[E90convert]

Originally Posted by F87source

Personally I don't trust BMWs fluid lifetime intervals. Bmw says coolant is life time, pentosin says it's more like 4-5 years. Bmw said mtf is lifetime, ZF who makes the gearbox says it's like 4 years.

We have gone around this barn before the great irony is that ZF is the one who tells BMW it is “long term” fluid and filter. ZF runs the analysis to determine if it needs changed within whatever period BMW is specifying (probably 150k miles of a BMW spec drive cycle). ZF aftermarket is its own thing and can recommend whatever it wants. Can’t comment about Pentosin and coolant, but I would assume it’s a similar situation.

Either way, you can’t change the fluid and filter enough to hurt anything. Just about managing time, money, and expectations of what you get for changing it.

Eager to hear about the Drexler diff!

[Track/S]

Originally Posted by E90convert

Eager to hear about the Drexler diff!

Definitely the best mod.

[vrooooom]

Originally Posted by Track/S

Definitely the best mod.

no other explanation to follow? What makes it the best?

[Track/S]

After 3500km

Originally Posted by vrooooom

no other explanation to follow? What makes it the best?

Our cars lack traction, Drexler solves this problem.

[doughboy]

Still not taking the fill plug out first for a smooth drain 🙈

[Track/S]

Originally Posted by doughboy

Still not taking the fill plug out first for a smooth drain 🙈

Never

[No_curebimmer]

Originally Posted by F87source

Yeah better to be on the safe side. Make sure you also buy a new fill and drain bolt because they are single use. Also the bolts are H14 not for bolts, so don't use a torx socket or you might strip the bolt.

F87source you, sir, are a God. I reckon your posts over the years have saved many a headaches and dineros!!! Always SAGE ADVICE

So, given that my ‘19 M2C was purchased 2nd hand, I don’t know what oil was used at its 1st service, I plan on swapping the diff oil myself using BMW part #83222357992. Bimmerworld itself says the p/n above replaces 83222365988 (https://www.bimmerworld.com/Fluids/D...2365988.html).

So question: I gather the fill and drain bolts are identical, so can you please confirm that to correctly remove them one needs an H14 hex bit ? Don’t want to strip these bad boys. I still have slight nightmares about a few stripped rotor retaining bolts…

Lastly, while I’m there, I also plan on swapping my manual transmission fluid with Red line DCTF which seems to be the overwhelming choice. Are drain and fill plugs same size as the diff ones?

Cheers!

[F87source]

Originally Posted by No_curebimmer

F87source you, sir, are a God. I reckon your posts over the years have saved many a headaches and dineros!!! Always SAGE ADVICE

So, given that my ‘19 M2C was purchased 2nd hand, I don’t know what oil was used at its 1st service, I plan on swapping the diff oil myself using BMW part #83222357992. Bimmerworld itself says the p/n above replaces 83222365988 (https://www.bimmerworld.com/Fluids/D...2365988.html).

So question: I gather the fill and drain bolts are identical, so can you please confirm that to correctly remove them one needs an H14 hex bit ? Don’t want to strip these bad boys. I still have slight nightmares about a few stripped rotor retaining bolts…

Lastly, while I’m there, I also plan on swapping my manual transmission fluid with Red line DCTF which seems to be the overwhelming choice. Are drain and fill plugs same size as the diff ones?

Cheers!

Thanks for the kind words!

For the diff oil just go to your dealer and buy it. Since you're in Europe there's a good chance you'll get MSP/A. Otherwise Saf-xj is fine too, don't use Saf-xj + fm.


Yes fill and drain are identical - you can use real OEM to confirm. Yup hex 14 (h14) is the socket you'll need for removal.


Redline dctf is good stuff. I was going to use it myself this summer but I ran out of time doing brake stuff. No, the manual transmission drain and fill bolts are different than the diff. These bolts on the manual transmission are also reusable, so no need to replace them unless damaged.

[No_curebimmer]

Originally Posted by F87source

Thanks for the kind words!

For the diff oil just go to your dealer and buy it. Since you're in Europe there's a good chance you'll get MSP/A. Otherwise Saf-xj is fine too, don't use Saf-xj + fm.


Yes fill and drain are identical - you can use real OEM to confirm. Yup hex 14 (h14) is the socket you'll need for removal.


Redline dctf is good stuff. I was going to use it myself this summer but I ran out of time doing brake stuff. No, the manual transmission drain and fill bolts are different than the diff. These bolts on the manual transmission are also reusable, so no need to replace them unless damaged.

Much obliged sir!

No EU for me anymore, nowadays I’m Texas based, so I’m ‘stuck’ with BMW’s own SAF-XJ diff oil, no MSP-A. Interesting that Bimmerworld recommends Red Line 75W140 for M-Variable diffs, but it doesn’t look like many ‘owners in the know’ use anything but OEM diff oil.

Members like you is what makes this forum a gem, personally I have learnt quite a bit by reading your posts!

[F87source]

Originally Posted by No_curebimmer

Much obliged sir!

No EU for me anymore, nowadays I’m Texas based, so I’m ‘stuck’ with BMW’s own SAF-XJ diff oil, no MSP-A. Interesting that Bimmerworld recommends Red Line 75W140 for M-Variable diffs, but it doesn’t look like many ‘owners in the know’ use anything but OEM diff oil.

Members like you is what makes this forum a gem, personally I have learnt quite a bit by reading your posts!

No problem.

Saf-xj is fine too, I used to be able to get MSP/A in Canada because things sold here had to be labeled in English and French and the German MSP/A bottles were labeled like that, while the Saf-xj bottles were English only. So I got lucky, and all of my parts were the German ones - so whatever bmw sold in Germany is what I got here in Canada. But after COVID the supply chain changed and now the US made Saf-xj has french on them too so I'm "stuck" with only one option now lol.


I use OEM fluids because I'm paranoid. My logic behind it is that I've seen f8x diffs fail in the early days when people used the e9x m3 Saf-xj + fm fluid, because the diff apparently didn't like the extra FM (friction modifiers). So if aftermarket fluids satisfy both the e9x m3 and f8x m cars then how much fm is in it? Is it too much for the F8x or too little for the e9x? So that's the issue for me, so I choose to be on the safe side and go with OEM fluids which are clearly different for the e9x and f8x cars.

[No_curebimmer]

Originally Posted by F87source

No problem.

Saf-xj is fine too, I used to be able to get MSP/A in Canada because things sold here had to be labeled in English and French and the German MSP/A bottles were labeled like that, while the Saf-xj bottles were English only. So I got lucky, and all of my parts were the German ones - so whatever bmw sold in Germany is what I got here in Canada. But after COVID the supply chain changed and now the US made Saf-xj has french on them too so I'm "stuck" with only one option now lol.


I use OEM fluids because I'm paranoid. My logic behind it is that I've seen f8x diffs fail in the early days when people used the e9x m3 Saf-xj + fm fluid, because the diff apparently didn't like the extra FM (friction modifiers). So if aftermarket fluids satisfy both the e9x m3 and f8x m cars then how much fm is in it? Is it too much for the F8x or too little for the e9x? So that's the issue for me, so I choose to be on the safe side and go with OEM fluids which are clearly different for the e9x and f8x cars.

Sound logic…can’t argue with that.

[David.m]

Originally Posted by No_curebimmer

Lastly, while I’m there, I also plan on swapping my manual transmission fluid with Red line DCTF which seems to be the overwhelming choice. Are drain and fill plugs same size as the diff ones?

Cheers!

Just to clarify, the manual transmission fill/drain plugs are H8 (8mm hex) and torqued to 43Nm.

It's always good to remove the fill plug first and more so here as room is tight for the fill plug (I have to insert my 1/2inch drive H8 into the plug then the ratchet/torque wrench into the hex).

[No_curebimmer]

Originally Posted by David.m

Just to clarify, the manual transmission fill/drain plugs are H8 (8mm hex) and torqued to 43Nm.

It's always good to remove the fill plug first and more so here as room is tight for the fill plug (I have to insert my 1/2inch drive H8 into the plug then the ratchet/torque wrench).

That’s Mega…thanks mate!!!

[F87source]

Originally Posted by David.m

Just to clarify, the manual transmission fill/drain plugs are H8 (8mm hex) and torqued to 43Nm.

It's always good to remove the fill plug first and more so here as room is tight for the fill plug (I have to insert my 1/2inch drive H8 into the plug then the ratchet/torque wrench into the hex).

I use 3/8" drive sockets and there seems to be enough room to keep it on my ratchet. My ratchet also isn't super thick either so there seems to be enough clearance.

[jefe2000]

Originally Posted by F87source

I use 3/8" drive sockets and there seems to be enough room to keep it on my ratchet. My ratchet also isn't super thick either so there seems to be enough clearance.

That’s a good tip. Last time I did the transmission fluid swap there wasn’t room for my ½” drive torque wrench, so I had to torque the fill plug “by feel” with the breaker bar and socket I’d used to remove the plug.

I don’t want to have to do that again for the next drain’n’fill, so using a smaller torque wrench sounds like a good way to go!

[F87source]

Originally Posted by jefe2000

That’s a good tip. Last time I did the transmission fluid swap there wasn’t room for my ½” drive torque wrench, so I had to torque the fill plug “by feel” with the breaker bar and socket I’d used to remove the plug.

I don’t want to have to do that again for the next drain’n’fill, so using a smaller torque wrench sounds like a good way to go!

Yup a smaller torque wrench is absolutely the way to go imo.

[m2zcp]

Thanks to those who have contributed to this thread - lots of useful information. Plan to tackle the fluid changes tomorrow - engine, manual transmission and rear differential. For this interval change I decided to stay with the OEM rear differential fluid but for subsequent change will likely transition to Motul.

[F87source]

Originally Posted by m2zcp

Thanks to those who have contributed to this thread - lots of useful information. Plan to tackle the fluid changes tomorrow - engine, manual transmission and rear differential. For this interval change I decided to stay with the OEM rear differential fluid but for subsequent change will likely transition to Motul.

You should have went with motul xcess gen 2 5w40 for the engine oil. Motul specific isn't as good, because imo ll01fe oils suck in general. They're more optimized for fuel efficiency rather than protection.

[vrooooom]

they suck? ...or just that the LL01 (w/o FE) is just better but myb compromising more for improved fuel efficiency.

Usually we normally use 40 weight here ....but the fact that he's using a 30 should already be considered F.E. compared to the 40.

[F87source]

Originally Posted by vrooooom

they suck? ...or just that the LL01 (w/o FE) is just better but myb compromising more for improved fuel efficiency.

Usually we normally use 40 weight here ....but the fact that he's using a 30 should already be considered F.E. compared to the 40.

FE fluids compromise alot of shear strength for lower parasitic drag and therefore better fuel economy. So they trade off quite a bit of protection for not much better fuel efficency, and in my opinion that's a shitty trade off.

Just because it is a 30 weight doesn't mean it is an FE oil. Thicker =/= always mean better. You can technically get a really good 30 weight oil that out performs thicker 40 weight oils. The goal is as thin as possible with as much shear strength as possible, so ideally you only go as thick as you need to.

[vrooooom]

I didn't mean 30 is considered F.E but more as a comparison to the 40w it's likely more fuel efficient since it's less thick. Generally speaking.

But since we're here discussing for our engines only, I see more recommendations of the 5w40 variety here than any other weight... for the M2 N55 specifically.

[m2zcp]

I will send an oil analysis for the heck of it at the next oil change and report back the results. I have been using the Motul Specific 5w30 LL01-FE for approx 45k km now no overt issues so far. Ideally, would have been good to have had a VOA from day one and compare the findings.