[negendahl]

Hi,

I want to change the rear diff oil in my 2015 F31, found the original oil (83222295532) on realoem, it costs a fortune (or, around 100EUR for 1.5 liters) 😅

Would Castrol Syntrax Longlife 75W-90 be alright for the rear diff? Its around 30EUR for 2 liters, so quite a different price.

Thanks!

[jbiswurm]

Originally Posted by negendahl

Hi,

I want to change the rear diff oil in my 2015 F31, found the original oil (83222295532) on realoem, it costs a fortune (or, around 100EUR for 1.5 liters) 😅

Would Castrol Syntrax Longlife 75W-90 be alright for the rear diff? Its around 30EUR for 2 liters, so quite a different price.

Thanks!

Any high quality 75w-90 or 75w-110 will be fine. Just plain old gears back there that need plain old gear oil.

[Billfitz]

The BMW fluid is 75W-85, so that's close enough. To be sure if it's OK you need to find the API rating on the BMW fluid and see if the Castrol equals or exceeds it.

[frchdragon]

2003-present xDrive Models (ATC Transfer Case)
BMW recommendation: DTF-1 (previously TF0870) 75W GL-4

All Front Differential
BMW recommendation: SAF-XO, 75W90 weight, GL-5 rated
Our recommendation: Red Line 75W90 - LIQUI MOLY LM2048 75W-90 Gear Oil

Rear Open Differential, after 7/2011 production*
BMW recommendation: G1 synthetic, 75W85 weight, GL-4 rated
Our recommendation*: BMW G1 if under warranty, Red Line 75W85 GL-5 (Red Line-approved) - LIQUI MOLY LM2048 75W-90 Gear Oil

I put Liqui moly in both front and read diff. I would stick to a GL-5 75W85 or 90 gear oil.
Rear diff had no drain plug you need to bend a tube and suck the oil out. And you are supposed to replace the plug with a new one... What a waste.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by negendahl

Hi,

I want to change the rear diff oil in my 2015 F31, found the original oil (83222295532) on realoem, it costs a fortune (or, around 100EUR for 1.5 liters) 😅

Would Castrol Syntrax Longlife 75W-90 be alright for the rear diff? Its around 30EUR for 2 liters, so quite a different price.

Thanks!

I'm a big believer in using BMW fluids or fluids from manufacturers who make them for BMW like ZF transmission fluid or Shell Austria Transfer Case fluid (both available from FCP Euro). I don't believe there is an upside to believing marketing claims from fluid manufacturers.

FYI- the Bentley manual says that BMW recommends only using rear differential fluid with SAF-XO designation. If you use another fluid then check for that.

It's usually a suction through the fill hole procedure. Tightening torque on plug is 60 Nm (44ft-lb)

Note: it's interesting that according to realoem, the stock rear differential for my 2015 335ix automatic takes 1.5 liters of BMW fluid part number 83222295532. The Bentley manual doesn't list a rear differential fluid capacity (but is says the front differential takes 600ml)

But I know that my rear M Performance Limited Slip Differential only takes 1 liter of BMW differential fluid part number 83222357992. So the extra LSD components must take up about a half liter of physical space, assuming the housing capacities are the same.

Hope this helps!

[frchdragon]

Originally Posted by johnung

I'm a big believer in using BMW fluids or fluids from manufacturers who make them for BMW like ZF transmission fluid or Shell Austria Transfer Case fluid (both available from FCP Euro). I don't believe there is an upside to believing marketing claims from fluid manufacturers.

Redline and Liqui Moly are some pretty pretty decent fluid manufacturers...
I saved many older manual transmissions using Redline MTL where BMW fluid would have doomed them.

I ran non BMW fluid in many BMWs well passed 200k miles. My BMW race car is seeing a huge amount of abuse on non BMW fluid also.
I don't buy my parts at the dealer, I sure won't buy my gear fluid and engine oil from them either, but I understand if people think that the dealer knows best.

[negendahl]

Thanks!
Redline is hard to get around my parts, but i can get my hand on some Liqui Moly oil - that would then be this one, correct?

https://products.liqui-moly.com/oils...-75w-90-1.html

Thanks!

Originally Posted by frchdragon

2003-present xDrive Models (ATC Transfer Case)
BMW recommendation: DTF-1 (previously TF0870) 75W GL-4

All Front Differential
BMW recommendation: SAF-XO, 75W90 weight, GL-5 rated
Our recommendation: Red Line 75W90 - LIQUI MOLY LM2048 75W-90 Gear Oil

Rear Open Differential, after 7/2011 production*
BMW recommendation: G1 synthetic, 75W85 weight, GL-4 rated
Our recommendation*: BMW G1 if under warranty, Red Line 75W85 GL-5 (Red Line-approved) - LIQUI MOLY LM2048 75W-90 Gear Oil

I put Liqui moly in both front and read diff. I would stick to a GL-5 75W85 or 90 gear oil.
Rear diff had no drain plug you need to bend a tube and suck the oil out. And you are supposed to replace the plug with a new one... What a waste.

[negendahl]

Thanks! I totally get the idea of using only the OEM product, just seems like quite a price difference - not totally convinced that it's a better product than whatever else is available.

But I appreciate your input, thanks!

Originally Posted by johnung

I'm a big believer in using BMW fluids or fluids from manufacturers who make them for BMW like ZF transmission fluid or Shell Austria Transfer Case fluid (both available from FCP Euro). I don't believe there is an upside to believing marketing claims from fluid manufacturers.

FYI- the Bentley manual says that BMW recommends only using rear differential fluid with SAF-XO designation. If you use another fluid then check for that.

It's usually a suction through the fill hole procedure. Tightening torque on plug is 60 Nm (44ft-lb)

Note: it's interesting that according to realoem, the stock rear differential for my 2015 335ix automatic takes 1.5 liters of BMW fluid part number 83222295532. The Bentley manual doesn't list a rear differential fluid capacity (but is says the front differential takes 600ml)

But I know that my rear M Performance Limited Slip Differential only takes 1 liter of BMW differential fluid part number 83222357992. So the extra LSD components must take up about a half liter of physical space, assuming the housing capacities are the same.

Hope this helps!

[johnung]

Originally Posted by frchdragon

Redline and Liqui Moly are some pretty pretty decent fluid manufacturers...
I saved many older manual transmissions using Redline MTL where BMW fluid would have doomed them.

I ran non BMW fluid in many BMWs well passed 200k miles. My BMW race car is seeing a huge amount of abuse on non BMW fluid also.
I don't buy my parts at the dealer, I sure won't buy my gear fluid and engine oil from them either, but I understand if people think that the dealer knows best.

I didn't say that the "dealer knows best". Dealers mostly parrot BMW's Lifetime Fluid claims, something designed to get BMW to the end of their legal liability. BMW Corporate bean counters could care less if our cars last past the warranty. They are in the business to sell us new cars.

I rarely buy anything from a dealer. But I do buy genuine BMW parts when necessary at a discount from retailers like FCP Euro.

I'm more concerned that I use the fluid that the engineers who designed the component specified. That's why I use ZF fluid in my ZF designed and manufactured transmission.

Sure people use aftermarket fluids with no problem. But there are also horror stories about aftermarket fluids having negative results. IMO I don't see any upside to risking a really expensive transmission, differential, Limited Slip Differential or Transfer Case based on aftermarket fluid marketing claims, or trying to save what is a negligible amount of money compared to the replacement cost of the component that it's protecting.

[negendahl]

Yeah, youre right - its not worth risking the diff og transmission ect. (im getting a transmission oil flush tomorrow at the BMW service (dealer), they will use OEM)

Originally Posted by johnung

I didn't say that the "dealer knows best". Dealers mostly parrot BMW's Lifetime Fluid claims, something designed to get BMW to the end of their legal liability. BMW Corporate bean counters could care less if our cars last past the warranty. They are in the business to sell us new cars.

I rarely buy anything from a dealer. But I do buy genuine BMW parts when necessary at a discount from retailers like FCP Euro.

I'm more concerned that I use the fluid that the engineers who designed the component specified. That's why I use ZF fluid in my ZF designed and manufactured transmission.

Sure people use aftermarket fluids with no problem. But there are also horror stories about aftermarket fluids having negative results. IMO I don't see any upside to risking a really expensive transmission, differential, Limited Slip Differential or Transfer Case based on aftermarket fluid marketing claims, or trying to save what is a negligible amount of money compared to the replacement cost of the component that it's protecting.

[negendahl]

Just ordered OEM oil (83222295532) + plug (33117525064) - thanks for the help guys!

[johnung]

Originally Posted by negendahl

Yeah, youre right - its not worth risking the diff og transmission ect. (im getting a transmission oil flush tomorrow at the BMW service (dealer), they will use OEM)

Do you mean transmission? I thought you were discussing your rear differential fluid? That's a simple suction through the filler hole and refill.

You would probably get a much lower price through a local BMW independent mechanic.

The automatic transmission service is a special procedure with a complete replacement of fluid, pan with its built-in filter, and pan bolts. The ZF Service Kit costs under $300. Genuine BMW kit might be 2x that.

[Orion4]

Originally Posted by johnung

Do you mean transmission? I thought you were discussing your rear differential fluid? That's a simple suction through the filler hole and refill.

You would probably get a much lower price through a local BMW independent mechanic.

The automatic transmission service is a special procedure with a complete replacement of fluid, pan with its built-in filter, and pan bolts. The ZF Service Kit costs under $300. Genuine BMW kit might be 2x that.

Unless you perform a Transmission "Flush" with special equipment you are only removing/replacing about 2/3 of the full capacity. The local dealer and my Independent BMW Master Mech. both Do Not recommend the flush. Potential for damage apparently is significant. At FCP, a BMW Automatic service kit with ZF fluid is $303 and one using Liqui-Moly equivalent is $186

[johnung]

Originally Posted by Orion4

Unless you perform a Transmission "Flush" with special equipment you are only removing/replacing about 2/3 of the full capacity. The local dealer and my Independent BMW Master Mech. both Do Not recommend the flush. Potential for damage apparently is significant. At FCP, a BMW Automatic service kit with ZF fluid is $303 and one using Liqui-Moly equivalent is $186

Seven liters of transmission fluid comes with the ZF Kit. My automatic transmission service followed the recommended procedure and took almost six liters.

[T-Bone18]

Originally Posted by frchdragon

2003-present xDrive Models (ATC Transfer Case)
BMW recommendation: DTF-1 (previously TF0870) 75W GL-4

All Front Differential
BMW recommendation: SAF-XO, 75W90 weight, GL-5 rated
Our recommendation: Red Line 75W90 - LIQUI MOLY LM2048 75W-90 Gear Oil

Rear Open Differential, after 7/2011 production*
BMW recommendation: G1 synthetic, 75W85 weight, GL-4 rated
Our recommendation*: BMW G1 if under warranty, Red Line 75W85 GL-5 (Red Line-approved) - LIQUI MOLY LM2048 75W-90 Gear Oil

I put Liqui moly in both front and read diff. I would stick to a GL-5 75W85 or 90 gear oil.
Rear diff had no drain plug you need to bend a tube and suck the oil out. And you are supposed to replace the plug with a new one... What a waste.

Which fluid do you recommend for a rear differential BMW 2014 535xi ?
I phone redline and they saying 75w90...

[sspade]

Originally Posted by t-bone18

which fluid do you recommend for a rear differential bmw 2014 535xi ?
I phone redline and they saying 75w90...

bmw oem pn: 83222295532

[frchdragon]

Originally Posted by T-Bone18

Which fluid do you recommend for a rear differential BMW 2014 535xi ?
I phone redline and they saying 75w90...

75w90 is good. You can't go wrong with Redline or Liquimoly oil. Or BMW oil if you only believe in dealers.

[breakitout]

I have been running Castrol Syntrax Longlife 75W-90 for my last two diff oil changes and have had no issues for what it's worth.

[123Britt]

Originally Posted by sspade

bmw oem pn: 83222295532

I could only get in 2 X .5L

Good thing because I only ordered (2) .5 Bottles

[sspade]

Originally Posted by 123Britt

I could only get in 2 X .5L

Good thing because I only ordered (2) .5 Bottles

Sounds right, should be 1 litre total. IDK why the chart above shows 3 x .5 = 1.5L