ZF 8-Speed Transmission Oil Change (BMW, Audi, VW, Dodge, Land Rover, Toyota, & More)

►The ZF 8HP Automatic Transmission, or 8HP45, is used by manufacturers all across the automotive industry. In fact, there are over 21 different manufactures that have used this transmission. The ZF 8-Speed transmission is a workhorse and is very reliable; however, almost none of the manufacturers have a recommended service interval, despite ZF recommending that it be serviced every 8 years or 80,000 kilometers (50,000 miles).
Gareth is back in another DIY to show you how important it is to service this transmission and how easy it is to do at home in your driveway or shop. With only a few tools, this service will go a long way in extending the life of your ZF 8HP transmission.
Read this DIY on our blog: blog.fcpeuro.com/how-to-chang...
00:00 - Intro
01:20 - Tools Needed
02:35 - Job Start
04:30 - Fluid Drain & Sample Collection
05:22 - Pan Removal
07:29 - New Pan Installation
09:07 - Pan Torque sequence
09:42 - Fill Procedure
14:41 - Blackston Lab Results
16:21 - Conclusion
Buy The Kit Here:
8HP Service Kit - www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-...
Fluid Transfer Pump - www.fcpeuro.com/products/flui...
CTA Transmission Fluid Filling System - www.fcpeuro.com/products/atf-...
BMW Transmission Filling Adapter - www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-...
This kit fits the following vehicles (and so many more, please see the product page listed above for the full fitment guide):
BMW 535i
2011 BMW 535i Auto Trans Service Kit
2012 BMW 535i Auto Trans Service Kit
2013 BMW 535i Auto Trans Service Kit
2014 BMW 535i Auto Trans Service Kit
2015 BMW 535i Auto Trans Service Kit
2016 BMW 535i Auto Trans Service Kit
BMW 550i
2011 BMW 550i Auto Trans Service Kit
2012 BMW 550i Auto Trans Service Kit
2013 BMW 550i Auto Trans Service Kit
2014 BMW 550i Auto Trans Service Kit
2015 BMW 550i Auto Trans Service Kit
2016 BMW 550i Auto Trans Service Kit
BMW 535i GT
2011 BMW 535i GT Auto Trans Service Kit
2012 BMW 535i GT Auto Trans Service Kit
2013 BMW 535i GT Auto Trans Service Kit
2014 BMW 535i GT Auto Trans Service Kit
2015 BMW 535i GT Auto Trans Service Kit
2016 BMW 535i GT Auto Trans Service Kit
2017 BMW 535i GT Auto Trans Service Kit
BMW 750i
2011 BMW 750i ActiveHybrid Auto Trans Service Kit
2012 BMW 750i ActiveHybrid Auto Trans Service Kit
2013 BMW 750i Auto Trans Service Kit
2014 BMW 750i Auto Trans Service Kit
2015 BMW 750i Auto Trans Service Kit
2016 BMW 750i Auto Trans Service Kit
2017 BMW 750i Auto Trans Service Kit
2018 BMW 750i Auto Trans Service Kit
2019 BMW 750i Auto Trans Service Kit
BMW 750Li
2011 BMW 750Li ActiveHybrid Auto Trans Service Kit
2012 BMW 750Li ActiveHybrid Auto Trans Service Kit
2013 BMW 750Li Auto Trans Service Kit
2014 BMW 750Li Auto Trans Service Kit
2015 BMW 750Li Auto Trans Service Kit
BMW X5
2011 BMW X5 xDrive35i Auto Trans Service Kit
2011 BMW X5 xDrive50i Auto Trans Service Kit
2012 BMW X5 xDrive35i Auto Trans Service Kit
2012 BMW X5 xDrive50i Auto Trans Service Kit
2013 BMW X5 xDrive35i Auto Trans Service Kit
2013 BMW X5 xDrive50i Auto Trans Service Kit
2014 BMW X5 Auto Trans Service Kit
2015 BMW X5 sDrive35i Auto Trans Service Kit
2015 BMW X5 xDrive35d Auto Trans Service Kit
2015 BMW X5 xDrive35i Auto Trans Service Kit
2015 BMW X5 xDrive50i Auto Trans Service Kit
2016 BMW X5 sDrive35i Auto Trans Service Kit
2016 BMW X5 xDrive35d Auto Trans Service Kit
2016 BMW X5 xDrive35i Auto Trans Service Kit
2016 BMW X5 xDrive50i Auto Trans Service Kit
2017 BMW X5 sDrive35i Auto Trans Service Kit
2017 BMW X5 xDrive35d Auto Trans Service Kit
2017 BMW X5 xDrive35i Auto Trans Service Kit
2017 BMW X5 xDrive50i Auto Trans Service Kit
2018 BMW X5 sDrive35i Auto Trans Service Kit
2018 BMW X5 xDrive35i Auto Trans Service Kit
2018 BMW X5 xDrive35d Auto Trans Service Kit
2018 BMW X5 xDrive50i Auto Trans Service Kit
SUBSCRIBE: kzbin.info?sub_c...
Get free parts from FCP Euro:
www.fcpeuro.com/page/lifetime...
Follow FCP Euro on:
/ fcpeuro
/ fcpeuro
/ fcpeuro
www.fcpeuro.com/

[@tito_perez]

I like the Gareth's instruction the best. He sweats and reddens like I do, so the job seems real. The others make me feel bad. :)

[@ddo7802]

LOL! The German/Austrian guys do make me feel like a slob.

[@darrellfreeman7961]

Awesome Job great detail

[@KMEnterprise]

I actually think. If it’s not really hot in the shop he’s working at. He should see a cardiologist. That much redness and out of breath for what he’s doing seems excessive. Not like he’s pulling the whole transmission out.

[@dmitrygear]

Thank you! About to do this on my F13 and F15. Exactly what I needed!

[@WhyDidYTstartThisHandleShit]

One of the best vids of this kind I've seen. Helps alot concerning my jaguar f-type and the technical info from Blackstone was great

[@1ambros1]

Great video- showed me everything I needed to see to do the job myself efficiently. Thanks!

[@StachoStacho-er5hy]

Oglądam po raz kolejny i muszę stwierdzić że najlepszy filmik jaki jest dostępny na YT.Dzieki

[@sergioleone4215]

This is the kind of guy I would want working on my car. He knows his stuff and also does great videos.

[@jy5960]

exactly, but this video is terrifying because how would you ever trust your BMW with an indie mechanic to be as meticulous as Gareth

[@Dom-gk9ku]

@@jy5960exactly why I do my own work

[@kirwanjohn101]

Perfect instructions. I did my f10 about 3 years ago the same way. No problems

[@ryanreich7635]

I know you guys did this video A LONG time ago. Nice that you guys re-made it!! Great Job!

[@x3overland632]

Best Transmission oil change video THANKS!

[@mq2825]

Get the man a cold drink or something, dude is drenched in sweat. Great video btw

[@fcpeuro]

Gareth refuses to take a drink until the job at hand is done!

[@gregj7916]

Gareth is sweating out the GUINNESS...

[@DuckMcDuckinson]

@@fcpeuro we all need a mechanic like gareth!

[@Untensuru.]

@@fcpeuro must be thirsty after waiting 3 weeks for the fluid to come back from black stone.

[@mojorisin7317]

He seems like a workaholic and most likely doesn't take care of his health. Sorry for judging but dude get checked out by the doctor and start eating more healthy. You seriously look like a heart attack waiting to happen. No jokes. I think you're a very knowledgeable mechanic and need more people like you offering your services especially when it's free. So please stay healthy. Too many phoney mechanics on KZbin.

[@edwardyang1116]

Super helpful for my 2018 Audi SQ5 transmission fluid change attempt. Thank you!

[@GHOST-im3xh]

FCP euro is the best informative helpfull channel in whole of KZbin. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your help!

[@DWI_Community]

This is a fantastic tutorial - probably the clearest I've seen. Good stuff. Will be doing this on my new car shortly.

[@PhilipBarrett1]

Good stuff. Ive done this 2 times on my 2012 F10. Called Gareth back in ‘15 the first time when I had just purchased the car. So far the transmission has been great.

[@hawkinsjd11]

I just bought a 2017 m240i with 58k miles. I plan on doing this very soon. Thank you for a great video

[@mseabrooke6147]

Gentlemen...GREAT video. I spent a ton of time trying to find out quality info for someone's 2014 Audi AllRoad w/8-spd Auto. It was infuriating that Audi themselves claim "lifetime fluid, never service". No transmission lives well if the fluid is ignored past 60k miles in the southern states. Thank you guys for putting this together!

[@irontrev1640]

Thank you for this, I had bought your kit, but I was very gun shy to do the job. This was a great tutorial, and you gave me faith that it’s 100% doable

[@billsawyer5265]

did mine yesterday. Take you time, simple. MAKE sure you can read temp for 2nd fill. Make sure the tube you fill with is small enough to fit into tranny. My tube was too big and I had to add another hose to reduce the size, used a vacuum hose

[@andyslater3452]

You guys are costing me a fortune. I’d never have realised you need to change the transmission fluid, coolant or the diff oil without these videos. Great videos and very clear instructions. I’m sure you’ve saved me loads of money in the future and prevented possible problems down the road.

[@fcpeuro]

Sorry for the delay Andy - but love/sorry hearing this haha. Have you got around to doing any of these jobs yet?

[@andyslater3452]

@@fcpeuro Hi, yes all done, though I got a specialist transmission shop to do the transmission fluid change. 👍

[@kjhnsn7296]

​@@andyslater3452what did they charge?

[@andyslater3452]

@@kjhnsn7296 Hi the transmission shop charged me £547 British Pounds. This included the replacement sump with filter, transmission fluid and their time. Not cheap.

[@andrejnaumovski8622]

​@@andyslater3452 Not cheap at all, but much cheaper than replacing the entire transmission. My BMW specialist gave me a similar quote today, 20-30GBP under yours.

[@rpgrayso]

Great video! For a power fluid filler, I added an inexpensive 3/8" barb ball valve to the hose on my Motive Products brake bleeder. Now I can use it not only as a brake bleeder but also as a power filler.

[@nedmonaghan6120]

I just did the job on my wife's x3. I didn't bother to remove the fill plug until it was time to fill. It was stuck tight. Quite exciting with the minimal access around it. I put an 8mm socket full depth in the fill plug and since there was no room for the socket wrench, I used an 8mm wrench, assisted with a cheater pipe to crack it loose. I'm now living happily ever after. And thanks for the video Gareth. Step to the top of the class. Ned

[@oskarzn]

One thing to note is if the pan is plastic it’s simply 10NM torque spec for the pan bolts. Also the procedure calls for three steps: (1) cold fill without engine running (2) start the engine and fill transmission at 30-40 C degrees (3) shift to R, to D, to 1 (hood for 10 seconds), to 2 (hood for 10 seconds), put the trans in P rev engine to 2000RPM for 30 seconds, then wait for 40-50 C degrees and then do a final fill. Also the fill plug is 30NM for AWD, and 35NM for RWD.

[@rakiable]

That bit with revs on 2000rpm is not mentioned in any video I have seen. It clearly states in zf manual though.

[@toml4288]

When reving engine to 2000, is the vehicle on the ground with brake depressed or is it up in the air and allow wheels to spin?

[@AceZM]

@@toml4288 rev in park xD

[@bobsag3968]

@@AceZM 🤣🤣🤣

[@babagandu]

My transmission gets stuck when put into R and PRNDS starts blinking. Have to restart car. It started after VW serviced it.

[@zentigerproductions1578]

Great video! Very professional and helpful! Thank you! My Jeep Grand Cherokee thanks you too!

[@elonmusk8667]

Best website here fellas. I changed my transmission fluid at 50,000 miles and wow it made a huge difference.

[@ron6575]

Hey just wanted to say thank you to FCP for putting this video together. It was really helpful for my recent transmission service on the wife's X5. I used the kit from FCP with the LiquiMoly fluid. The trans is shifting nice and smooth. Thanks!

[@roshan4041]

This is the most helpful video I’ve seen on this topic, I think I need to do this on my f31 3 series now, it currently has 65k miles

[@swift2117]

Thinking the same on my f30, but the dealers have never mentioned this and its on 55k.

[@assasinofyouth1]

Great video, doing this on my X3 soon. Would be really helpful if you could do the transfer case oil change video for this car as well. Cheers ✓

[@madmikescustomDaily]

One of the best video I have every watch on full detail on this issue and system

[@Franco0326]

Super helpful channel I just bought a BMW and this really helps I just subscribed to keep making your videos guys are the best

[@walther9161]

Great vid. I hope changing the fluid helps my brand new wrangler shift better. Tired of being shoved back and forth in the seat when the things finds the gears.

[@cholosoy8511]

I feel I own this guy a drink. I followed his instructions step by step and the job went smoother than I expected. I used the car’s temperature gauge as a guide (Dodge Charger), idk if that would be ideal but so far it’s working without any problems

[@fcpeuro]

Glad to hear it was helpful!

[@mikeprice8307]

Is everything still going well after your method?

[@youtoobe169]

Long time customer here - I love these videos, very helpful!

[@andrewdoherty8847]

Another well structured informative video from fcp that I watched to the end; and I don't even have a modern auto trans.

[@fcpeuro]

Well we appreciate the love!

[@TheKbrizzle81]

Thats cool that you guys did this video. I work at ZF transmissions in South Carolina where we build the 8HP. Im in R&D and we see these transmissions takes some abuse!!

[@republicansthatdidntvotefo1605]

I have a 2015 RAM Eco diesel Laramie 4 by 4, I am gonna order the transmission Pan and oil through these guys, I hope I get the right Pan. The ZF870 Pan? They don't even show ram on their lineup of cars parts That's a shame, They should show more Dodge and ram parts?

[@robertpassaro4089]

Can you comment on why the service interval from ZF differs from OEMs? Also, what do you think of Gareth's advice about NOT changing the fluid if a sample looks to be of poor quality? That didn't make sense to me. Thanks!

[@hypermatrix8999]

@@robertpassaro4089 If the fluid is very dirty, the dirtiness is shavings that have come off of the transmission itself. That's an indicator of heavy wear. If there is heavy wear, that means you're going to have friction issues. Going with a completely clean and light fluid on a worn out transmission might mean that your transmission will not be able to apply enough pressure to shift gears and having that thicker gunkier dirty fluid actually causes an increase in friction. That's not to say that dirty fluid is better in that case. It's just that depending on the level of wear...clean fluid could be worse. But again it all depends on how much wear you have. I did a full transmission fluid flush on a 100k mile BMW Z3 back in the day. That's a big no no. But I ended up with perfectly smooth shifting afterwards. However...there are just as many people who do it, and then end up having to replace their transmission. You could take a fluid sample and send it off to a lab before deciding what to do.

[@alaind831]

@@robertpassaro4089 as Hyper mentioned - very worn down tranny might need that old gunky fluid to continue shifting and might slip with brand new fluid (toyota can be changed much later, while GM are known to have issues) - don't know about ZF at 130k - you could save the old fluid in case and put it back. Did mine at 85k and while black it was still see through similar to video...

[@mobleyMobley]

Brah, if u work at zf, r and d. We need u to do a video addressing this conundrum. Dealerships are saying no to oil changes. Lets get to the bottom of this.

[@tthams73]

I did my 2016 Ram at 125k and the oil still looked great.

[@gnickolas69]

Goo to know i never knew we could service them so i didnt now im at 121k and was wondering about the outcome. I have a 2013 dodge charger.

[@JCOHN100]

I drove my X5 from Myrle Beach SC to San Francisco and noticed that the car was having a loss of forward momentum when accelerating and going uphill in New Mexico. The car had 103,000 miles on it at that point and had just had fuel injector/coils/ spark plugs/valvetronic motor and valve cover replacement done. I took it to BMW dealer in the north bay area. I was told I needed a new transfer case. I took it to another dealer and had the transmission fluid/filter changed as well as the transfer case fluid and the rear differential fluid. The problem resolved on the drive back to the vrbo. They charged me over $2000.00 for the fluid change but less than the $9000.00 the other dealer wanted. I did not have many tools with me, but had I been at home and with these FCP Euro videos I would have saved a lot and felt better about BMW. Thanks for your videos. I'm getting ready to do the above fluid/filter changes again with your products and videos.

[@kirwanjohn101]

This is the only video out there where it shows the final refill done correctly, very slow stream, dropping oil which is correct and not a fast flowing stream of oil as shown on other videos. This man knows what he is doing.

[@fcpeuro]

Thank you for watching!

[@elmarito007]

I’m glad my car has a transmission temperature thingy on the dashboard .

[@rockieg02]

Thingy

[@manlikezeb8324]

Thanks Bro Respect

[@-DC-]

Absolutely superb explanation 👍👍👍

[@billniarchos7585]

thanks for the great DIY video! performed the service on my 2016 F34 with 198K km.... Oil was BLACK but flowed nicely when draining... was able to get about just under 6L into her.. she seems to be running great with no issues on the test drives I took.. thanks again for another great video!

[@vaggelisalexiou2749]

Thank you for the detailed info. Just did my F20 equiped with an 8 speed zf trans. 85.000 km on the road. It took approximately 4.5 liters of lifeguard atf. Guys the difference is really noticeable. Quicker gear changes but also more "buttery". Amazing results...

[@n55tourist32]

4.5l seems low! Did you do the second fill while the car was running?

[@vaggelisalexiou2749]

@@n55tourist32 Torque converter holds a lot of fluid which does not drain. When draining and filling this is the amount approximately. Fluid level was adjusted "by the book". I have used ISTA for this. The engine was running of course.

[@davidfarag8295]

What option did you in ISTA? I also keep hearing a lot of people only using 4.5-5L but all the kits out there are being sold with 7L.

[@vaggelisalexiou2749]

@@davidfarag8295 Service funtions > power train > transmission control > oil level adjustment. From there just follow all the steps mentioned by this function. Some mechanics out there use the "flush" method so in that case those extra liters might be needed.

[@davidfarag8295]

No flush will be taking place here. Nope.

[@Awackypenguin]

On ZF's procedure, 4nm + 45 is only for trans oil pans made of aluminum. For the plastic pans, they suggest 10nm. Not sure why BMW would differ, but given ZF manufactures the transmissions I'm inclined to follow their information.

[@leathersass]

Just wanted to say the same

[@ichoozjc]

Thanks! Good to know because my torque wrench starts at like 7nm. Doing this service soon, just got my kit today.

[@petergouldbourn2312]

Thank you for a very good video. Pete 🇬🇧

[@claudioagmfilho]

Hi there, i am all the way from Recife in Brazil South America, and I really liked your video, very informative and all, thank you for sharing it with us…

[@ewconway]

Great tutorial video on how to do this job. Several questions: 1).How much ZF fluid do you need to do this job? 2) Do you need to purchase the exact OEM fluid from the dealer? 3) Does the CTA-4100 come with the fitting that he uses in the video that goes in the filler hole?

[@alaind831]

@GunsOfThePhoenix not true - many people are using Valvoline MaxLife (< 1/5th the cost) without any issues (including myself so far). look it up... here's one kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGiwkouCrLyEn80

[@jrm523]

Thank you very much for this clear, concise video. When changing the fluid on the ZF, should you worry about the fluid in the oil cooler? Would it be worth disconnecting the two lines to the oil cooler and pumping fresh fluid through one line to clear the old fluid out? I track my car pretty often and want to get the best bang for my buck when changing the fluid since my transmission is used much harder than most.

[@ArcolaBridge]

You should flush 15 liters of fluid through the transmission performing the ZF instructions between each flushing.

[@93ChayZ]

@@ArcolaBridge 🥲 damnnnnn

[@ArcolaBridge]

@@93ChayZ you do it all in one step first draining the transmission pan then running the vehicle until all the fluid runs out and gets bubbly from the return side of the oil cooler. Then you attach your fitting to the return line to the pan and run the vehicle until the fluid comes out of the cooler clear and clean. Performing The zf procedure to flush the torque converter at this point until you have completely flushed 15L. Then stop and top up if needed.

[@jetrider7558]

Well explained, clear and precise. He sweats inside the car with not seat plastic/cloth cover. I would NOT like to seat in my car after watching this video. I gave the video a "like", for real.

[@hiranmarin1636]

I have a 2015 328i. It had 42k miles when I bought it, and it now has 130k miles. It started shifting hard when put in drive and first few gears, kind of randomly. I watched this video several times and decided to change it to see if it would help even though I was risking it getting worse. The toughest thing was trying to refill the transmission. I struggled to get car level. Although 4 1/3 quarts drained, I could only get 4 quarts back in. End result... Seems to shift smoother. Thanks so much for posting this video. Lots of good information. It was tremendously helpful.

[@fcpeuro]

Thank you for sharing your experience; happy to hear it is operating better! Now with this, you can stay on a scheduled maintenance interval moving forward.

[@michaelprosser3466]

Will the trans temperature read out in the instrument cluster be accurate enough to use for fluid temp?

[@jackypattersonjr.leadinged2560]

Great video! I serviced the transmission on my E60 and I changed the mechatronic sleeve on it along with other seals. Do you need to do that on an F15 X5 with the fluid change? I am looking to purchase an X5.

[@kirwanjohn101]

It's a different gearbox, ZF8 so you only have to change the oil and pan. There are no sleeves to be changed. The same ZF8 gearbox is fitted to the f10 5 series and also the jaguar xf and xe. I did mine as above and also checked with ZF in Germany before carrying out the change.

[@cschmitty75]

Totally confident to do this to my ram 1500's zf. Thanks now I have BMW quality video to work with. Gotcha Ram I'll keep my $1200

[@helmann13]

Very good shown and explained, thank you very much!

[@lordcomas]

Hello Gareth, @FCP euro Thanks for this great video. I was wondering if you know what type of transmission does the BMW X3 Xdrive 28i (F25) 2011 has? My vehicle has now 126,000 kms, do you know the recommend time or millage/kms for a change of oil transmission? When you said that if its over 50k miles it was to late, does that means I don't do it at all? Or should I still ask my BMW shop to do it? Thanks!

[@RadDougall]

This is pretty much exactly what I want to know. I am on 109000 MILES and it has never been done. I appreciate its far too long to leave it but what do you suggest now some of use are here? @FCP Euro

[@malamri424]

I had mine (8hp70) changed at 124k miles. Oil was still somewhat decent.

[@matthewttful]

8hp75 here, also around the same clock. Have you changed yours? Wanted to do mine but unsure if I should get it done due to the high mileage.

[@malamri424]

@@matthewttful it was absolutely fine now I'm at 157k miles,no issues after changing the oil on mine. My usage was mostly highway driving.

[@ron6575]

Nice. I have about 108k on mine, I don't think it's ever been done. Just ordered the kit.

[@kirwanjohn101]

Very good video and clear explanation. Thanks

[@fcpeuro]

Hey John! Glad you like it!

[@UnsolvedPuzzles_AL]

Great video and really detailed. One missing piece - You will need four jackstands (and a good last will for the wife/kids), a lift or a pit to do this. The vehicle does need to be level during fill. Found out the hard way with jack stands on the front only (on a work night no less). Lesson learned.

[@85CEKR]

This was a great video, one question though I have a ram with this transmission, it shows the trans temp on the dash is that good enough? Or do I still need a OBD reader?

[@scdotintrepid]

Dash display uses same sensor as scan tool, so yes

[@GalenCop9]

Thanks this answered my question as well. I have a 2015 RAM with this transmission as well.

[@oldjarhead1125]

Gareth...I have a question concerning this ATF filter & fluid replacement. Since ZF recommends (as well as FCPEuro) a drain & fill w/filter at 50k miles, since this only replaces about half of the fluid, when should you do another drain & fill? which is about 4 liters.

[@epicjk5509]

Very good video. Thanks

[@bimmer4755]

I had the trans fluid , front and rear diff along with the transfer case all done at 49,000 miles on my 14 x5 35xi . My x5 is a very happy bimmer . Will have all those done again at 100,000 miles.

[@robertpassaro4089]

I have NOT done any fluid change to my 130k mile X3 xDrive35i and the transmission is still working super well, so this is confusing advice (OEM vs FZ).

[@alaind831]

@@robertpassaro4089 BMW "life time" fluid is marketing to make it appear less expensive to maintain - they don't care if you blow your tranny and need a new car after warranty is long expired... nothing is lifetime. fluid are cheap, tranny/engine are not.

[@Liv-nd5xe]

How many liters oil did you put during the first cold filling?

[@diverfrog]

I replaced the transmission pan and fluid on my 2017 BMW 330i x drive, at 51,000 miles, using the FCP Euro kit (ZF pan and ZF fluid). Followed the instructions on the video. Everything went smooth. Very satisfied. It took only 4.7L of fluid, with no spill. I was surprised to have so much left over, but I do not regret having bought the 7 bottles, just in case, and will just use the last couple liters at next fluid change. I recommend you buy the whole 7 liters. Cheap enough insurance. Of note: the ZF transmission fluid stinks! Not like regular ATF, more like some differential fluids. I am surprised nobody mentioned it before. Kinda funny. The used fluid was quite brownish. I did not feel any improvement driving the car, it was fine before, but I plan on keeping it as long as I can, so I am happy I changed the fluid and expect it will help with longevity. Thanks FCP Euro

[@mikemajor1399]

How did you get the car in the air to work on it? It has to be flat to check the fluid level. That’s my dilemma.

[@simongreen525]

I use quick jack, lifts the whole car. Still working on your back though. But for home mechanic it's really nice bit of kit.

[@wallsorayshmitt7507]

7 liters is for the dynamic oil change, this guide is for the static oil change, i.e. you mix about half the old oil with the new oil, because without a special machine it is impossible to drain all the old oil, a lot of oil stays in the stopped gear despite unscrewing the plug ... sorry for my eng. :)

[@cormaryd]

Thank you for the great videos. I cannot stress how important it is to service the transmission and the transfer case in BMW with xDrive. Very recent personal experience with my 2017 X5 3.5xDrive when the car started developing at 43k miles (70,000 KM) a random stutter on any gear during acceleration at any speed and any throttle inputs with no code, no noise and no specific vibration and no leaks. After much investigation on the engine side (sparks, harnesses, filters,...all for nothing) and calls into BMW worldwide support, BMW requested the replacement of the transfer box fluids and, voila, back to silky smooth. Next step would have been a replacement of the transfer box....a financially heavy proposition. Analysis also showed no metal debris in the oil. 75% of my miles are in town with 25% on long road trips, don't know if it is a factor to the accelerated decay of the transfer box fluids.

[@kjhnsn7296]

The transfer box on my 535xdrive was replaced under warranty at 31k miles. It failed pulling hills in Sport mode😮. Only issue I've had with the vehicle. Now at nearly 60k miles considering transmission drain and fill. Will probably change transfer case fluid also.

[@user-gn2ng1yp5e]

Thank you for the great video~

[@juergenhauber4793]

If you drained the transmission when it was hot (above 75°C) you must also drive the car and get the transmission temperature above 75°C in order for the transmission cooler thermostat to open and for the cooler and lines to fill before letting it drop back to between 40°C to 50°C.

[@seyhankupeli]

Do you only need to do this if the transmission has been drained above 75C? The instructions have this step in there but doesn't mention anything about draining the fluid when it's above a certain temperature.

[@juergenhauber4793]

@@seyhankupeli I believe you do. Mine was not above 75°C when I drained it. after I drove it and got the temp. up and brought it back I had had to add between 1/2 and 1 liter of fluid to get the level correct. So I guess My statement about doing this when you drain above 75°C is incorrect, should always be done. Thanks, Juergen

[@seyhankupeli]

@@juergenhauber4793 thanks for the response, did you let the run idle to drop the temp back down or turned off the engine?

[@juergenhauber4793]

@@seyhankupeli I tried the idle bit but it took too long. I just shut it off and if the temp. is low, it will come back fairly soon. Regards, Juergen

[@williamlee1756]

Strangely I was told by multiple dealers not to change the fluid unless there is a perceived problem with the transmission. I know he makes mention of the "lifetime fill" in the video. I've just never seen a dealer turn down an income opportunity such as a transmission service. This was however a very well done video and I appreciate the team at FCP for putting these together. Lastly, I've seen a shop destroy a transmission by doing a service on a "lifetime fill" system. I'm also curious as to why they recommend not doing the service if the fluid is bad or contaminated. This seems counter-intuitive especially seeing as how the exact opposite is true of engine oil. I won't be changing mine due to the fact I have a boatload of miles. For those that don't fall under my category and wish to do this, this video makes it super doable.

[@alaind831]

check ZF site, they do recommend changing it - see this too kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGiwkouCrLyEn80 if your tranny is too far gone the thick fluid which has extra traction might be needed to continue shifting, while brand new fluid might be too slippery, unlike engine oil that just lubricates

[@ThaDirtyOne7]

@@alaind831 I'm sure they do have that recommendation on their site. It's most likely to encourage continued income for the manufacturers that want that revenue stream. Especially considering most if not all manual transmissions are lifetime and do not require changing the plausibility of this transmission not needing to be changed is there. Not arguing just giving my summation. I do appreciate the feedback and the links to the info. Lol I still remember when Mobil 1 motor oil used to advertise you could go 50k between ok changes and the auto industry came down on them because that could've put a huge debt in their revenue stream. Meanwhile jiffy lube programs is to believe "every 3000 miles lube it or lose it" so now many of the older gen believe that while most manufacturers recommend 5k for smaller turbo engines, 7500 or 10k for larger engines.

[@alaind831]

@@ThaDirtyOne7 "7500 or 10k for larger engines" is more about the amount of oil and size of the filter - my old BMW had 7quart and big ass filter so 10k (service was 12-15k if I recall) was ok. My cars now take 4-5qt and much smaller filters so I change 5-8k. oil is cheap, engines are not.

[@ThaDirtyOne7]

@@alaind831 sounds about right.

[@dannywilliamson3340]

It's called the Dealer Protection Plan. That is, buy a new vehicle every 100k. And to reinforce that Plan, the design engineers intentionally route the exhaust pipes directly under the drain plug and rear pan bolts, as well as blocking access to the fill port.

[@themazow885]

Good video. Thank you.

[@robertannable9584]

Just did my 19’ RAM 1500 with 68,000 miles, and the fluid was ok, but smelled burned. It feels better than ever now. Even better than I hoped! Happy I did it. I’ll do again in another 60,000 miles.

[@erbenton07]

You should take some transmission fluid in a glass beaker or a metal pan and heat it up to show how much it expands.

[@jonesjones7057]

I know this is an old post but just in case you still wonder how much it expands, I did this test. I put hot tranny fluid in a marked container, then put it in the freezer for a couple hours. After losing over 50 degrees, the level hadn't moved one bit, absolutely nothing. Waited longer, absolutely no change. Made me wonder how big a deal that aspect (temp) is (aside from the oil cooler issue which has nothing to do with expansion/contraction).

[@cliffharrington6500]

If you shoot a laser at the oil pan, if it is metal, will give an accurate result, for plastic pans, no. Metal transmits heat by conduction from the lubricant very effectively, the losses due to ambient air temperature are negligible. It is always good to upgrade the pan to a steel unit for greater strength and protection.

[@7477238]

Gareth and the rest of the team are awesome. I don't own a BMW with an 8 speed ZF but I'll watch anyway.

[@fcpeuro]

We fancy Gareth quite a bit ourselves and spend hours watching him

[@wraith01mg]

Very instructive. Thank you.

[@FrenchValleyAirport]

Man I paid to have this done twice, looks like I'll be doing it myself the next time around.

[@fcpeuro]

Easy enough to bang out in your driveway and save some money doing so!

[@paulcalmond]

@@fcpeuro Suspect a dedicated enthusiast diy er could do it in the driveway, However having access to a lift is going to make it a lot easier. One additional point worth mentioning is draining the pan and refilling in this manner leaves a significant amount of old used oil in the torque converter and transmission cooler that will mix with the clean oil, definitely not ideal. Imagine draining 7 litres of engine oil from a sump with 10 litre capacity, seven litre refill of oil mixed with three litres of old oil, are you going to be happy with that ?

[@aquamaster111]

@@paulcalmond I'm a bit confused. What Gareth did to drain the old oil from the torque converter or transmission cooler?

[@paulcalmond]

@@aquamaster111 Draining the gearbox sump typically drains a small portion of oil from the transmission, if you were doing it yourself at home and left the sump pan off overnight before fitting the new sump pan and filter there would be a little more drained out. The torque converter and transmission cooler and pipes will contain several litres that aren't drained. Most owners I have spoken to got four to five litres out of a transmission that has a dry fill of about eight and a half litres

[@ichoozjc]

@@paulcalmond You could always do the 5 quarts, then drain and refill another 4 or 5 liters after a couple hundred miles. Not ideal but it would probably be 80-90% fresh oil. Still saving a bucket of money from dealer cost plus I don't think you should ever flush a transmission, especially a ZF.

[@spiculum1836]

The ZF fluids are very high quality synthetic AT fluid. As long as the ATF temp does not go over 260F for extended periods the fluid does not varnish and will remain in good condition. The transmission cooler keeps the ATF temp around 200F or so even during heavy load driving. Therefore only reason to change fluid is if cooler has failed or after extended miles 100k+ just because dirt does accumulate in the fluid over time - microscopic debris that the filter does not filter out. Also, drain and fill is good enough. Changing the pan for the new filter at 50k not worth it. Remember there is lots of old fluid in the torque converter that will mix into your new fluid. About 40% of old fluid is in the TC.

[@kjhnsn7296]

ZF says CHANGE IT at 50k

[@jaxbrewery]

Amazing video! Thank you

[@bobinhouston7638]

The Autel MD808 Pro is the least expensive Autel diagnostic tool of theirs that reads transmission oil temp. That’s what Autel told me anyway. Thx for the video, Gareth!

[@MickD464]

That's still 290€. A 25€ WiFi ODBII connector with a free version of the BimmerLink app tells you the transmission oil temperature.

[@tdog2880]

@@MickD464any OBD scanner can do this with bimmerlink?

[@jasoneyes01]

The filter change is nice, but not as important as just doing a drain and fill which is what I did after the initial filter change. The transmission always comes alive after a fluid change. The dark fluid is actually the ash from broken down additives.

[@tractorback76]

The pan is one time use and I think the filter is in the pan?

[@xxthe_remedyxx5296]

ZF states the following procedure for the 8HP50 - Fill cold until fluid starts flowing out. - Start car, rev to 2000RPM and hold for 30 seconds. - Fill until fluid starts flowing out. - Cycle through gears following procedure. - Final fill between temperature range until fluid flows out. Allow fluid to come to a slow drip and torque fill bolt.

[@ScottPC]

Does it state to fill when the cars running or off? (hot)

[@xxthe_remedyxx5296]

@@ScottPC Running.

[@4BillC]

How many quarts does it usually take to fill the ZFHP50 on a filter change?

[@frankposterello1628]

I thought the rev part was in gear and wheels in the air spinning. That's the hard part to me :(

[@mikeprice8307]

Thank you for your demo! Just wish you could have demonstrated with the temperature probe for us lesser fortunate tool owners.

[@alexlindekugel8727]

amazing my drin plug snaped cheap junk. amazing you got it free

[@2233sc]

Do the wheels need to spin to get the transmission up to temperature? Or will it warm up in park/neutral?

[@nicholasmarangos9115]

It warms up running in park. Do not move the car or let the wheels spin at all.

[@alexk8667]

If it feels warm to the touch - you're good to go - it's not a space shuttle.

[@Rockardo_]

hack

[@alexk8667]

@@Rockardo_ LifeHack! /never had one fail - cheers

[@shotgunharry980]

Great video, thanks!

[@Scotford_Maconochie]

Decided to use Pentosin ATF8 and an OE pan for the transmission service on a 2017 X5

[@elmarito007]

My transmission is slipping (Dodge Charger 2016 v6 sxt, 80k). Should I try changing the oil or is it too late already? It’s been slipping for a while now.

[@immortal4942]

it's a dodge so i will sell asap and buy something reliable before you go broke

[@DodgeCity111]

Done mine DIY at 40,000 miles. Geniune ZF kit cost £165.

[@bigmacbiggs2139]

What did you use to pump the oil in?

[@DodgeCity111]

@@bigmacbiggs2139 A cheap fluid pump off ebay. I will invest in a good one for the next service.

[@mityay84]

thank you. very good video!

[@vin605]

Very informative thanks

[@John-qc1zv]

When the engine was cold after the flush, how long did it take to warm up the new oil transmission to 45 degree ?

[@_J.P._]

It depends on where you work. If you are in a controlled room with lets say 22 degrees celsius then problably around 10 minutes. In a colder environment this may take up a bit longer. If you can't get your hands on a diagnostic tool that reads out the correct temps then get a laser temperature meter and simply point the red dot at the oil pan :)

[@tonynofar6759]

Hi, Is it true that if you have an external transmission oil cooler, you will need to get the transmission fluid up to 70 C and go back to top off the transmission fluid again?

[@seyhankupeli]

This is what I am also trying to find out, the instructions from ZF request driving the car until the transmission temp gets to 75C and then doing the final fill between 30-50C, steps involving keeping engine at 2k rpm and shifting through gears.

[@ssucharith]

Superb Video.

[@nealart]

Very helpful - thanks.

[@rwsavory]

Great video, but I am skeptical of the need to change this fluid, especially given your lab results. We have two E39 BMW’s with GM transmissions, a 1998 and 2000. Both with more than 160,000 miles. The fluid has never been changed. When I asked my independent BMW mechanic about 10 years ago, he stated that it was not worth the expense. Turns out he was right. Never had any tranny problems. YMMV.

[@Vanguardkl]

interesting. which country are you in? im in tropical Malaysia and in the tropics its hard to imagine no fluid change in 20 years

[@rwsavory]

@@Vanguardkl Memphis, USA.

[@ashishpatel350]

3 oems disliked this video. lol

[@adminadmin1488]

Thank you so much for the video. Great job. I can't see why the pan needs to be replaced? Why can't you just open the drain plug to drain then fill from the fill plug?

[@mezo6453]

Good video. Thank you

[@fcpeuro]

No problem Mazen happy to help!

[@nicksequino5081]

Realizes there's 105k miles on my b8.5 Audi A4 with the ZF 8 speed, and the previous owner never had the transmission serviced ... *Sweating intensifies*

[@coolFBIdude]

Quite literally me HAHA When he said 80,000 I was praying he meant miles, not KM. My b8.5 A4 just hit 81K miles so I’m hoping not too much damage has been done lol

[@thegoldentheory4383]

Mine just hit 134,000 miles and it does not like shifting at all I’m so sad lol

[@thegoldentheory4383]

@@beckmarchiniak4034 I have no clue, I don’t know if mine was ever changed but I don’t think it’s the fluid, it just seems like it’s the torque converter lockup clutch. It seems like it’s searching for a gear the whole time and when not accelerating the rpms will drop back to 750 in 2nd/3rd gear.

[@maciejsuchecki7653]

@@thegoldentheory4383 It's most likely cause of your problem. New oil and filter should help. I had similar symptoms in older ZF6hp and oil plus filter cured it. On my current ZF8hp I changed both at 60k miles, there was nothing wrong with transmission, but it's shifts thru gears even better than before service.

[@trevorshields7347]

What about the oil in the convertot?

[@fields1]

I don’t understand why ZF makes these “sealed” transmissions if they need servicing just as frequently as traditional automatics. Why can’t they engineer in a dipstick and simple fill/drain system that doesn’t require specific temps? The filter is also embedded into the pan on plastic pan models so you have to replace the entire pan. The trans fluid service costs like $1200-1500. That is unreasonable for a 50,000 mile service.

[@invitfine2110]

he didint showed the whole gearbox oil change, he changed only 30% of it or smth

[@Mariini]

ZF makes what car manufacturers want. They want that fleets and first owners don't have service costs which could put their car on behind other makers when compared "what to buy" and cost by cost. "Its someone elses problem and the vehicle is already out of warranty if anything happens." So you have to be a bit street or should I say machine wize to know and service your junk and not just drive like a happy camper untill... He changed the oil, not 30% of it. If you nitpick, yeah, there are small amounts left which you can't get out at the reasonable time/work but this changed more than 90% of the total oil volume. It will do fine with these more than 600.000km.

[@fields1]

@@Mariini I can understand a sealed unit for a car that is used as an appliance car that has limited performance and low exposure to high stress, but an off road vehicle that will see extreme conditions, lots of abuse on the drivetrain and probably used to tow heavy loads would be better served in my opinion to have easily replaceable filters, oil and a dipstick. Not only does that cut down the cost of maintenance but it makes it more likely to happen in the first place. Telling someone that they need a $1200-$1500 transmission service every 40,000-60,000 miles as ZF recommends for heavy duty use doesn’t really appeal to anyone I know, unless money is of no concern. I don’t know what the “sealed for life” (80,000 miles) design offers that is an advantage to either manufacturers or consumers. ZF makes the transmission so hard to service nearly nobody would dare do it themselves and on certain models fitted with their transmissions you have to remove structural bracing, or cut off pieces of the transmission to get the pan off. I know from firsthand experience on my previous Land Rover Discovery 4 that it is anything but an easy job. On my Audi Q5 3.0T it too has the 8HP and now at 65,000 miles it is starting to downshift quite rough. Not sure if a fluid change will fix my issues or if it will need a new valve body, which seems to still be a fairly common issue with ZF Transmissions.

[@wr2630]

Nice video

[@easonw36]

Very helpful video!!! Quick question, Do we need to reset trans computer after we changed oil? Please let me know, thank you