Transfer Case Question

[dn325ci]

Because our vehicle seemed to be “stumbling”, our local dealer recently surprised us with a quote for $6,600 + tax to replace the transfer case on my wife’s X5 we bought new in 2014 and only has 69K miles now, which my wife drives extremely gingerly. I was stunned, as it’s been so lightly used.

I inquired about trying a fluid change first, but the service advisor said that would be $700 with an incredibly cavalier attitude about money. He stated the fluid alone would cost 200.

For 24 hours I seriously considered paying the $7K but after coming here I decided to take the vehicle home (incurring a $160 diagnostic charge), change the fluid first, and setup a windows laptop to do the ISTA recalibration.

That took me most of Saturday July 10th to do, mostly for setting up the laptop. Afterwards, the first 1 minute test drive I felt like the stumbling issue was not completely resolved. But as the new fluid worked through the clutch plates over 15-20 minutes of varied driving, the issue is now completely gone. Since I had spent so much time setting up the ISTA laptop, I ran the recalibration 3 or 4 times. All the recalibration runs did not change the setpoint much - just 0.1 or 0.2 degrees.

I suppose I may yet be in store for a transfer case replacement someday, but I’m happy with these results even if it has only delayed an expensive repair. Frankly, it seems almost criminal that the dealer did not propose this solution first. I guess I can only suggest to others searching for solutions to a stumbling or what seems to be a misfire (I actually changed the spark plugs first) to investigate changing this fluid.

Cheers,
Don

[Klienfeld303]

Originally Posted by dn325ci

Because our vehicle seemed to be “stumbling”, our local dealer recently surprised us with a quote for $6,600 + tax to replace the transfer case on my wife’s X5 we bought new in 2014 and only has 69K miles now, which my wife drives extremely gingerly. I was stunned, as it’s been so lightly used.

I inquired about trying a fluid change first, but the service advisor said that would be $700 with an incredibly cavalier attitude about money. He stated the fluid alone would cost 200.

For 24 hours I seriously considered paying the $7K but after coming here I decided to take the vehicle home (incurring a $160 diagnostic charge), change the fluid first, and setup a windows laptop to do the ISTA recalibration.

That took me most of Saturday July 10th to do, mostly for setting up the laptop. Afterwards, the first 1 minute test drive I felt like the stumbling issue was not completely resolved. But as the new fluid worked through the clutch plates over 15-20 minutes of varied driving, the issue is now completely gone. Since I had spent so much time setting up the ISTA laptop, I ran the recalibration 3 or 4 times. All the recalibration runs did not change the setpoint much - just 0.1 or 0.2 degrees.

I suppose I may yet be in store for a transfer case replacement someday, but I’m happy with these results even if it has only delayed an expensive repair. Frankly, it seems almost criminal that the dealer did not propose this solution first. I guess I can only suggest to others searching for solutions to a stumbling or what seems to be a misfire (I actually changed the spark plugs first) to investigate changing this fluid.

Cheers,
Don

Thanks Don. I'm sure you've saved a few dudes here.

I'm changing my fluids tomorrow morning 9am.

[Yuille36]

You will be surprised how many people do not change their transmission and transfer case fluids, as they bought into BMW propaganda.
Every 4 years these fluids are changed in my X5M to include the front and rear diffs, engine coolant and intercooler fluid as well.

[Yuille36]

there is no such thing as lifetime fluids. All fluids wear out, brake fluid, transmission, rear diff, engine coolant, etc. Change out your fluids...... This can mitigate many issues in your future.

[HDriver74]

Hello all, new member here and proud owner of a 2015 F85.
About a week after the purchase I felt a slight vibration/knock coming from the drivetrain had the car inspected from my Indy shop and the tech recommended to change the transfer case oil. The vibrations was gone for a few miles but their back not as pronounced as before.
Took the car back for recalibration like everyone recommends, but the tech told me that the recalibration is only when you install a new transfer case, with the existing the car recalibrates the values as you drive. Looks like I ll need a new one in the near future.
Any suggestions

[Sophisticated Redneck]

Originally Posted by HDriver74

Hello all, new member here and proud owner of a 2015 F85.
About a week after the purchase I felt a slight vibration/knock coming from the drivetrain had the car inspected from my Indy shop and the tech recommended to change the transfer case oil. The vibrations was gone for a few miles but their back not as pronounced as before.
Took the car back for recalibration like everyone recommends, but the tech told me that the recalibration is only when you install a new transfer case, with the existing the car recalibrates the values as you drive. Looks like I ll need a new one in the near future.
Any suggestions

Tech does not know what he is taking about. Calibration is part of normal maintenance, especially important after transfer case oil change. Do it yourself, buy or load ISTA on a laptop.

Or

Pickup a foxwell nt530 scanner, it has been reported it can do the calibration process. Check out the thread on the first page of the F15 forums about transfer case service.

Btw, check the circumference of your front and rear tires. Use a string to measure. If it is off more then 2 percent, transfer case issues will keep coming back. Wheels turning at difference rates freak out the traction control system, causing the transfer case to constantly "hunt" for the correct friction setting for it's internal clutch packs, and thus the tugging, or missing/vibration feeling.

[Blue By You]

Originally Posted by Sophisticated Redneck

Tech does not know what he is taking about. Calibration is part of normal maintenance, especially important after transfer case oil change. Do it yourself, buy or load ISTA on a laptop.

Or

Pickup a foxwell nt530 scanner, it has been reported it can do the calibration process. Check out the thread on the first page of the F15 forums about transfer case service.

Btw, check the circumference of your front and rear tires. Use a string to measure. If it is off more then 2 percent, transfer case issues will keep coming back. Wheels turning at difference rates freak out the traction control system, causing the transfer case to constantly "hunt" for the correct friction setting for it's internal clutch packs, and thus the tugging, or missing/vibration feeling.

I just had my TC flushed and my techs recalibrated it. (BMW-specific performance shop)

Used all OEM fluids on TC, diffs, coolant, intercooler, PS, and tranny will be done as soon as the kit arrives.

[HDriver74]

Thank you very much for the quick reply, I will look into the foxwell scanner

[dn325ci]

A follow-up: I had shared the story of the dealer wanting to replace the transfer case for $7K, when $42 bottle of DTF 1 seemed to solve the problem with one of my best technicians at our company (we have a fire truck company) and his knee-jerk, immediate response was that I should drive it a little bit and change it again. Frankly, I never asked him why, but after about 1K miles since that first change, both my wife and I felt we were feeling the same faint impression of the stumble possibly returning.

I had about 0.4 liter left out of the 1 liter BMW DTF 1 bottle, so I bought a second bottle and changed it again over the weekend, leaving about 0.8 liter left in the second bottle. It's a very easy job, it's ridiculous that BMW dealers don't suggest it more.

Note that on this second change after the 1K miles, the fluid was surprisingly dark, and now I realize why my technician was suggesting doing it again: I think these clutch plate packs inside the transfer case retain a considerable amount of old fluid/debris which can't be removed but only flushed out.

Now after the second change I realize it drives even better than after the first change, and now it feels as new. Extremely happy with this result. Simply a PSA.

[brockt]

Originally Posted by dn325ci

A follow-up: I had shared the story of the dealer wanting to replace the transfer case for $7K, when $42 bottle of DTF 1 seemed to solve the problem with one of my best technicians at our company (we have a fire truck company) and his knee-jerk, immediate response was that I should drive it a little bit and change it again. Frankly, I never asked him why, but after about 1K miles since that first change, both my wife and I felt we were feeling the same faint impression of the stumble possibly returning.

I had about 0.4 liter left out of the 1 liter BMW DTF 1 bottle, so I bought a second bottle and changed it again over the weekend, leaving about 0.8 liter left in the second bottle. It's a very easy job, it's ridiculous that BMW dealers don't suggest it more.

Note that on this second change after the 1K miles, the fluid was surprisingly dark, and now I realize why my technician was suggesting doing it again: I think these clutch plate packs inside the transfer case retain a considerable amount of old fluid/debris which can't be removed but only flushed out.

Now after the second change I realize it drives even better than after the first change, and now it feels as new. Extremely happy with this result. Simply a PSA.

On the second oil change was there a need to calibrate?
I just had the same issue and exactly the same recommendation from bmw tech.
My 1st oil change completed last week with recommended 2nd after 1k drive.
At $500 each

[Chilled]

Originally Posted by brockt

On the second oil change was there a need to calibrate?
I just had the same issue and exactly the same recommendation from bmw tech.
My 1st oil change completed last week with recommended 2nd after 1k drive.
At $500 each

If you have some tools, an enet cable you probably do the job yourself for allot less.

The oil itself is only around $70 from the dealer.

[dn325ci]

Originally Posted by brockt

On the second oil change was there a need to calibrate?
I just had the same issue and exactly the same recommendation from bmw tech.
My 1st oil change completed last week with recommended 2nd after 1k drive.
At $500 each

After the first fluid change I did the calibration via a laptop & enet cable. This was the first time I had ever set up an ISTA laptop and that took considerable time - more time than the fluid change.

However, each time I ran the calibration (I probably ran it 4 or 5 times over a couple days after that first change) it showed the ending value result, and it barely changed.

So after this second change I have not re-run the calibration at all and it feels great. I probably will break out that ISTA laptop in the next few days and re-run it again to check. But it seems unnecessary.

[bmwx5er]

Just changed the TC fluid in my 2017 F85, 56k miles. I managed to extract about 600 ml of fluid, the fluid was smelling burnt. I replaced it with Shell S-Tec DTF 1 oil. I ended up pumping 800 ml, and wasted about 100 ml in overflow and 100ml that remained in the pump hose, and made a little mess (the transmission oils smell bad ). It took me little over an hour, but I'll be able to do it under 30 mins next time. My VTG calibration adjusted the angle by 0.1 deg.

[Blue By You]

I have suspected one of my diffs and/or TC since I bought my CPO over a year ago.

Tens of thousands of miles (plenty of spirited ones), full fluid changes all around, and two track days later, everything is holding up fine.

Finally got around to driving with my mechanic and he verified that he heard the faint whistling upon lifting off the throttle at highways speeds that I have heard since ownership. (He also verified the AC compressor noise, but that's another story...)

Dropping it off for a loaner next week and we'll see what they can figure out for me.

[J0hnnyB0yx5m]

Anyone can tell me what ista they're using and where to download.. I have lapto I use to tune truck already with cable so just need simple step by step on how to do this cause my truck deff acting funky and I don't know if it's the trans or the transfer case.. also I just spoke with a friend that changed his pre cat 02 sensors and he said helped a lot with gas mileage and start up idle lumps just so everyone knows

[Chilled]

J0hnnyB0yx5m ,PM

[menzo555]

Originally Posted by J0hnnyB0yx5m

Anyone can tell me what ista they're using and where to download.. I have lapto I use to tune truck already with cable so just need simple step by step on how to do this cause my truck deff acting funky and I don't know if it's the trans or the transfer case.. also I just spoke with a friend that changed his pre cat 02 sensors and he said helped a lot with gas mileage and start up idle lumps just so everyone knows

I could also use some guidance on loading ISTA on my laptop too. I've done some ESYS tweaks, but ISTA is new to me. Thanks!

[Housekeeping]

Just had mine done. Car is out of warranty, 2017 with 28k miles, dealer replaced it as I noticed hesitation under load (say 2000 rpm at 3pm-h in 6th gear), thumping underfoot when turning. They paid 85% now perfect.

[davegill]

Originally Posted by Sy1616

Just had mine done. Car is out of warranty, 2017 with 28k miles, dealer replaced it as I noticed hesitation under load (say 2000 rpm at 3pm-h in 6th gear), thumping underfoot when turning. They paid 85% now perfect.

The dealer paid 85% even though it was out of the warranty period?

[bmwx5er]

Originally Posted by davegill

The dealer paid 85% even though it was out of the warranty period?

BMW has a goodwill program that the dealers can tap into for big repairs, usually to retain loyalty of customers. It depends on the SA and dealer batting for the customer.

[MikeM6]

Just swapped out my fluid. I was able to extract a little under 600ml. Looked just like the pic above from bmwx5er. Same amount went back in.

No visible leaks. Fluid level appeared to be OK. Just a slow drip after removing the fill plug.

Super easy job, especially if you have a lift.

Lots of good tool suggestions in this thread. If you need a fill plug tool and don't want to do any fabrication, this wrench works great.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-bav-auto.../b8800025~bav/

Plenty of clearance. No need to remove the transmission cross member.

Re-calibration and a test drive is next.

[thowell]

I have an issue, and I'm wondering if it could be the transfer case? It only happens when backing out of a parking space. So backing up and turning medium-sharp in either direction. The best way I can describe it, is like a non-LSD truck in 4x4 low when turning sharply on pavement.

It makes a fairly loud binding noise and you can feel it easily in the car as it kind of "pops" and catches up.
Thoughts? Transfer case, front diff, or suspension?