whats the deal with DCT service

[Rajvosa]

hi guys,

my first DCT and not sure whats the service interval or what exactly needs doing when servicing DCT box.

came accross this https://www.ecstuning.com/b-assemble...3220440214kt1/

cheers

[BanjoPaterson]

Originally Posted by Rajvosa

hi guys,

my first DCT and not sure whats the service interval or what exactly needs doing when servicing DCT box.

came accross this https://www.ecstuning.com/b-assemble...3220440214kt1/

cheers

That's the oil and oil pan plus gasket. The DCT oil pan is plastic and generally leaks (only slightly, so you often can catch it) somewhere between 50,000-100,00km. I know many people, including me, have thought a plastic oil pan particularly stupid over, say, an aluminum one. However, I now feel this is a great idea by BMW since this forced obsolescence means I must change the oil. Good thinking BMW.

[Rajvosa]

Originally Posted by BanjoPaterson

That's the oil and oil pan plus gasket. The DCT oil pan is plastic and generally leaks (only slightly, so you often can catch it) somewhere between 50,000-100,00km. I know many people, including me, have thought a plastic oil pan particularly stupid over, say, an aluminum one. However, I now feel this is a great idea by BMW since this forced obsolescence means I must change the oil. Good thinking BMW.

ah cool. havent ducked under to see if any oil leaks yet from DCT but i think its fine. im at 97k kms. will be getting it done in the near future

[MJBO]

What sort of $$ are people paying for a DCT service? Thinking of getting mine done.

[JJH]

Originally Posted by BanjoPaterson

The DCT oil pan is plastic and generally leaks (only slightly, so you often can catch it) somewhere between 50,000-100,00km.

Originally Posted by Rajvosa

ah cool. havent ducked under to see if any oil leaks yet from DCT but i think its fine. im at 97k kms. will be getting it done in the near future

Mine's on ~42K kms and does have a slight weep/mist (never dripped at all). I've been told that over the past 2 years (!!) at each annual service. I keep an eye out in between too but it has not worsened over that time. I keep being told "not to worry". I'm still keeping an eye on it but will get it done next service as it's bugging me now ....

[Fezza]

Originally Posted by Rajvosa

ah cool. havent ducked under to see if any oil leaks yet from DCT but i think its fine. im at 97k kms. will be getting it done in the near future

I guarantee you once you take that black cover off you'll see a damp DCT plastic pan. Mine has done 78K and recently did the pre-cat sensors which means taking the DCT cover off and saw mine was damp. Going to get the DCT oil, pan and gaskets replaced when I do the RBs at the end of the month.

[MJBO]

Anyone got any actual dollars to share for this service?

From all the reading I've done basically if you have the DCT, you have leaks.

[Fezza]

Originally Posted by MJBO

From all the reading I've done basically if you have the DCT, you have leaks.

Yeah pretty much

[Rajvosa]

Originally Posted by Fezza

I guarantee you once you take that black cover off you'll see a damp DCT plastic pan. Mine has done 78K and recently did the pre-cat sensors which means taking the DCT cover off and saw mine was damp. Going to get the DCT oil, pan and gaskets replaced when I do the RBs at the end of the month.

where you getting the DCT kit from? if you wanna maybe look at FCP euro or similar and share shipping? i think i need to do my valve cover gaskets too

[Fezza]

Originally Posted by Rajvosa

where you getting the DCT kit from? if you wanna maybe look at FCP euro or similar and share shipping? i think i need to do my valve cover gaskets too

Thinking of letting galvsport sort it out with either dealer stuff or equivalent liqui moly?

[Rajvosa]

Originally Posted by Fezza

Thinking of letting galvsport sort it out with either dealer stuff or equivalent liqui moly?

no worries mate. if you decide to get kit from overseas let me know i suspect it ll be much cheaper than sourcing from dealer haha

[Fezza]

Originally Posted by Rajvosa

no worries mate. if you decide to get kit from overseas let me know i suspect it ll be much cheaper than sourcing from dealer haha

In that case I'd get this which includes the pan:
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-assemble...3220440214kt2/

Want to go halves? Will be AU$775 per kit delivered

[Fezza]

Did some more digging around and found the parts I need are much cheaper on my usual car parts place rockauto.com who also sell the pan gasket rather than the whole pan. Pentosin is also cheaper there. I did a search on the B/A DCT filter they sell and found this: https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1457950

Looks good so will get all my stuff from rockauto instead (use code: 10703653554843330 in "how did you hear about us" field for another 5% off)

[Rajvosa]

Thanks for finding that out will check it out.

[Fezza]

Looks like galvsport don't do RBs anymore, they referred me to GMW instead

[Rajvosa]

Originally Posted by Fezza

Looks like galvsport don't do RBs anymore, they referred me to GMW instead

ive heard good things about gmw. never used them though

[MJBO]

Got my M3 back from SouthernBM on Friday, top job as always. Full DCT service for $2300, plus they got the outstanding recalls sorted on it as well.

Gearbox definitely feels smoother that it did when I bought the car, and much better than it has been the past few months.

[Fezza]

Wow that seems a lot unless they did more than a fluid flush? E.g. mechatronics or maybe replaced the DCT entirely . I estimated total around $700 at GMW which includes the cost of me supplying the fluid, plugs, filters, gasket etc only thing that won't be done unless absolutely necessary at extra cost would be the side filter which would require the transmission to be dropped in order to access it.

RBs around $2,500 total for me, again includes the cost me supplying all the parts.

It's all booked in for DCT + RB and diff oil flush, can't wait

[BanjoPaterson]

Originally Posted by Fezza

Wow that seems a lot unless they did more than a fluid flush? E.g. mechatronics or maybe replaced the DCT entirely . I estimated total around $700 at GMW which includes the cost of me supplying the fluid, plugs, filters, gasket etc only thing that won't be done unless absolutely necessary at extra cost would be the side filter which would require the transmission to be dropped in order to access it.

My first E92 M3 had a DCT oil replaced and that was close to $2000. From memory, my DCT had two leaking gaskets that needed replacing: one connected to the oil pan and the another connected to the mechatronics unit (see https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/par...2-BMW-M3&mg=28). Bolts, oil, gaskets etc. cost a bit, but the real cost was the labour getting to the mechatronics gasket. I can't remember if they had to lower the transmission or what, but I recall they said the mechatronics gasket was very difficult to replace.

So I can believe, particularly with programming, the cost creeping well upwards of $2300, if both gaskets were replaced.

[Fezza]

Yes that side one would require lowering the transmission so can be costly job. You can save quite a bit by sourcing the parts yourself.

[MJBO]

My service was prompted by a leak, and the less than stellar shifting smoothness as it got low. They did a comprehensive services that dropped the box to replace the pan and other stuff, have the invoice at home. Aluminium bolts that had to be replaced amongst other things.

And yeah, not interested in sourcing my own parts, not worth the time and hassle to me.

[Fezza]

Got my car back this arvo from GMW after leaving it with them on Monday morning.

BE rod bearings with ARP bolts done (originals look like this: https://www.m3post.com/forums/showpo...postcount=1123)
Engine mounts done (they were shot)
DCT OEM fluid, gasket and filters changed (main leak was from bottom pan, so wasn't worth dropping it to do side and top)
Diff fluid flush with OEM

All up labour $1,232 (I supplied all my parts, oils (apart from diff fluid), gaskets, filters, bolts, plugs etc), fantastic price and even better service from Leif.

GMW also do oil analysis.