Amsoil MTF

[Mouldy]

I know that there have been several threads recently regarding gearbox oil, but having read them and given consideration to their content, compared to the 'Filled for Life' sticker on the side of the manual 'box on my '98 2.8 roadster, I decided to get the oil changed.

Again, following advice given in earlier threads, I chose Amsoil MTF which was purchased by mail order from Opie Oils, who deserve a mention for the friendly advise and the speed of delivery. Highly recommended!!!

The gearbox oil was changed yesterday morning and I am happy to report that it is probably the best £30 that I have spent since owning the car.

I recall reading an earlier post by Mike Fishwick which said that it would probably take up to 1,000 miles for the full benefits of a change of gearbox oil to take effect, but the quality of the gearchange has been transformed already!!

I am off to Snowdonia over the next Bank Holiday weekend with 'Er indoors and the Zed and hope to see further improvements as the miles accrue.

Thanks all for the posts advising the change of oil and the use of the Amsoil product!!!

[c_w]

Yes I found the same improvement - it does fly in the face of BMWs claim it's a lifetime fill oil doesn't it!

[Guest]

Lifetime to BMW means the time the car is under warranty - after that they couldn't care less.

Lots of people also think that extended service intervals - or none at all in the case of a gearbox - is some sign of technical progress, when in fact it is just a way of saving labour charges on oil changes.

[c_w]

It doesn't make any sense though - surely if they get it a rough figure, say every 60,000miles they'd be making some money saying the gearbox oil is due to be changed?

[Mouldy]

Maybe they make more money replacing knackered gearboxes!!

Sorry, that was cynical.

[Guest]

Extended, or better still - no - services are a current fashion which impresses lots of people. But if BMW specify intervals for replacing collant and brake fluid, it would make sense to specify a similar interval for transmission oil.

I think it's just another example of BMW having forgotton their engineering roots, and lamely following fashion, led by the marketing men.

[321bhp]

im having my gearbox oil changed this week ,plus the braided clutch hose,my local garage is doing it and they are a great bunch of lads,he has ordered the correct oil from bmw as well,hopefully that will cure that knotty gear change im getting,generally after about 45 mins driving the gear lever gets a little harder to get in

[pangster]

what specific oil did you use Mouldy?

EDIT: I'm guessing it was this one?:

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/showproduct.a ... -fluid-mtf

and you need 2 quarts for a change?

[PhoenixCoupe]

I don't see how it's a money saving thing - the dealer loses out!

I've never quite grasped the reasoning behind the service intervals of certain cars in certain parts of the world. For example, Mercury Mystique (100k miles) vs Ford Mondeo (12k miles). How can one be 8 times the other when they were both pretty much identical with the exception of build quality....

[Mouldy]

what specific oil did you use Mouldy?

EDIT: I'm guessing it was this one?:

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/showproduct.a ... -fluid-mtf

and you need 2 quarts for a change?

Absolutely right, Pangster. Amsoil MTF was correct. I seem to recall reading a thread on here by Mike Fishwick stating the gearbox capacity at about 1.3 litres, so you will need 2 bottles of oil.

I wouldn't have believed the difference that fresh gearbox oil would have made to the quality of the gearchange, but it has made a massive improvement . . . . . still a little notchy, but nothing like it was before the change.

[pangster]

what specific oil did you use Mouldy?

EDIT: I'm guessing it was this one?:

http://www.opieoils.co.uk/showproduct.a ... -fluid-mtf

and you need 2 quarts for a change?

Absolutely right, Pangster. Amsoil MTF was correct. I seem to recall reading a thread on here by Mike Fishwick stating the gearbox capacity at about 1.3 litres, so you will need 2 bottles of oil.

I wouldn't have believed the difference that fresh gearbox oil would have made to the quality of the gearchange, but it has made a massive improvement . . . . . still a little notchy, but nothing like it was before the change.

Cool! - thanks Mouldy!! - I bought 2 bottles (quarts) of Amsoil MTF after reading this thread and the one by Mike F and also invested in 2 litres of Castrol SAF-XJ (75w-140) for the diff! I'll let you know how I get on!

[Guest]

Gearbox capacity is 1 litre, final drive is 1.75 litres.

[pangster]

Gearbox capacity is 1 litre, final drive is 1.75 litres.

hmm.. I'm a little confused now as I was going by what you had written in the Knowledgebase article:

http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17948

Gearbox with yellow sticker - BMW Lifetime oil – LL1 or 2
Fuchs Titan Sintofluid SAE 75w-80 (as per original factory fill)
Amsoil MTF SAE 5-30 (SAE 75w-85 on gear oil viscosity)
Capacity 1.3 litres (ZF gearbox) See below for how to fill the gearbox

In my handbook it also states that the capacity is 1.2 litres for the gearbox??? either way as its > 1ltr so I needed 2 bottles (obviously with some left over?)

[Guest]

Maybe my memory was playing up - I remembered it as being 1 litre, but I wrote the bit on gearbox oil just after doing the job - please let us know if my memory is going soft!

[pangster]

Maybe my memory was playing up - I remembered it as being 1 litre, but I wrote the bit on gearbox oil just after doing the job - please let us know if my memory is going soft!

LOL!! Ok mike! No problem!