[JaysBlueE92]

good writeup thanks

[rosica]

What is the factory recommended service interval?

[ssmith96]

Whats the benefit? Just good practice I assume?

[cband]

I changed my front and rear diffs at 150k. Fluid looked great condition... consensus is lifetime oils are due to be changed at 100k. Manual transmission fluid and transfer case fluids are also lifetime, but I changed them at 150k, those two looked much dirtier.

[AdamN52]

I just did this on the weekend on my 2007 328xi. Refilled with Royal Purple 75W-90.
Between the front and rear it took just less than 2 quarts.

I used a 3" ratchet extension to get at fill plug.

My biggest difficulty was the limited space underneath the car since I don't have a lift. I had the car up on ramps, but had to also jack it a few inches higher so that I could get an impact gun underneath to remove six 16mm bolts from the stiffening plate.

You could use a ratchet to get the plate off, but I didn't want to be under the car all day.

Old fluid looked dark after 140,000km, but nothing atrocious came out. Car feels exactly the same after, which is all I can ask for.

[jwzimm]

One thing the OP forgets to mention is the car is supposed to be LEVEL when you fill it. Since there is no dipstick you rely on the chassis being level to dictate the fill level.

[bvanderhaar]

I just performed this PM; fluid that came out looked still brown-ish in color and had only a slight burnt smell to it @ 94K miles, 328xi 3/08 build date. The rear diff oil was in much worse shape. Refilled with Red Line 75w90.

Thanks for posting the pictures and instructions.

[Pirranha]

Great post...wanted to subscribe��

[stevenh44]

Anyone change the transfer case fluid without resetting it?
Or know how to reset it?

[Maniac0908]

Originally Posted by stevenh44

Anyone change the transfer case fluid without resetting it?
Or know how to reset it?

Would like to know as well. Doing this today or tomorrow

[Maniac0908]

Originally Posted by Maniac0908

Would like to know as well. Doing this today or tomorrow

Any one?

[Shrike360]

Originally Posted by Maniac0908

Any one?

Did all the fluids on my car two weeks ago and did a 1600 mile trip the following week. No issues or errors, never reset the tcase.

Did the same job on my dad's car last weekend and never reset the computer. No errors.

Sidenote- after you've done the tcase fluid change once, it's actually pretty easy.

[Maniac0908]

So i did the front diff. The fluid was green and nasty. Not a clear green. I mean like thick cloudy green.
Rear wasnt to bad.

[IN54NITY]

Kinda sorry to do this, but I'm bouncing this thread to the top... Thanks OP for a great post.

[94boosted]

Thanks for the write up.

Did you replace the drain plugs with new plugs? Is there some sort of a gasket or copper crush washer there that could leak?

[Maniac0908]

Originally Posted by 94boosted

Thanks for the write up.

Did you replace the drain plugs with new plugs? Is there some sort of a gasket or copper crush washer there that could leak?

Its a rubber gasket. I reused mine

[94boosted]

Originally Posted by Maniac0908

Its a rubber gasket. I reused mine

Thank you.

[ilicboris]

Nice write up. I did my front and rear diffs yesterday. Used just under two 1 quart bottles of Redline 75-W90 for both. The front diff had a small amount drain out, it looks like I had a leak down there, it was a mess. I filled until the fluid started spilling out. The fluid that came out was probably the worst smelling fluid/anything I've ever smelled. Just absolutely disgusting.

Rear wasn't as bad. What's the purpose of the front diff having a fill and drain plug and the rear only having a drain that you have to suction out?

[Jagaer]

Changed the brake/clutch fluid last weekend; Replaced front/rear diff, and MT fluid this weekend. (Transfer case will be next weekend, if I can pick up the fluid this week). The car is new to me, but has 150k kms, and doesn't appear that any of the fluids have ever been changed.

Since I was doing both the front diff and the MT fluid, both the metal stiffener plate, and the plastic splash shield are removed. You only really need to remove the metal stiffener plate - On my 2011 E91 xDrive it is 6xBolts.

Remember to pull the fill plug first - 14mm Hex. I used a 1/2 drive with a long bit.





Once you've got the fill plug out, place your drain pan and remove the drain plug.

My fluid had never been changed - I've cleaned the fill plug and left the film on the drain plug to illustrate the difference.



Reinsert the drain plug and fill until it overflows. My front diff took approx 600mL (I say approx as I'm not certain how much overflow drained out)