Replaced my Auto Trans Fluid, but had a problem - need opinions

"sefeing, actually bought an E46" (sefeing90)
05/27/2019 at 06:14 • Filed to: e46, BMW, Driveway Mechanic, Help

UPDATE: Got the screw out, put new in.

Like the title states, I replaced the trans fluid in my ‘02 325i (GM Trans). When I was putting the pan back on, one of the bolts that was in the kit either was overtorqued (didn’t feel like it) or defective (they were slightly different) and the head snapped off, leaving just the body in the car. I tried drilling it out, but didn’t want to make the issue worse.

So, right now the car is put back together, just without ONE of the trans pan bolts. After a bit of driving yesterday, I didn’t spot any leaks, but am obviously worried. Do you think it’ll hold? Or do I need to drill that piece out & replace it? Or have a shop do it?

I tried an extractor kit, but the clearance is so low that it’s hard to get leverage down there.

I’m obviously most worried about leaks, and then the eventual destruction of the trans, but if this will hold for another 80k, then I’ll just deal with it. Otherwise I have to drop the whole thing again next weekend. I already complained to FCPEuro about the bolts, because they’re clearly not the same OEM ones, and were definitely a little softer.

That said, she definitely shift smoother... Putting the pan back on wasn’t the part I was expecting to be hard...

Photos below:

DISCUSSION (22)

pip bip - choose Corrour > sefeing, actually bought an E46
05/27/2019 at 06:29

i’d be inclined to extract it and be done with it, otherwise it will eat away at you with doubt till you fix it

sefeing, actually bought an E46 > pip bip - choose Corrour
05/27/2019 at 06:36

Yeah, I’m going back and forth. i’m worried that I may have drilled it a bit off-centered when I tried to extract it - but maybe I can do it with the pan still bolted to the car?

pip bip - choose Corrour > sefeing, actually bought an E46
05/27/2019 at 06:38

can’t see why not, but then again i’m not a mechanic

sefeing, actually bought an E46 > pip bip - choose Corrour
05/27/2019 at 06:46

hah, same. going to get under it again and take another look later today.

Dakotahound > pip bip - choose Corrour
05/27/2019 at 07:29

Yes, I agree, it should definitely be extracted and replaced. It may not leak now, but the thermal cycling will eventually cause the gasket to fail - at the worst possible place and time.

Khalbali > sefeing, actually bought an E46
05/27/2019 at 07:30

I think it would probably be ok just check it for a while. And I would definitely say probably a defective bolt, you'd strip the pan usually first, not that I'd know from first hand experience.....

sefeing, actually bought an E46 > Khalbali
05/27/2019 at 07:35

Yeah... going to see if I can get under it again today and get an extractor in to try to remove it, hopefully w/o having to remove the pan again...

Urambo Tauro > sefeing, actually bought an E46
05/27/2019 at 07:46

I see what you mean about leverage. That’s going to be tough to extract without putting the car on a hoist. I think you’re right to worry about it leaking, though. DO keep an eye on it. If you have to, (silly as it looks/sounds) you might want to consider trying a small beam clamp or C-clamp to hold it instead.

speedyboi > sefeing, actually bought an E46
05/27/2019 at 07:50

If you can extract it, great. If you can’t extract it, I’d take this one to a shop. Sometimes you have to do things twice.

diplodicus forgot his password > sefeing, actually bought an E46
05/27/2019 at 09:07

Did you use a torque wrench? The shear limit on m8 8.8 grade is fairly low.

Khalbali > sefeing, actually bought an E46
05/27/2019 at 09:13

If it was me and I couldn’t get it without dropp ing the pan again I’d just keep an eye on it and only do it if it started leaking.

MM54 > sefeing, actually bought an E46
05/27/2019 at 10:55

You might be able to get an extractor on it with the pan in place; otherwise I’d keep an eye on it until you have the chance to remove it - that is don’t rush into fixing it if there’s no leak, but know that it needs done and if you’ve got the car on stands for something else, make it a “while I’m down here” sort of thing. I wouldn’t just ignore it the whole fluid interval; it very well may start leaking after a couple weeks.

sefeing, actually bought an E46 > diplodicus forgot his password
05/27/2019 at 10:59

yeah i do - that’s what snapped it