Change Your Own BMW Transmission Fluid and Save $$$ | ZF 8HP Service DIY

There are numerous videos out there describing how to perform a DIY service on the ZF 8HP 8-speed automatic transmission, so in this video we see how hard it really is by using my 2017 BMW 340i as a case study. Variations of the ZF 8HP are used in many modern vehicles from numerous manufacturers ranging from Alfa to Jaguar and many in between. BMW claims the fluid will last the lifetime of the vehicle, but ZF says otherwise. Let's see if it was really necessary!
I am not sponsored in any way by FCP Euro. I have simply been using them for years to source quality BMW parts, and have never had an issue. I highly suggest utilizing them for any DIY projects on your Bimmer.
FCP Euro ZF 8HP Transmission Service Kit: www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-...
Step-by-Step Video From FCP Euro: • ZF 8-Speed Transmissio...

[@suazzz3070]

The 2 quarts are what’s in the system and lines that aren’t in the pan that’s why u have extra

[@MyWatchIsEnded]

You did everything excellently but I would add one thing as a help for others; Always be sure to use the transmission fluid on the new gasket on the pan to make sure the gasket seals around the edge instead of being dry against the metal surface. 10/10

[@Muertexxx123]

Worked like a charm thx. I had people all over Daytona beach Florida telling me they couldn’t do it

[@toomuchsauce4442]

You need to cycle the car through R N D and Manuel mode gears to pump fluid around . With your foot on the break .

[@Imnolim]

With the car in accessory or fully on I’m ab to get my car from the shop n some ppl just say it drives fine others say it needs to be reprogrammed

[@MrCrossface007]

I was stumped too when it took 2qts less as well. Also they make a contraption jut like the one you made at harbor freight for 7 dollars. Fits right on the fluid cans.

[@peterberberian8688]

If it’s x-drive, don’t forget to change the transfer case fluid.

[@jdmtechllc6589]

Most underrated comment award!

[@wummrs]

Why’s that?

[@rpons541]

Once you drIn the fluid from the transfer case.. you will see how contaminated the fluid is.

[@wummrs]

@@rpons541 I certainly understand that it’s something that has to be done. Was just wondering what changing trans fluid has to do with changing diff fluid other than the service interval being the same.

[@ben_340i]

How many liters do you need for xdrive

[@ADUSN]

Good video. Remember to always hand thread before using power tools.

[@lam425520]

I hope I haave the same setup as you do so I can do it myself. But not for me, so I bought the FCP kit and took it to autoshop to repair. Same as yours, My car (640i) left 1L fluid unused. Good video!

[@ShowMeWhatINeedToKnow]

Great vid!

[@yosemitesam283]

I’m doing mine real soon, 2017 335d xdrive great video

[@tcappog8586]

Great video, love the homemade tools and crocks! Yup, most of the transfluid remains in the lines and torque converter. Key is to change the pan, get 45% new fliud, then return in 20-30K and siphon out as much as you can and replace/refill to full. Wish I had the lift he used, I had to lift the car on to jack stands - not fun, probably more dangerous. I did use a pressurized/vacuum fluid extractor to remove and replace, made the whole process that much easier. And yes, do the transfer case fluid as well, same issue as the trans, you won't get all of it out. Don't forget the front and rear differentials. both are super easy to do in comparison.

[@RupyAggies12]

Just did this on my F90 M5 and was worried that I had extra fluid as well 😂 I feel like its low on fluid and my mind is making me hear things around the tranny. Good to see I wasn’t the only one with extra fluid.

[@martinruszkowski9152]

Nice job! I did the same on my wife’s X5 at 75k. What’s incredible is I have very similar setup and tools like you. And agree on recovering the next day from auto diy workout!

[@yodersgarage]

Great minds think alike!

[@kjhnsn7296]

Very good video and is a nice look at someone doing this for the first time at home. Good clear pics and nice that you pointed out the issues you ran across. Very, very helpful and thought provoking. I have the same scan tool. Great add to my tool box. Your dealers quote was fairly reasonable at $600. My dealer here in CT wants $1400. But was willing to give a $200 "discount". Indy wanted $1,100. At those prices going to do myself. Will also be using the FCP Euro kit. Question, how did the car drive afterwards?

[@yodersgarage]

Thanks for the comment! It has about 1000 miles on it since the service with zero issues. Take a look at the "Save $1200..." video and you'll see some high-throttle driving that took place in the last few days.

[@juppschmitt6173]

I drained it 3 times in a row , with a little testdrive in between. I made it instead of a real flush , to get as much old oil out of the trans as possible.

[@Kazarak]

This looks like how my job will go and many of us do it yourselfers. Surprisingly I just bought a Quickjack 5000tl and was curious how it would work with my F36 as I’m about to do this very job. I opted for a performance aluminum pan with a liter capacity upgrade so we’ll see how it goes. My car is pretty tuned so likely around 400hp if not more. Want the car and fluids to be good before hitting the drag strip. Good post

[@yodersgarage]

Good luck at the strip, let us know how it goes!

[@JPDenali]

I just did this yesterday on my 2014 435i and I have 2 quarts leftover as well. I also got the kit from FCP

[@yodersgarage]

That's good to know, and it makes me feel a bit better! I've put about 1000 miles on mine since the service with no issues, so I'm just going to assume it's fine.

[@JPDenali]

@@yodersgarage Glad to hear. How did you pull up the transmission oil temp on the scanner? I have the same exact one (NT510 Elite) that shows the transmission oil temp under the Operating Variables page, which is accessed from the Data Manager option on the main menu and mine wouldn't budge from 13ºC

[@yodersgarage]

I remember it was a bit finicky, and I had to disconnect and reconnect a few times. Try clearing the car's info and run a fresh scan. It'll take a bit, but that should do it. Good luck!

[@kjhnsn7296]

@@JPDenali I have the same scanner also. I believe it is under DRIVE and then option 5 (transmission mgmt). Then select transmission oil temperature. Will get live data..

[@kjhnsn7296]

Consider using a true Allen key instead of socket to break the fill plug. Takes up less room. Use one that you can attach a small pipe to.

[@svzn7805]

mine is really tight on there im getting scared of stripping it

[@yodersgarage]

Try tapping it with a hammer or heavy wrench to help break it free

[@jdmtechllc6589]

I know of a very good supplemental video to this one

[@edsmax1]

Approximately how much fluid did you put in during the cold fill? The hot fill? Total?

[@jaad5785]

On mine I flush it completely thru the trans oil cooler. After emptying the transmission sump oil thru the plug I unplugged both entrance and exit oil links in the trans oil cooler radiator. Before I start the engine I plug a little 12 volts pump to push new oil in while the trans pump throw the old oil out. It is easy to know which one just turning the key and watch which one throw it out. To know exactly when it is done I throw in 12 quarts of ATF, the exact amount declared by Volkswagen and just wait for the exiting oil to change is color. Mine is the ZF6HP32A linked to the 313hp 5.0 V10 TDi Pump-Duse of the 2005 Volkswagen Phaeton.

[@Julian-.-]

You should make a video about it , that's how it supposed to be done.

[@ozarkdaredevils]

That is the best way to do it .....Wish you would make a video !

[@isrealperez9069]

What would you recommend a GM transmission my 2010 328i xDrive that's what I have kind of glad I really don't have the ZF ZF can be yes very well indeed pretty fast responsive but it's less headache that I have to deal with cuz if one of the sensors go and gets complicated after that this is my first new used car oops actually my bag is my second one My first one was an '04 325xi I loved her until she died but now I have my Missy that's my car's name

[@kalani1987]

I would recommend the Harbor Freight $12 battery pump to refill the oil. Saves the hassle of pumping it back in

[@yodersgarage]

Yeah, next time I do this I'll get a real pump, lol

[@terryevans1956]

Thanks broooooo. I am going to return the $30.00 Amazon hand pump and get this. What a save.

[@almirsahinovic9275]

Great video. Definitely wanna attempt to do this, but my 340i currently has 84,000 miles on it and I have no idea if the previous owner has done the transmission service. What would be the easiest way to check if my fluid isn’t too contaminated or too late to change it now?

[@yodersgarage]

If I don't know what the previous owner has done, I always assume nothing has been done. Even when they tell me something has been done I still don't assume it's been done correctly. Its much better to be safe than sorry when it come to your car's fluids, as replacing an engine or transmission is significantly more expensive than a few hundred dollars spent on servicing. With that said, one way you should be able to tell if the transmission has been opened is to look at the fill plug and see if there are marks inside the head indicating it has been removed previously. Aside from that there's no way to know the condition of the fluid/ innards without draining and replacing the fluid and filter pan, at least no way that would provide me peace of mind. Hope this helps, and good luck!

[@GhezzyVids]

I have a 2018 X1 coming up on 70k miles, 1 local shop said they don’t do it at this milage “cause they can slip gears after” is this true or not? Another shop said they can do it and bmw says lifetime oil. I know nothing lasts forever so I have doubts. Thanks!

[@biz4twobiz463]

nice video and good details. It is interesting from the old pan to the new pan the magnet locations are different. Merci

[@741al]

Great video. Shops in my area say that this is a 6.8h job with BMW shop asking $1700 for it! What is your opinion about the aluminum cover vs the normal plastic one?

[@yodersgarage]

I'm sure it's a nice upgrade if you want to spend a little extra, but I've had no issues with the original or replacement plastic plan. In my opinion there's no need unless you're putting your car through more than average stress on a regular basis.

[@OMNIBOTS3289]

Great video. I found that we only used 4 bottles of fluid

[@jonsteele2251]

If you don’t mind me asking, what lift system do you have? I’ve been thinking about getting something similar. Do you have any recommendations on brands and where to buy?

[@yodersgarage]

Mine is the Quickjack BL5000-SLX, and I highly recommend it! It breaks down in about 10 mins and hangs on the wall, and is significantly less sketchy than jack stands. I think there are some similar options out there from other manufacturers, but I've never had any issues with mine, so until I get a real 2 post lift I'm sticking with this one. Check out Costco and Home Depot (online). They both carry Quickjacks, and they go on sale for a few hundred dollars off a couple times per year.

[@simonh870]

I picked up a large (500ml) syringe from ebay which I am going to use to fill mine. The hose I had lying around the garage. It has to be faster and easier than a hand soap dispenser.

[@eksitex7480]

Hey I had a question so I accidentally drained the transmission fluid because I’m a first time bmw owner and got it mixed up how much quarts should I buy if I just drained the drain bolt ? When I had the 5qt oil box it didn’t fill it up all the way

[@yodersgarage]

It depends on the car. You should be pretty close with 5, but it could easily take a few more. To make sure it's right you'll have to get a scan tool and check the fill level at the recommended temp with the car running. Unfortunately there's not a definite amount you'll need, it'll be specific to your car.

[@gabriellusung6804]

Do you know another way to check temperature before doing another fill? I don’t have a scanner and I was thinking let the car idle but for how long?

[@yodersgarage]

Unfortunately I don't think there's a definitive way to find the temp without a scanner.

[@ozarkdaredevils]

Great video ..... I have a Foxwell NT650 Elite and can not figure out how to get into the operating varables to activate the transmission oil temp. Can you offer any help ? thank u

[@yodersgarage]

The 650 appears to be a bit different than the one I used, so I can't say for sure. I know the manual was useless for me, so I just went through each menu until I found it. I can't recall if it was in live data, control modules, or something else, but that's where I'd start.

[@ozarkdaredevils]

I contacted Foxwell and the NT 650 does not have that function ..... They let me return the 650 and I purchased the NT510 Elite . Once it warms up I intend to do my daughters car 2016 328d and mine a 2014 328d ...... Once again very good video , simple and straight forward .

[@yodersgarage]

I'm glad they were able to help, good luck!

[@damians8498]

Why not use the aluminum oem pans from M cars? They bolt right up however the plastic cover may not fit but it's also not used on the M car trans pans either.

[@yodersgarage]

That's a great idea! I'll try that in another 60,000 miles.

[@isaacahmed9546]

I was being eager to remove my transmission and did a drain from the drain plug only. Have I messed up something? I noticed everyone removes the fill plug before the drain and I don’t have a clue why. Can you please elaborate??

[@yodersgarage]

Don't worry, you didn't mess anything up. Sometimes with this type of setup (typically on high mileage / highly corroded vehicles) the fill plug can get stuck in the transmission making it impossible to refill. Removing that plug first is just insurance that you'll be able to refill the transmission.

[@chaddtheman]

Did you figure out why you had extra fluid remaining? I just did mine and also had 2 bottles left, can't figure out why. Great video though !

[@yodersgarage]

I didn't, but I've been driving 60-100 miles a day since, so I'm just going to assume everything is fine.

[@giovanni1169]

You have extra fluid left over because you drained the transmission rather than completely flushing it. Depending on the transmission, there is always fluid left in the cooler if equipped and torque converter. Completely normal. Flushing isn’t really recommended by many, maybe a myth but some claim flushing can damage the transmission. Good job!

[@peterpeterson9903]

Anyone changed the connector sleeve too? My genuine ZF kit came with the round sleeve which goes through the body of the gearbox for the main harness, just wondering if I should do it, or leave well alone and avoid potential disaster when it turns into one of these nightmare jobs!

[@kalani1987]

Unless it's leaking, I would leave it alone.

[@TullahKingKhan]

yep ... I have around 2 2 litres left too ! 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️ i believe the trans fluid cycles upfront towards the oil cooler to cool it - 2 litres stuck in the pioe work !!

[@sokola311]

Where did you get those car stands?? I need those! :)

[@yodersgarage]

They're called Quickjacks. I got mine at Costco, but lots of places have them.

[@bogdananghel9480]

i'm curious did you measure how much oil you took out from the transmission? compared to how much you put in. i've seen some people measuring and tilting the car so they can put the exact same quantity back.

[@yodersgarage]

I didn't, but that seems to be the most popular question on here. If you're planning to do this service maybe you could see how much you get and share with with group!

[@bigsmokekrumov]

How you will know if the drained oil has the correct quantity so you can put the exact same after that ? That's why you measure it after a while between the temp range and check if its the correct quantity.

[@bogdananghel9480]

@@yodersgarage i just changed mine today, i got 4.5 litres out, and i put the same amount inside. the kit i grought from ZF had 7 litres, so now i have 2.5 litres left. my transmision is 8HP45.

[@yodersgarage]

Good to know! Thanks for sharing.

[@salreyna2006]

⁠​⁠@@bogdananghel9480I got the same out on my 2014 428i 4.5 quarts when I did it a few years ago, I measured what I got out and put that exact back in no problems at all. I did a lot of highway driving and actually changed it at 130k miles and surprisingly it didn’t slip or ruin the transmission, made it much smoother. Now getting ready to do it to my 2015 435i next but at 60k

[@kriswv]

I have 2016 BMW 528i xdrive with 98K miles, is it advisable to change transmission fluid at this high mileage. Dealer says, transmission fluid in BMW is life time and there is a possibility of slipping gears if we change transmission fluid. Please advise.

[@yodersgarage]

I suppose it's possible that gear slippage could happen if something is not done correctly. It seems odd that they are advising against a service that they make so much money from and often perform. It sounds more like they dont want to rather than actually advising against. I've been servicing my own vehicles my whole life, and have yet to see anything on a car that is a "lifetime" no-maintenemace item, especially fluids. I can't tell you what to do with your car, but I'd suggest doing a little more research and come to a conclusion you're comfortable with. I, personally, would much rather have the peace of mind that such an import part of my car is being serviced and kept in the best condition possible. Best of luck to you!

[@TomcatSTL]

That is bunk. Change your fluid.

[@ianrs6310]

I asked ZF directly about this as mine has 145000 miles. He understands the concern but said the risk to transmission performance/longevity is bigger if the service is not done.

[@paulvandee]

BMW's "lifetime" is 200.000km, better to change the oil as ZF recommends at appr. 90.000km / 55.000miles

[@vqdriver]

Had anyone used Mobil1 Full Synthetic ATF Multi Vehicle Formula (grey bottle black label) before in their ZF trans? Thanks

[@Jittapong]

Mobil 1 synthetic ATF very good ….I did to used for my BMW e39 GM Trans . I thinking ZF Trans 8 Speed different fluid !

[@vqdriver]

I used the Mobil1 Synthetic ATF about 6 weeks ago on a 2019 Acura MDX with a 9sp ZF trans and also on its SH-AWD rear differential. I did a 2x drain and fill and from first drive it’s operated as smoothly as normal. Almost 1,500mi on it thus far. I’m thinking of replacing the Valvoline Maxlife ATF on my mom’s Maserati Quattroporte ZF6HP maybe later this year or by next spring. Should be good 👍🏽

[@glennr9913]

Many people have posted that Valvoline Maxlife Multi-vehicle ATF is great in ZF transmissions.

[@vqdriver]

@@glennr9913 and ya know what? I too believed that. For a few years I used Maxlife, but it performed poorly in 540RAT’s testing citing the poor wear protection is probably due to ultra thin viscosity. Thin is generally good but engineers have gone out of hand with it. Anyway it’s been almost a year and Mobil1 is going in every single vehicle I come across whose owners want it. Acura MDX 9sp ZF FWD trans and its SH-AWD rear differential, Mercedes C250 722.9+ trans, my LX470, and my mom’s Maserati with 6HP ZF soon this spring! A-OK

[@vqdriver]

I’m not harsh on Maxlife. I have NEVER had a problem with it. For a couple years I believed it was the magic bullet. But now the current bargain magic weapon is Mobil1 Synthetic ATF Multi Vehicle (silver bottle/black label). Just got a case from Amazon yesterday. It was $53.41 for 6qts!

[@HumairDawood]

Where did you get those Jacks from mate?

[@yodersgarage]

They're QuickJacks that I bought from Costco, but they're available from other retailers too. I'm fairly certain you can buy directly from their website.

[@mottipaa]

mä vien öljynvaihtoon ja juon kahvit siinä odotellessa paljo kivempaa ja helpompaa

[@yueibm]

Quickjacks + pinch welds + glossy floor = death. I used the rubber blocks on pinchwelds with my Quickjacks and both jacks shot out the sides because the floor wasn't grippy enough to keep the blocks from deforming sideways. Your blocks look harder than the ones that came with mine and your floor looks less smooth than my concrete but please be careful. I almost died with a similar setup.

[@yodersgarage]

I've heard some horror stories, and appreciate your concern! The F30 does not get lifed from pinch welds. It has textured, flat plastic blocks integrated into the body specifically for lifting, which works much better. When I was working on my E30 a few years ago I had the same concern, and bought some slotted blocks meant to be used with pinch welds, and they worked great. I think you can get them directly from Quickjack or Amazon now for $30-ish. Stay safe!

[@yueibm]

@@yodersgarage thank you! You too! And thank you for the great videos!

[@eltitogt]

Hello all, I have a 2014 X3 that i have just bought with 107,xxx miles. I am planning to do this over the next month myself. Has anyone measured how much ATF was drained originally? Out of curiosity if only 5 quarts drain out it might be that FCP send the 7 quarts to account for any errors while filling.

[@aquixamongtv667]

How many liters of atf did you drain on your car?

[@yodersgarage]

I'm not sure. I just poured it into my waste oil tub and didn't measure it out. I didn't have any reason to think it was low though.

[@Jdf4sc]

when should you change it

[@yodersgarage]

I beleive the official recommendation from ZF is 60,000 miles. I did mine at 70k

[@DougZbikowski]

My mechanic charges $540 for this service. After all the parts, tools, fluids, and time, this is one of those services that’s well worth paying to have done…especially if you don’t have a lift.

[@yodersgarage]

That's a great deal. I would definitely have someone do it for that price!

[@user-rh6uj1rw4p]

@@yodersgaragea man do it by himself!!!!!!

[@zastava8293]

👍👍

[@mattcee7113]

Is this the same for the 330i?

[@yodersgarage]

Depends what year, but if you have a ZF 8 speed it'll likely be the same.

[@mattcee7113]

2019 330i@@yodersgarage

[@yodersgarage]

From what I've found it's very similar if not the same. I'd suggest taking a look at your transmission and verifying that it looks like mine in the video.

[@dgkiwi]

or even a ZF 6 speed ie E70 X5 etc, , plus as someone mentioned, the seals are a quick change too, old ones start to lose a little pressure and you get slight delays and or flares in gear changes. @@yodersgarage

[@Jasonv65]

There should be a class action lawsuit against BMW (& other manufacturers) for saying that the transmission fluid doesn’t get changed because that’s total crap (like my transmission). My 2009 BMW 1 series 128i convertible has transmission issues and only 116k miles. The previous owner never changed the fluid per BMW and now it shudders in 4th & 5th gears when I drive it in full automatic mode. If I manually shift it drives fine with no shudder. If there has been a schedule to change the fluid and the previous owner had it done this most likely wouldn’t be a problem. Now I’m screwed with a transmission that is not going to last very long. It’s a crime to not have a schedule to maintain it. I read up on this and found that there is no coolant flush, or trans flush, or diff flush or fuel filter that is scheduled by BMW. That’s criminal on the part of BMW. No wonder BMWs have so many issues. I’m sick of auto makers misinforming customers on these maintenance issues. BMW should be forced to either replace transmissions that have issues like mine or replace the entire car. Won’t ever buy another BMW ever again. And good luck selling my car without replacing the transmission!!

[@limonortega5611]

your arms look cartoonish lmao you got the popeye build, big arms but small shoulders and torso

[@teoteo9021]

And flush?........... partial procedure... no good

[@ianrs6310]

Wrong.

[@petersegeblad2345]

Nm😂😂😂

[@ganuv]

You did ok but while the engine was running to bring the oil temperature to 45/50 you should of run the transmission through the gears D N P and S manual, then go underneath while the car is running and continue to pump more fluid till it starts to spill like you did at the end.

[@yodersgarage]

I actually did run it through the gears, just forgot to show it

[@bogdananghel9480]

@@yodersgarage when you tun it through the gears, do the wheels spin? mine is xdrive so i would need to have all wheels in the air.

[@yodersgarage]

@@bogdananghel9480 yeah, I let mine spin a little just to ensure it was engaging

[@djasliderix8390]

You need ista-d to run the transmission fill procedure that’s the only way I would change the fluid in a bmw

[@MI-5626]

No need for fluid😢 changed in gear . Lifetime ..🫡 also visable from video how clan that fluid was

[@leomar935]

Pump pump😂

[@iliketakingshowers]

Why does the old snd new pan look so different? Does the new pan have magnets like the old pan?

[@yodersgarage]

I'm fairly certain it's just what the current version looks like. Parts change over time with new model years, but still perform the same. New pan has magnets too, just arranged slightly differently.

[@iliketakingshowers]

@@yodersgarage ok cool thanks. I think my replacement pan looks like yours. Its supposedly made for ZF by Hengst