doonze
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 16, 2009
- Messages
- 506
- Reaction score
- 3
- City, State
- Fayetteville, Ar
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- '93 X Sport
So today was fluid change day, changed the Oil, M5 Tranny fluid, and transfer case. Also did the three little freeze plugs on the shift rail. Couldn't find the metal parts, so just RTV'd the rubber ones I had. To tell the truth they were in pretty good shape. More on that below.
If you have a M5 and haven't changed the fluid.....DO IT NOW!! Don't wait!!
So anyway, I pull the plug on the M5 and here is what I get!
This is what it SHOULD have looked like!! And also keep in mind....... this puppy is a weak ass magnet, I couldn't even hardly tell it was magnetic on the metal stuff around the house, wonder what a GOOD magnet would have caught?
THAT'S JUST NOT RIGHT!!!!
The fluid came out BLACK as tar, much like you can see in the 2nd pic (without the flash). And that stuff on the plug... felt like lithium grease if anyone know's what I'm talking about. Seems to me, and from what others have said, it's a mix of burnt fluid (16 years old at that), the destroyed rubber shifter bushings that fall into the tranny and get ate up and turned into mush. And the metal shavings, also.
If I didn't know better, I would have said someone used gear grease, but I'm pretty sure it was just old crappy fluid and melted, chopped up, rubber bushings.
So, not happy about the condition of either the fluid, nor the amount of metal shavings I found. I did flush with 1 bottle of ATF, so I'm hoping that helped some. The transfer case was much better, the fluid was just a little on the purple side of red, not too bad.
Now, I did use this...
And it worked for me really well. Very useful on the tranny and transfer case. I also pulled my shifter boot and replaced/RTV'd my 3 rubber plugs along the shift rail. That was a little bit more tricky, it's not easy to get those plugs back in, they don't wanna go. But I got it after about 15 mins of screwing with em. I got them out by getting them started with a flat head screw driver then grabbing on the rubber "rim" with some needle nose pliers and pulling. They came right out. Putting them back in I used the needle nose to get them in place then used my fingers to get them lined up just right. Once started in the hole I used a big ass flat head I have and forced them in using the floor pan as leverage. Also, I have smallish hands, big hands may have a bit more trouble.
If you have a M5 and haven't changed the fluid.....DO IT NOW!! Don't wait!!
So anyway, I pull the plug on the M5 and here is what I get!
This is what it SHOULD have looked like!! And also keep in mind....... this puppy is a weak ass magnet, I couldn't even hardly tell it was magnetic on the metal stuff around the house, wonder what a GOOD magnet would have caught?
THAT'S JUST NOT RIGHT!!!!
The fluid came out BLACK as tar, much like you can see in the 2nd pic (without the flash). And that stuff on the plug... felt like lithium grease if anyone know's what I'm talking about. Seems to me, and from what others have said, it's a mix of burnt fluid (16 years old at that), the destroyed rubber shifter bushings that fall into the tranny and get ate up and turned into mush. And the metal shavings, also.
If I didn't know better, I would have said someone used gear grease, but I'm pretty sure it was just old crappy fluid and melted, chopped up, rubber bushings.
So, not happy about the condition of either the fluid, nor the amount of metal shavings I found. I did flush with 1 bottle of ATF, so I'm hoping that helped some. The transfer case was much better, the fluid was just a little on the purple side of red, not too bad.
Now, I did use this...
And it worked for me really well. Very useful on the tranny and transfer case. I also pulled my shifter boot and replaced/RTV'd my 3 rubber plugs along the shift rail. That was a little bit more tricky, it's not easy to get those plugs back in, they don't wanna go. But I got it after about 15 mins of screwing with em. I got them out by getting them started with a flat head screw driver then grabbing on the rubber "rim" with some needle nose pliers and pulling. They came right out. Putting them back in I used the needle nose to get them in place then used my fingers to get them lined up just right. Once started in the hole I used a big ass flat head I have and forced them in using the floor pan as leverage. Also, I have smallish hands, big hands may have a bit more trouble.