[F87source]

Originally Posted by M2RAW

I mean like flush like any other cars? I just did drain and fill.

Yes you would flush just like any other car, a simple drain and fill.

[vrooooom]

what did he mean by "flush"?

[F87source]

Originally Posted by vrooooom

what did he mean by "flush"?

Ah yes I see the confusion. Ok alot of people use the term flush to mean oil change - which is a drain and fill.

If you want to "flush" it you would drain, fill, then drive it very shortly - leaving it in neutral and starting it will still cause the gears to spin and move the fluid around, then drain it and refill. This will essentially "wash out" the inside of the gear box. It is unecessary if you do low interval oil changes for the gear box.

[vrooooom]

Flushing meaning wasting a fluid change to really make sure the old oil is drained. Might as well just do a simple drain & fill after a year.

[F87source]

Originally Posted by vrooooom

Flushing meaning wasting a fluid change to really make sure the old oil is drained. Might as well just do a simple drain & fill after a year.

Well you also want it to circulate the transmission and clean out the internals, kind of like rinsing a cup. Because the transmission design itself drains very well to the point that it doesn't retain much old oil.

Again it isn't necessary if you do frequent gear box oil changes.

[F87source]

So I am starting to hear MSP/A is no longer available in Canadian dealerships, why I am not sure but I will have to double check to verify. I am not sure if there is a new spec bmw introduced that will be the new go to fluid (maybe they want only one fluid for every one to use instead of also having SAF-XJ + MSP/A) but it is hard for me to check since real oem isn't updated anymore... I will have to find a more reliable etk, or get a newer version of ISTA to see what is up.

But If this is indeed the case then I would recommend using what the dealer has in stock as that should be verified by bmw. I will also contact castrol about their syntrax fluid and hope this time they can get back to me with clear bmw certifications. Because last time they were unable to do so despite bmw saying it was approved on my version of ISTA. The reason why I am double checking is because ISTA lags behind and there could have been fluid revisions that have been done, also because syntrax is approved for the e9x m3's and we know the e9x m3's using saf-xj + fm which has additional friction modifiers that wreack havoc on the f8x rear diff.

Anyways I will keep you guys up to date when i find out more.

[vrooooom]

should we be stocking on MSP/A?

[F87source]

Originally Posted by vrooooom

should we be stocking on MSP/A?

IDK, maybe the new stuff will be reformulated and better so it isn't worth it to stock up (plus fluid doesn't last forever so there's no point). At this time I am not sure.

Also I am not sure if this is a global thing or if it is just limited to Canada, and if it is just limited to Canada then we are likely just going to transition over to whatever the US is using, so SAF-XJ. This is probably a cost savings measure, since it is cheaper to get diff oil from the states vs. from Germany.


So in summary, if MSP/A is indeed being discontinued and it is limited to Canada then it's not an issue for Global owners, you will still likely be able to get MSP/A while we will likely transition over to the same oil used in the states.

If it is a global thing, then chances are there will be a reformulation and it is probably best to wait and see what this formulation will be. So either way I don't see a reason to worry or stock up.

[vrooooom]

So you got me inquiring about MSP/A here. It's supposedly still available in Malaysia and they can order it in. He did mention another MSP/A though. I searched it online and found this— 83229407870. Is that the same as our MSP/A.... why a different product code? things just became a bit more complicated.

Our current one is 83222365988.

Is that 7870 just a 60L version but the same fluid & formulation? Service guy said he could sell me a liter of the 7870....but later said I would need the 5988.

[F87source]

Originally Posted by vrooooom

So you got me inquiring about MSP/A here. It's supposedly still available in Malaysia and they can order it in. He did mention another MSP/A though. I searched it online and found this— 83229407870. Is that the same as our MSP/A.... why a different product code? things just became a bit more complicated.

Our current one is 83222365988.

Is that 7870 just a 60L version but the same fluid & formulation? Service guy said he could sell me a liter of the 7870....but later said I would need the 5988.

I just called as well, and we still have MSP/A here in Canada so that's good.


Yes that 7870 part number is the 60L barrel of MSP/A, same oil and formulation just bigger container. That's what BMW generally does with part numbers, they have a different one for the different sized containers you can get.


It's interesting because dealers in the US can get these large containers as well, but for some reason they don't use MSP/A during diff servicing.

[vrooooom]

but when my service guy checks my VIN, he says it only shows 5988.

Says the 7870 is for the M3.

[F87source]

Originally Posted by vrooooom

but when my service guy checks my VIN, he says it only shows 5988.

Says the 7870 is for the M3.

It's a 60L barrel of gear oil, even if formulation was different which it isn't, there's no point in buying it. The car would likely fail long before you depleted all of that oil, it's meant for shops that service these diffs in high volume. So my advice is not to worry about it.


Also the system likely wasn't updated to show the m2, because the 60L barrels aren't really frequently looked up by many people for resale, it's likely mostly for shops and dealers so internal use.

[vrooooom]

He was willing to sell me (from their drum) in a bottle which they readily have, the 1L bottle would need special ordering from Malaysia.

I'm not planning on buying the drum. . I would be long dead before I use that up.

[tux2005]

I ended up getting SAF-XJ from Pfaff BMW in Mississauga & Policaro in Brampton.

[F87source]

Originally Posted by tux2005

I ended up getting SAF-XJ from Pfaff BMW in Mississauga & Policaro in Brampton.

Hmm interesting, my dealer might just have residual stock then. So it might be true that MSP/A is going to be phased out in Canada.


What oil did you get during break in?

[tux2005]

Originally Posted by F87source

Hmm interesting, my dealer might just have residual stock then. So it might be true that MSP/A is going to be phased out in Canada.


What oil did you get during break in?

Unfortunately I don't really know, I did Euro Delivery and the receipt I have from the dealership in Germany that I used for reimbursement by BMW Canada didn't have any part numbers.

I had the break-in service done in 2017 at ~2100km, then 2 weekends ago I did another change at ~46,500km but much of that being track use.

[F87source]

Originally Posted by tux2005

Unfortunately I don't really know, I did Euro Delivery and the receipt I have from the dealership in Germany that I used for reimbursement by BMW Canada didn't have any part numbers.

I had the break-in service done in 2017 at ~2100km, then 2 weekends ago I did another change at ~46,500km but much of that being track use.

Interesting. If it was done in germany then it was the correct fluid.

Either way we won't have a choice if they phase out MSP/A here, it is what it is. It won't be the end of the world, but it will not be what bmw specifies to use.

[warrenw]

Do you think i can use MOTUL 75W-90 GEAR 300 Synthetic for my MTF?

[F87source]

Originally Posted by warrenw

Do you think i can use MOTUL 75W-90 GEAR 300 Synthetic for my MTF?

I'd hesitate to use that particular fluid, because BMW's mtf lt5 fluid is a low viscosity fluid - to the point where it is actually a DCT fluid in reality.


So if I were you I'd get motul dctf instead, because this also suits BMW's mtf lt5 requirements. https://www.motul.com/ca/en-US/products/multi-dctf


Otherwise redline dctf is also very good alternative, personally I heard more good about the redline fluid than the motul so I'd go redline.

[warrenw]

Originally Posted by F87source

I'd hesitate to use that particular fluid, because BMW's mtf lt5 fluid is a low viscosity fluid - to the point where it is actually a DCT fluid in reality.


So if I were you I'd get motul dctf instead, because this also suits BMW's mtf lt5 requirements. https://www.motul.com/ca/en-US/products/multi-dctf


Otherwise redline dctf is also very good alternative, personally I heard more good about the redline fluid than the motul so I'd go redline.

You're a king. I was thinking Motul because personally I love the brand and I run it for engine oil and Diff fluid, so keep it in the family so to speak - have yet to hear bad things about redline though.

So the motul dctf is what they use for BMW DCT transmissions?

[chris719]

You run Motul for the diff? I thought this was a bad idea and this diff can only safely use MSP/A or SAF-XJ? I know it says it cross references for SAF-XJ, but I’m always paranoid with the amount of failures on these diffs.

[F87source]

Originally Posted by warrenw

You're a king. I was thinking Motul because personally I love the brand and I run it for engine oil and Diff fluid, so keep it in the family so to speak - have yet to hear bad things about redline though.

So the motul dctf is what they use for BMW DCT transmissions?

I'm not sure what they use for the DCT because I haven't done any research for that. All I know is that the 6mt uses a low viscosity fluid akin to DCT fluid.

Originally Posted by chris719

You run Motul for the diff? I thought this was a bad idea and this diff can only safely use MSP/A or SAF-XJ? I know it says it cross references for SAF-XJ, but I’m always paranoid with the amount of failures on these diffs.

Yeah imo these diffs appear to be fragile and I wouldn't run anything except BMW fluids for it, just to be on the safe side.