Your experience: ZF Auto transmission failure after non recommended oil change to Box.

[husaindindar]

Hi guys.
Sorry to bring this old topic up.
But would like to know from the “D I Y” guys,what after market oil can one use for the zf 8 45hp box.
I was told dexron 3 will work.

I'd rather not cheap out on the oil for such a complex fancy gearbox....


Alternatives are:

Liqui Molly Top Tec 1800 ATF ( recommended)
or Fuchs Titian ATF 6009 (if you can find it!)

If you really want to cheap out, then the Febi Bilstein or Wolf oil from Goldwagen

 

[Sabretooth tiger]

Hi guys.
Sorry to bring this old topic up.
But would like to know from the “D I Y” guys,what after market oil can one use for the zf 8 45hp box.
I was told dexron 3 will work.

I wouldn't risk it. Just buy the oil from ZF with filter and sump if you gona DIY it. Why risk it when you can do it properly one time?

 

[Avir]

Thanks guys will look in to the liqui Molly option. In September I changed the pan filter got it from Goldwagon. Thursday will drain and put the liquid Molly oil.
Plus have to sort a lil leak on the side just above the filter pad out one time.
When we change the pan, there was lil glue just above it. So when the pan came out , the glue came out with it.

 

[khumalbs]

I also serviced my gearbox earlier this year (March). Mileage was well over 200,000km. I also had bought the oil pan from Goldwagen. It also leaked. Eventually i used the BMW oil pan and it didnt leak anymore. What also influenced leak was that my gearbox oil cooler was clocked. However i asked my mechanic to do the service for me.
Shifts are very crisp and sharp. Ive driven the car since and it is 100%. I used liqui moly ATF.

Thanks guys will look in to the liqui Molly option. In September I changed the pan filter got it from Goldwagon. Thursday will drain and put the liquid Molly oil.
Plus have to sort a lil leak on the side just above the filter pad out one time.
When we change the pan, there was lil glue just above it. So when the pan came out , the glue came out with it

 

[arshad]

108xxxkm's - ZF gave me a diagnosis with shift times and adaptation values showing the box was out of spec. It had not failed yet but the shifts were no longer crisp and it felt like a slip was developing during daily use.

Loaded XHP at 108xxxkms and drove / raced it for another 74xxxkms till it needed a rebuild! Rebuilt on 182xxxkms and man its epic now!

Possibly a partial oil change would work? Some new mixed with some old?

My advice.... Load XHP and enjoy it.... till it fails properly.

Who rebuilt it for you? And what was the cost?

 

[Paul_Pret]

Hi Fanatics. So after searching through numerous threads and seeing differing opinions. I wanted to see from personal experience how many of us have experience catastrophic 😄 box failure by changing oil anyway despite being advised after diagnosis that the box is not in spec and requires a rebuild. So are the different levels of “damage” of “not in spec” OR if it’s even slightly out out spec, the box is damned to a rebuild. Your first hand experiences please? Thank you.

This happened to me.
Went for the oil change special at around 100k km, few years down the line at around 200k, gearbox failed, limp mode, flatbed, etc.
Did a full rebuild at RDG PTA, great service, great quality of work.
My opinion is this: at the oil service, a speck of dust entered something somewhere, causing the failure years later.
Remember ZF needs to make money, so they will obviously tell us that their gearbox needs to be 'serviced'.

 

[///M Individual]

This happened to me.
Went for the oil change special at around 100k km, few years down the line at around 200k, gearbox failed, limp mode, flatbed, etc.
Did a full rebuild at RDG PTA, great service, great quality of work.
My opinion is this: at the oil service, a speck of dust entered something somewhere, causing the failure years later.
Remember ZF needs to make money, so they will obviously tell us that their gearbox needs to be 'serviced'.

Or if it wasn't for the service at 100k the box could have failed much sooner?

 

[NBN]

This happened to me.
Went for the oil change special at around 100k km, few years down the line at around 200k, gearbox failed, limp mode, flatbed, etc.
Did a full rebuild at RDG PTA, great service, great quality of work.
My opinion is this: at the oil service, a speck of dust entered something somewhere, causing the failure years later.
Remember ZF needs to make money, so they will obviously tell us that their gearbox needs to be 'serviced'.

It's hard to blame a vendor and hold them accountable for something that happened a whole 100k and a few years later

 

[Gordvisr]

Definitely yes

 

[msm]

Once changed around 100k KM, I recall ZF advising that it needs to come in every 60k KM thereafter. I could be wrong...

 

[tamgoem]

This happened to me.
Went for the oil change special at around 100k km, few years down the line at around 200k, gearbox failed, limp mode, flatbed, etc.
Did a full rebuild at RDG PTA, great service, great quality of work.
My opinion is this: at the oil service, a speck of dust entered something somewhere, causing the failure years later.
Remember ZF needs to make money, so they will obviously tell us that their gearbox needs to be 'serviced'.

lol......

No mate sorry you clearly do not understand how transmissions work.

 

[modocrat]

This happened to me.
Went for the oil change special at around 100k km, few years down the line at around 200k, gearbox failed, limp mode, flatbed, etc.
Did a full rebuild at RDG PTA, great service, great quality of work.
My opinion is this: at the oil service, a speck of dust entered something somewhere, causing the failure years later.
Remember ZF needs to make money, so they will obviously tell us that their gearbox needs to be 'serviced'.

wait.. wut?!

 

[Mytfine]

On an auto gearbox you might as well ask how long is a piece of string.

Typical example is the GM box that BMW used on the the early e46, and the like. Some had issues very in life some had no issues in 400k. It all depends on how the car was driven, things like towing, very steep driveways etc have a dramatic effect on the life of the clutches in the box.

Frequent oil changes can't hurt it if it's done on schedule and the correct procedure and oil is used and that's MY opinion.

Having said that the ZF 8 speed is gained a reputation as a pretty stout unit