Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.

Driveline Service (X6 40d)

Discuss your latest mods or ideas, and anything to do with the X6 (E71).
Post Reply
User avatar
X5Sport
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 18519
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 4:09 pm
Location: Planet X6......

Driveline Service (X6 40d)

Post by X5Sport » Mon Dec 20, 2021 6:01 pm

Took my X6 in for a full driveline service this morning. For the initiated this is both diffs, transfer and gear boxes. ZF recommend it every 8 yrs or 50,000 miles. BMW regard the transmission as being end of life after 3 years and as it’s filled with ‘Lifetime Oil’ hence they don’t service it. ZF think otherwise, and given they design and build it……..

The car is 11 years old and just passed 53k miles so due on both age and mileage (not that my BMW Dealer showed any interest, or even offered a service of this type).

Got the car back this evening and the gearbox is as smooth as silk again. I had noticed a very slight ‘nudge’ when it changed down but that has gone completely.

Not a cheap job, but the E71 variant has (alongside the X6M and X5M) a clever GKN/ZF made Torque Vectoring rear differential. This is an electro-hydraulic unit with powered clutches on each output shaft. It has 3 chambers and two different oils (it would wouldn’t it!). The oil alone for the rear diff side chambers is £122 (£61/litre). The centre chamber uses the same as the front diff.

All in, including all labour, parts, oils, new pan (inc filter) and bolts (these MUST be changed) it came to £880 inc VAT. Labour was £288 of that. This was done by a Specialist BMW Indy in Milton Keynes. They also reset the transmission adaptations in the EGS module. This last bit is necessary to ensure the internal solenoid pressure values are reset using a specific ZF ‘relearning’ procedure. If the retuned values are too high then there is an internal issue with the box - meaning a rebuild is on the cards.

Still well under the £1,200 I was quoted by a ZF ‘aftermarket’ centre, and that was just to service the gearbox! I dread to think what a main BMW Dealer would have charged - if they offered such a service. Stupid really because the rear diff side-chamber oil had to come from them anyway.
:ant: Never anthropomorphise computers. They hate that.

Leslie
Snr Member
Snr Member
Posts: 1275
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2018 10:58 am

Driveline Service (40d)

Post by Leslie » Mon Dec 20, 2021 6:25 pm

That hopefully buys a bit of peace of mind now , 1200 for the gearbox alone is a bit of a money grab be cheaper to wing it given the cost of a rebulid ! :headbang: 2 different oils in the diff , well who needs that complexity ? lol :o

User avatar
X5Sport
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 18519
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 4:09 pm
Location: Planet X6......

Driveline Service (X6 40d)

Post by X5Sport » Mon Dec 20, 2021 8:33 pm

I think the E70 is around £150 cheaper - due to it being a simpler beastie :D
:ant: Never anthropomorphise computers. They hate that.

Post Reply