine noise (which could be a good reason!)
BKing

[Bear]

I have been told by two factory trained Master Technicians that 20W50 is the right weight for BMW engines. I actually use MOBIL 1 at 15W50, my son uses MOBIL 1, 15W50 in his 1988 735i, his 1987 325i, and my daughter Valvoline 20W50 in her 1990 325ic. Oh, my soni-inlaw again 20W50 for his 1994 530i and 1995 325is. Thes engines run hot and even the NASCAR guys run 50W in their 5.7 litre, 750 HP beasts.

And no,not the desert. I live in SE Virginia, near Hampton and Yorktown.

[Wayne 962]

It all depends upon your climate. The 20W oil is good for warmer climates, but can be a thick sludge when started up in a cold engine...

Check out this link:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/Borrowed/mult_synthetic_faq.htm

and this one as well:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/Borrowed/mult_oil_article.htm

Also, here's an article on changing ATF (3-Series, but still applicable)...

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/E36-Tranny_Fluid_Auto/E36-Tranny_Fluid_Auto.htm

-Wayne

[Bear]

I grew up in the 50' and 60s, before multi viscosity oil and 12 volt batteries and all we used was 20W. I did not have a garage and a 1960 Chevrolet with a 348 cu in engine, 10.25:1 compression parked outside all night in Rome, NY, at a -30 "F" meant, she cranked slow, but she always started.

Yes, in colder climes I would look for perhaps a thinner oil, but a 15W Synthetic flows pretty darn good even at very cold temperatures.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Kinda OT, but Bear,

the 348 chevy, was that the one with the wierd "w" shaped valve covers, right?

Wasnt it a completely different block than the rest of the normal GM small blocks from 283-400?

[Bear]

Yes it was a truck engine and later was immortalized in a famous beach music song about the 409. The modern day chevvies started in 1955 with a 265, then, 283, 327,350, 396, and 427. And, yes the 400 (actually two 400s one was a 402, but called a 400, and was a offshoot of the 396 block). Then the 396 and 427. Can't forget the 1967-1969 Z28 with a 302 at 295 Gross HP but in reality put out about 330 HP.

My 348 had one four barrel and was rated at 250 HP, there was a three two barrel option at 280 HP.

I owned a 1966 Impala station wagon with a 427/390 HP engine, a turbo 400 automatic and a 3.31:1 final drive running through a postitraction (limited slip) rear end. Oh, it also had semi metallic brakes. This was a sleepr and I emabarassed a few 327 Camaro drivers because they did not know what they were running against. I had a centrifugal only advance, a minor increase in timing, dual exhausts with low restriction mufflers and a high flow Edelbrock air cleaner. I also put the front and rear sway bars from the F41 susoension on this car and then put heavier duty shocks on all four corners.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Check this out.

The old beast. 400 V-8 4BBL Holley double pumper, high lift cam. This thing had so much torque, you could pull a house off it's foundation. Sometimes I miss this thing, even though it only got like 8MPG.

[Bear]

Geez, I forgot the 454 cu in stump puller. I had one in a 1972 Kingwood Wagon. However, we were net HPing by then and heavy into the smog stuff so she only produced 230 Net HP.

OK, end of nostalgia and back to Bimmers.

[autobonrun]

You may wish to check your engine/tranny mounts. When my engine mounts were shot, it changed the angle such that I got vibration and a rumbling noise. After the new mounts, the problem went away. This assumes you've already verified your drive shaft joint is not causing the vibration.

[bking66]

autobonrun, good suggestion. Actually, at 86K miles when I bought the 535i (the car with tranny vibration) I replaced the transmission mounts, which I thought was curious. Since then I also replaced the drive shaft. I'll check again the motor & trany mounts.