Re: HP 22 (E34 automatic) reliability question

["Ken Cory" <kcory@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm at 185,000 miles on E34 535ia.  I put synthetic trans fluid in it when I
bought it at 80,000 miles.  Now it's showing signs (sometimes refuses to
upshift for a few blocks).  Recently read that putting an older trans on a
synthetic diet may cause it to dislodge particles, carry them to tiny
passages, where they stick and . . . make the trans refuse to
upshift=rebuild time.  But hey, if it quits tomorrow, 185,000 ain't bad.
Only looks bad next to the engine (185,000 miles, never had the head
off--I'm embarrassed to say that I have done almost nothing to maintain the
entire drive train, except synthetics fluids fairly regularly).  Good luck.
Ken Cory

- ---- Original Message -----
From: <michael_kohlbrenner@domain.elided>
To: <bmw@domain.elided>
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2000 8:11 AM
Subject: RE: HP 22 (E34 automatic) reliability question


> From: Dan -- "v1rotate" <v1rotate@domain.elided>
> >
> > ... Do they ALL fail? Any chance mine will last 250~300K
> > if it was serviced well and I'm lucky?
>
> I can't provide any direct advice on how best to treat
> your trans.  However, in answer to the above question, I
> can certainly report that there is a guy at work here who
> is the original owner of an '87 or '88 535i with the auto
> (one of the "bad" ones...).  240K miles and still ticking.
> He claims that he has never worried about getting the
> fluid flushed either.  Maybe that's the secret...
>
> Regards,
> Mike Kohlbrenner
>

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