I Dont think this day could get any worse..
 

It all started off with finally getting around to changing my oil myself for the first time on this car. (I'm about 500 miles overdue)

So I went up to Discount Auto Parts, picked up the oil filter housing tool ($5), a 10qt pan ($6; same thing seen in other topics, with the grille to catch the bolt and all). I decided to give the filters they have in DAP a shot, since it was only $6 for the kit.

I get home, and get the car up in the air. Pop the filter housing off, and find out that the new filter I bought doesn't fit of course. No biggie, filters are actually good for about 12,000 miles anyways, so I don't think using the same one for 6,000 will hurt (besides, I can always replace it before then if need be).

Grab my 17mm socket, and strangley enough, it's too small for my bolt. I end up needing a 19mm. "Strange.." I thought, but no matter. Drained, dumped 4qts into the engine, and checked the levels. It was extremely high. I figured maybe if I let it run a little, it woudl settle down. Let it run, checked, same thing. Put it down on the ground, drove it around the block, only to notice the tranny is acting like a bitch.

Of course, I ****in' drained the tranny instead of the oil pan. (Now, I can honestly say, I still don't understand why the oil pan looks like a ****in AC compressor or something, I've never seen an oil pan with a damn grille on it). No biggie, I'll just pour the fluid back in. ****, there is no way to pour it in from the engine bay, once again, GAAAYY!

I do some research, and of course, I don't have a siphon (sp?), so I figure I will give it a shot doing it the same way you do the smaller pan, by taking it off, filling it, and putting it back on. Of course, in this process, I manage to lose a considerable amount of fluid.

So here I am now, contemplating whether to just do a whole new fluid replacement (requiring even more effort and time, which I would rather spend beating my BMW with a sledgehammer), or spending the extra $100 or so and having it done at a tranny shop..

Was it lifetime fluid in the tranny?
Is the tranny still low on fluid?

Did you drain some oil out?

true that....generic auto parts stores (auto zone, pep boys, advance auto, etc) do not have oil filters thats fit our cars...their computer will say they have the right part but it wont fit!

Napa always has the oil filter in stock.

ok then auto zone and pep boys and advance auto dont...and napa does...though i dont know where a napa is around here...but when i changed my oil, the car got stuck with no oil filter and was up on stands for a few days before i found one that actually fit at a European Performance shop...

Yes, it's the lifetime fluid.

Yes, it is now low, since I managed to spill at least 1-2 quarts onto the garage floor in the process of putting the pan back on, after pouring what I drained back into it (like I said, I have no siphon, and figured I would try what you do with the smaller pan).

Mixing new and old tranny fluid would be bad, right? The Owner's Manuel says to use Dexron II, so buying some new Dexron II and simply siphoning it in to the full hole would be a bad idea right?

Bump.. C'mon guys, I need help ASAP!!! I need this baby to be fixed within the next 15 hours.

if possible, try a method my friend and i used for the diff, a long clear piece of flexible tubing. you'll likely need a helper to make sure it stays in the fill out, then fill from a higher point so that it drains into the trans fill hole.

a jub with a pump on it would also work, if you can find one.

EDIT: as for mixing old and new, i'm not sure. it says this in my bentley manual:

so it appears the biggest problem is mixing different types of fluid. check the plate on your trans to make sure what you have. i'm not sure what the lifetime ATF is that bmw uses, but you may very well need to go get some from a dealer to make sure you get the right stuff :(

I doesn't sound like you have much choice. Just top it off with new fluid using a siphon.

If you added 4 quarts to your engine without draining any out, that's bad. Take care of that first. Then top off your tranny.

Yea, already drained it back out and finished the oil change :P

So I guess just top that bitch off with Dextron II (What it says in my manuel)

check the plate on the side of the transmission to be sure!

If this thing blows up, I'm filing a civil suit against 318ti.org, along with each member who suggested this ;)

Haha, ok, not really.

only use the Dextron II if you're ABSOLUTELY SURE that's what's in there now!

this is why i'm scared to change my oil. i'm almost 1000 miles overdue. i need to get this done. is the trans drain bolt like beside the oil drain bolt? so the oil bolt is a 17 and the tranny bolt is a 19...can i just raise the front to do this. i thought it needs to be level?

i hope you fix your problem

Eh, the oil wasn't even hard. Just make sure you get the right pan.. Hell, I'll take a pic of it if you want. It has a heat-sink looking grille on it (instead of looking like an ACTUAL oil pan).

So yea, just make sure teh 17mm fits. If it doesn't, your on the wrong one.. haha