DCT Leak Recurring Problem?

[e46e92love]

Originally Posted by MPowerZ32

I feel I'm wasting time here. But many people in this thread already replied to you numerous times reasoning with you why it's not acceptable for something as simple as DCT seals to fail repeatedly. You are making a lot of assumptions that my comment is disrespectful. My comments simply means I lost interest in your comments when they are just arguing the semantics without any real substance. The facts don't lie. Members are experiencing failures of the seals. If you believe it's acceptable that's your opinion you are entitled to it. I'm also entitled to my opinion that your comments have run their course and are no longer worth my interest. That's it. No more no less.

But replying to me with the snippy comment somehow was less of a waste of your time then ignoring my posts.

Ok....that makes perfect sense. Clearly they are worth your time because you read them all. You just don't like the fact that someone has an opinion you don't agree with and are discussing it.

Sorry for not realizing your opinion is worth more than others.

Cheers,
e46e92

[BzsBimmer]

Hey you two, get a room. We have leaking gaskets to bitch about here.

[SenorFunkyPants]

I read most threads with DCT in the title and while stories about leaky pan seals are common, posts about other seals that require dropping the DCT, are not

[SSPKris]

Let me chime in to what we have seen over the past 4 years of servicing this transmission:

We have a couple different theories on why the gaskets leak on the BMW's transmission.

First, is the material that the side cover is made of. It is made of stamped steel, which when hot, will cool down at a different rate vs. the aluminum the transmission is made of. This different rate of cooling will pull and tug at a gasket thus shortening it's life.

Second, the DCT fluid itself has harsh additives and friction modifiers in it. The DCT fluid has to act like a friction modifier for the clutch plates, it needs hydraulic properties for the hydraulic unit, and also needs to have lubrication properties for the gear sets. Over time this fluid will eat away at certain types of rubber seals. The cover seals might just be this type of rubber that cannot withstand long exposure to DCT oils.

We see this sort of issue with other types of DCT platforms we work on.

The fix:
Make the seals out of Viton or of an equal material
Use a high grade stainless fastener that can be reused and will not back out

[MPowerZ32]

Just picked up the car from the dealership. They replaced the DCT bottom pan and 14 screws under warranty.

Part#: pan 28-10-7-842-385
screw 28-10-7-842-386

I don't see DCT fluid listed in the work order. Is it possible to replace the bottom pan without having to replace the fluid?

[surlynkid]

Originally Posted by SenorFunkyPants

Pricey...I had my pan gasket changed for a couple hundred bucks.
One leaking gasket and a battery (replaced under warranty) in 6 years ownership...I think I can live with that.

I do not believe DCT pan gasket is available as a separate part. It comes with the plastic pan only.

[BzsBimmer]

Originally Posted by MPowerZ32

Just picked up the car from the dealership. They replaced the DCT bottom pan and 14 screws under warranty.

Part#: pan 28-10-7-842-385
screw 28-10-7-842-386

I don't see DCT fluid listed in the work order. Is it possible to replace the bottom pan without having to replace the fluid?

I don't think it is. Maybe your dealer is part of the green earth program and recycled your fluid.

[MPowerZ32]

Originally Posted by BzsBimmer

I don't think it is. Maybe your dealer is part of the green earth program and recycled your fluid.

Damn. I like the Earth and all. But it concerns me if they actually recycled the DCT fluid. Who knows what container they used? I need to call them about this. I hate dealing with dealerships. Every time the car goes there they'd mess up something.

[BzsBimmer]

If your dealer hasn't done any/many of these, maybe they think lifetime fluid means to reuse.

On my invoice, I had all new fluid added. I'd be more worried that they used new fluid but it being the wrong fluid and not having it documented

[MPowerZ32]

Originally Posted by BzsBimmer

If your dealer hasn't done any/many of these, maybe they think lifetime fluid means to reuse.

On my invoice, I had all new fluid added. I'd be more worried that they used new fluid but it being the wrong fluid and not having it documented

I'm sure if I call they will just make up something and send me away. There would be no way to verify anything they say about the fluid other than do a fluid change myself. Sigh.

[BzsBimmer]

Originally Posted by MPowerZ32

I'm sure if I call they will just make up something and send me away. There would be no way to verify anything they say about the fluid other than do a fluid change myself. Sigh.

Once they use the wrong fluid, it's game over

[MPowerZ32]

Originally Posted by BzsBimmer

Once they use the wrong fluid, it's game over

The DCT seems to be behaving fine. While driving home from the dealership I let the car stretch the legs a little. No slipping or anything unusual. I'm keeping figures crossed. You know it's a sad situation when you hope they just "recycled" old/dirty fluid instead of using the wrong one.

[Helmsman]

You want to double check the dealer used the right fluid. There only one approved.
Mine got filled with MT fluid, long story short, ended up with a new box and cooler + pipes. I only drove slowly due to snow a few days before I realized it was the wrong fluid. During these days I noticed no slips or issues.

Good luck

[MPowerZ32]

Originally Posted by Helmsman

You want to double check the dealer used the right fluid. There only one approved.
Mine got filled with MT fluid, long story short, ended up with a new box and cooler + pipes. I only drove slowly due to snow a few days before I realized it was the wrong fluid. During these days I noticed no slips or issues.

Good luck

I called the SA stating I didn't see new fluid in the work order. He told me they buy the fluid in bulk, and they did top off using new fluid. Sometimes they don't list the fluid because it's bulk... I have only seen the DCT fluid in small bottles. So i'm not sure if he just made up some BS.

[Helmsman]

Mpower,

This one specific fluid comes in small or large boxes ( in Europe 1 liter or 20 liter). If nobody else chime in I'll get back with the part no's.

I would demand the dealer to specify the fluid used. There is a reason BMW Germany told my dealer that to garantee function everything incl pipes has to be changed as even repet flush may leave some fault fluid eventually causing clutch slip. Fortunately I had some experienced mechanics on this forum guiding me which resulted in me not taking the flush offer but finding out about BMW's strikt recommendation.

Good luck an keep us posted man.

Edit:
US part no 1 liter 83 22 0 440 214 (EU 83222148578)
20 liter 83 22 2 127 477 (EU 83222148579)

Google on the numbers, print out a pic of the can and go to the dealer and ask; is this the bottle you used...

Attached a BMW bulletin that I found use for convincing my dealer.

[BzsBimmer]

Originally Posted by MPowerZ32

I called the SA stating I didn't see new fluid in the work order. He told me they buy the fluid in bulk, and they did top off using new fluid. Sometimes they don't list the fluid because it's bulk... I have only seen the DCT fluid in small bottles. So i'm not sure if he just made up some BS.

That's strange from an accounting/warranty standpoint. The dealer (or any business for that matter) should (best accounting practice) list all materials used for a job to know when to order and how much money goes in to a service bill.

If they are billing a 3rd party warranty company, in order to get reimbursed, they need to know how much and the cost of said materials.

[MPowerZ32]

Originally Posted by BzsBimmer

That's strange from an accounting/warranty standpoint. The dealer (or any business for that matter) should (best accounting practice) list all materials used for a job to know when to order and how much money goes in to a service bill.

If they are billing a 3rd party warranty company, in order to get reimbursed, they need to know how much and the cost of said materials.

Definitely strange. In the very same work order they flushed diff fluid and changed engine oil under the free service plan, the part numbers and quantity for diff fluid and engine oil were listed. But no DCT fluid. I don't think I can further push the SA for details of this DCT matter without experiencing some type of malfunction. I could see he already lost patience with me.

[Helmsman]

Eh....he lost patience with you? For wanting details about how they worked your M3..? You need to set that situation straight bro, in a positive spirit of course.

[MPowerZ32]

Problem is they could make up literally anything. With DCT there would be no easy way for me to verify unless I drain some fluid and send it to a lab, or I start experiencing shifting issues. They will just say the same thing to me if I push further. After all I wasn't there looking at it when the work was being performed.

[Helmsman]

Mpower, did you see the bulletin?

[SenorFunkyPants]

I didn't have any fluid in the parts list when my pan and gasket was changed either.
I wonder if BMW AG are provided the DCT fluid in bulk (for free) to address this common problem.

[Helmsman]

Good thinking SFP, BMW should, the fluid is bloody expensive... But than again I doubt they would....