Talk to me about E46 330 autoboxes.

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I need to know 3 things.
1,What oil.
2,How to check the oil.
3,How to drain the oil.
I have access to a pit and I'm thinking of checking or changing the oil, the car has just hit 80k, and lately I've noticed it holds its gears to long when cold, oil is going to be my first check.
Anyone done any of the above as a DIY.
Thanks.

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It's a 330ci , Nov 2001 build date.

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Nigel Worc's said:

Luca Brasi said:

Nigel Worc's said:

Is yours not a "sealed for life" ZF, like mine ?

BMW claims the boxes are sealed for life, they're not, believe me.

I realise they don't have to be, but it isn't BMW's claim, it is ZF's claim, BMW only buy them.

I do work at ZF's British arm, in Nottingham, (electronics, nothing to do with the actual boxes).
O
They have advised me, as has my indy specialist, to leave these boxes well alone, if you are one of the unlucky ones having problems, especially on such a low mileage one as the OP's, the oil is unlikely to be causing/have caused damage.

It's worth a try I suppose, if he wishes, but as he descibes it "holding gears", this is what it does when the cats aren't at temperature ...... the gearbox may not be at fault, it may be doing what it is told.

Sorry op if you've already investigated this, and it isn't the case.

Thanks for your explanation, I haven't looked at anything yet as its a fairly new problem, I was thinking low oil maybe, its almost as if its in sports mode.