E36 G260 transmission fluid

[theblue]

I'm ordering transmission fluid today and there is just so much debate about what redline fluid to run in the G260.  What's working well for other teams?

 

I have a 92 red label.  If I look at this:  https://www.redlineoil.com/news_article.aspx?id=13

 

Quote

While respected BMW tech expert Mike Miller (and Bavarian, as well) confidently recommends MTL for every BMW manual gearbox without complaints, Red Line follows a baseline closer to the factory recommendations. The early gearboxes (through 1983) take our MTL, a 70W80 GL-4 fluid. 

From 1986 to 1992, it is a bit trickier in that there are three different transmissions identified by a label on the passenger side of the bell housing. That with a green label and a 17mm hex drain plug uses MT-90, a red label and 17mm plug uses D4 ATF, and that with no label and a 15mm drain plug uses MTL. 

From 1993 on, we recommend D4 ATF (yes, ATF in a manual transmission). The only late-model exception is the 2006 Xi trans, which takes D6 ATF. 

 

Edited May 3, 2017 by theblue

[wvumtnbkr]

I gots the same issue with my T5 WC.  Redline says to run the MTL (in an email).  Their website says to run the D4 ATF.  I only have a few laps on the car with the D4 ATF and I had a non-related trans issue.  Therefore, I have no data to offer.

 

However, I am interested in the answer!

[theblue]

my impression so far is that ATF is probably the right choice for a street car that sees cold weather and the MTL is better for a racecar.  

[enginerd]

Oh that is interesting... I naively thought that all getrag260 were the same... we use MTL in our 17mm drain plug (unsure of label) model in the e30. It does lose a few ounces of trans oil per race, unsure where it's going. Otherwise it works quite well. Maybe one of the other options wouldn't have that issue.

[Chris Huggins]

30 minutes ago, enginerd said:

Oh that is interesting... I naively thought that all getrag260 were the same... we use MTL in our 17mm drain plug (unsure of label) model in the e30. It does lose a few ounces of trans oil per race, unsure where it's going. Otherwise it works quite well. Maybe one of the other options wouldn't have that issue.

Out the vent.  Take the vent off and run a hose up to the fuse box area, loop and ziptie.

[Hi_Im_Will]

Run MTL and you'll be safe.

 

 Lower viscosity fluid makes shifting smoother at low temps, and can reduce driveline loss.  If you want to find the ideal fluid (and it's different depending on the car, the trans, your aero, your driving, etc), monitor fluid temperature, and keep going thinner until the temp starts to climb, or your actual viscosity in the sump gets below ~6cst (calculate this using the ASTM D341 method, your fluid temperature, and the published viscosity data from the fluid mfg).  Run the next viscosity up from that.

Edited May 3, 2017 by Hi_Im_Will

[theblue]

13 minutes ago, Hi_Im_Will said:

Run MTL and you'll be safe.

 

 Lower viscosity fluid makes shifting smoother at low temps, and can reduce driveline loss.  If you want to find the ideal fluid (and it's different depending on the car, the trans, your aero, your driving, etc), monitor fluid temperature, and keep going thinner until the temp starts to climb, or your actual viscosity in the sump gets below ~6cst (calculate this using the ASTM D341 method, your fluid temperature, and the published viscosity data from the fluid mfg).  Run the next viscosity up from that.

 

75W90 GL-5 Gear Oil for rear LSD diff?

[Hi_Im_Will]

Good start.  Must be GL5, finding ideal works the same way as in the trans.

[theblue]

1 minute ago, Hi_Im_Will said:

Good start.  Must be GL5, finding ideal works the same way as in the trans.

last one, I swear.   throw a bottle of redline fuel system cleaner at my 200k unknown motor, or no value in this?

[Chris Huggins]

11 minutes ago, theblue said:

last one, I swear.   throw a bottle of redline fuel system cleaner at my 200k unknown motor, or no value in this?

 

better to pull the injectors and have them cleaned and flow matched, or just look on Ebay for a set that has already been done (sometimes cheaper)

[theblue]

Just now, Huggy said:

 

better to pull the injectors and have them cleaned and flow matched, or just look on Ebay for a set that has already been done (sometimes cheaper)

 

not happening in time for our new car's first race unfortunately.

[E. Tyler Pedersen]

Just now, theblue said:

 

not happening in time for our new car's first race unfortunately.

 

I have a set that I took out that were cleaned and flowed from CA.  It costs $60 shipped to have it done I believe.  I can bring some to WGI if you want or I can ship them to you before hand.

[E. Tyler Pedersen]

52 minutes ago, Huggy said:

Out the vent.  Take the vent off and run a hose up to the fuse box area, loop and ziptie.

 

I forgot to put my vent back on when I put the new transmission in over the winter.....I need someone with little hands to get up there.

[ABR-Glen]

39 minutes ago, theblue said:

 

75W90 GL-5 Gear Oil for rear LSD diff?

75W-140 for me. MTL in racecar trans. D4 ATF in street car trans.

Edited May 3, 2017 by ABR-Glen

[Hi_Im_Will]

44 minutes ago, theblue said:

last one, I swear.   throw a bottle of redline fuel system cleaner at my 200k unknown motor, or no value in this?

 

Waste of money.  As Huggy and Tyler said, get the injectors cleaned. I use Injector Repair LLC out of upstate NY.  It's a dude in his garage, he's super responsive, and cheap. 

[theblue]

any of you notice improvement from cleaning, or is this just for insurance?

[Hi_Im_Will]

39 minutes ago, theblue said:

any of you notice improvement from cleaning, or is this just for insurance?

 

~30% of the original injectors I've had cleaned have been so far off the flow rate of the rest of the injectors that they were trash.

[Andrew D Johnson]

Shouldn't high pressure gasoline getting sprayed through the injectors cause them to clean themselves?

[wvumtnbkr]

1 minute ago, red0 said:

Shouldn't high pressure gasoline getting sprayed through the injectors cause them to clean themselves?

It can.  However, anything that is in the fuel can get stuck in the injector.

 

Also, these cars sit for long periods of time with old gas sitting in / near the injector.  It CAN cause issues depending on the quality of the fuel and the additives used.

 

I was sending out my RX7 injectors twice a year because they would always have crappy spray patterns and flow rates when compared to each other.

[enginerd]

I sent our injectors out for cleaning a few years ago... appears to have been a waste of money because they all were within 2% of each other and within 2% of "correct" flow rate. YMMV

[E. Tyler Pedersen]

2 minutes ago, enginerd said:

I sent our injectors out for cleaning a few years ago... appears to have been a waste of money because they all were within 2% of each other and within 2% of "correct" flow rate. YMMV

I usually change to a new cleaner set every year and try to change them out half way through the year. It is just extra insurance in my opinion. For as how cheap it is, it is worth justifying it for me.

[skierman64]

According to Cameron Evan at Red Line

 

Use D4 ATF for the manual trans and 75W110 for the diff.  

[theamsoilguy]

I just brought in all my injectors. $20 CDN per injector. They flowed 85-95cc in the test cycle. They all flowed 99-101cc after the cleaning. Well worth the money and ruled out any that were way off ( at least after cleaning it was consistent ). I had 12 injectors done ( two motors and spares ). I like the fuel treatments also. I sell the amsoil version and it has really helped a few cars, ie my dads that rarely gets driven. It started stalling and getting poor fuel mileage, the treatment fixed his car. For a race car I now will lean towards a injector service....for a old car I will lean towards a $10 bottle of fuel treatment.