E36 Auto Tranny failure at 56K miles -- Any thoughts?

["shawn . moyer" <shawn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Folks:

My 97 328is auto experienced a catastrophic transmission failure at 56K
miles a few weeks back... Apparently this was related to poor
distribution of fluid from the torque convertor (apologies if I'm using
the wrong terms, I'm by no means a tranny expert), and led to a more or
less complete tranny failure. I know this was somewhat common on the
earlier E36's, but I thought this had been resolved with the newer GM
trans.

My extended warranty is covering the repair, and the entire tranny is
being replaced with an OEM one. 

My question to the list: is there anything I can do as far as my driving
habits to prolong the life of the new tranny? I occasionally (maybe once
a month or so) drive the car in manual mode, and I nearly always drive
it in "sport mode" around town (under 50mph or so). I was under the
impression that since in "sport mode" the Overdrive doesn't engage, this
was actually better for the life of the trans., or at least the torque
convertor (?)

One thing I'm wondering about that may have helped my tranny to an early
grave is my habit of popping from "3" to "D" ("sport" to "economy") when
merging onto the interstate. I normally will use the delayed shift
points in "3" to get myself out into traffic, and then shift into "D" at
about 65 mph or so... Is this bad for the trans.? Did I burn it up
somehow, or did I just happen to get a bum tranny?








- --shawn

- -- 

s h a w n   m o y e r
shawn@domain.elided

"May the forces of evil become 
confused on the way to your house."

                    --George Carlin

------------------------------