Gearbox Oil? - Arrrh!

UK forum for general and technical discussion about the Z3 roadster
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alb001
Joined: Mon 06 Jun, 2016 11:34
Posts: 24

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Gearbox Oil? - Arrrh!

Post by alb001 »

Have just recently bought what I thought was the correct oil for the gearbox and now my mechanic has said that the orange tag on the gearbox specfies ATF Dexron fluid.
:( These fluid variants on these models are a nightmare!!
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1997 BMW Z3 2.8 Roadster
1987 Urquattro
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lightning
Joined: Tue 27 Nov, 2007 08:15
Posts: 818

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Stockport

Re: Gearbox Oil? - Arrrh!

Post by lightning »

After a lot of research (and actually speaking to Castrol Technical) the result was Castrol Syntrans B75w.
Del
Joined: Sat 19 Nov, 2011 18:35
Posts: 2136

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Gearbox Oil? - Arrrh!

Post by Del »

The problem with older cars is that the oil recommendations are put on contemporary labels or entered into the contemporary owners’ manual and naturally nobody likes to override or update them as time passes and oils improve. BMW switched from using ATF oil to fully synthetic “MTF-LT-1” gear oil (itself now obsolete), in their gearboxes, from the 9/1997 production period onwards. I’m not aware that there was any particular change in the gearboxes at that point. I do know that when BMW were breaking into the US market, they included free servicing and by coincidence many items became “lifetime”. :D For peace of mind most owners like to observe the label and no professional technician is going to override it and risk his public liability insurance.
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alb001
Joined: Mon 06 Jun, 2016 11:34
Posts: 24

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: Gearbox Oil? - Arrrh!

Post by alb001 »

The oil I bought for the change was Castrol Syntrans B 75W Fully Synthetic Car Gearbox Oil, but I am sticking with the Dexron II ATF as specified. It is what came out so I know it works for the gearbox.
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1997 BMW Z3 2.8 Roadster
1987 Urquattro
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lightning
Joined: Tue 27 Nov, 2007 08:15
Posts: 818

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Stockport

Re: Gearbox Oil? - Arrrh!

Post by lightning »

There was a long "what gearbox oil" thread on here a couple of years ago. The Castrol oil works well in the Z3 gearbox. It made my gear change a fair bit smoother than it had been.

Castrol formulated the oil to be a direct replacement for BMW oils. I am sure that other oils will be satisfactory (l have no connection with Castrol) but what l can say is that their product works well.
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