Is not the Volvo way. All cars have ATF lines that runs thru the radiator for cooling ( in and exit lines), the only different is in the location, its just that volvo makes it very easy and BMW does not. Neither Volvo, BMW or any other manufacturer will publish this, they do not want the owners to learn this simple procedure.I'm very suprise that no BMW DIY has tried this method. I will do it this way in my 2010 528xi and post when the time comes, probably at 40,000 miles.

 

I meant the flush method. Volvo repair manual (even haynes) specifies pour in 2 liters of fresh ATF and starts car to pump the old ATF out until bubbles can be seen. My friend did the tranny flush on his Ford SHO with the continuation of pouring in fresh ATF while car was running until the ATF coming out of the tranny was red color. I think different car manufactures have their own way to flush the tranny. They may not be the same.

We are looking forward to seeing your post after you flush your 528xi tranny. Then I will try to flush instead of drain and refill.

 

Ok, but you may need to wait a bit since I only have 9000 miles on the car. But, yes you can flush and pour at the same time but it becomes a two person project, also the the rate of old atf exit is faster than what one can pour , so that is another thing to consider.

 

Agree.....

 

FYI......

Napa Auto parts has the Pentosin ATF we used for $14.50/Liter

ATF Auto Transmission Fluid (1 Liter)
Part #: 83-22-0-142-516-M210
Pentosin is an OEM supplier to BMW.

Compared to: http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/smart/more_info.cgi?pn=83-22-0-142-516-M210&catalog_description=ATF%20Auto%20Transmission %20Fluid%20(1%20Liter),%20530i%20M54%20%20

You can save about $45 right there! Of course you'll have to stroll into your local Napa to see if they have or you can call. They don't have online. My local Napa (which also happens to be a napa distributor) had it right there on the shelf

 

Any special pump is used to refill the liquid?

 

Autozone....get the one that fits the liter bottle, it's got a wider cap.... similar to a fully syn mobil 1 oil bottle.

 

Thanks Raj. I found your instructions more informative than the Bentley manual. Just did my car today at 67,000 miles. Replaced the pan and filter too. I was able to get about 5.5 liters of the old fluid out of my 550. Total cost was about $275.00.

 

Guys please stop wasting money, this topic is been around for a while in most BMW forums.

ZF Lifeguard6= re-bottled motorcraft mercon SP, which retails in the US for: 3:99/quart. Save yourself $13 bucatfChart.pdfks/liter.

See the chart, the 6HP26 is the ZF transmission, shell makes the Mercon SP in this Country for Ford and also bottles it as Shell M1375.4 for the ZF transmission in Germany. Is the same ATF.

 

But why Shell M1375.4 is brown colored and mercon SP6 is red colored? And it smells different...