OOPS! I should have read that PDF, a very good explanation/how-to change the VW fluid. Can't wait to get under the MINI to check out how the 2 compare.

Thanks for the info

 

Where did you get the part from and how much??

 

I got it from nxttools.com

ASM-ATF105VW Filler Adapter M10 X 1.0 1 $18.83
Shipping: UPS Ground: $9.30
Sales Tax: $0.00

Total: $28.13

Did you once own a Ford Probe? I used to have its twin, a 1994 Mazda MX6-LS, a very nice car that responded well to modifications. It is being restored by the present owner.

 

Excellent! Thank you! NtxTools.com btw. Ordering now!

I also found it at ToolManCentral.com for $38 shipped.

Yes I had a 94 GT, basically the same as your MX6! That auto tranny needed LOTS of fluid changes, I kept it going strong even when I sold the car at 180k miles. I loved the Probe, it was a great car, many ways better than the Cooper.

 

At least you could add an external extra trans cooler and Magnefine inline filter to the Probe/MX6 auto trans. That and Mobil 1 and frequent flushes kept mine running fine until 120,000 when the head gasket blew. I did not own it then, a friend had it, she sold it to a guy for $250 and he is rebuilding the engine, converting it to a manual trans and installing a new leather interior. I had a ported intake manifold, bored throttle body, high flow cat and PRM cold air intake, that car was much faster than stock!

 

Yeah I added a trans temp gauge and had an upgraded cooler put on it when I moved to Phoenix. Still the damn thing regularly ran 210-250°F. I used Mobil 1 in the engine from 17k miles on. It sound as good as new when I sold it. Not a single HLA collapsed on it!

Back to the MINI ATX, cheapest place to get the fluid is at your nearest Toyota dealer!

Just got back from the Toyota dealer with six quarts of Toyota AFT T-IV, total of $40.70 with tax.

 

I agree on the T-IV source and did that but then learned Mobil 1 or Redline D4 also work in our trans and used Mobil 1 instead as I would rather use synthetic. Read the threads at bobistheoilguy.com Now I have 6 quarts of Toyota T-IV and nowhere to use it. Maybe Craigslist. It shifts as good or better on Mobil 1 which is now probably a 50% mix after 2 drain and fills. After I do 2 more changes in a month it should be closer to 80%.

 

Mobil doesn't seem to have a synthetic that is JWS3309. What Mobil did you use? The only one I found was "Mobil ATF 3309"

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/..._ATF_3309.aspx

The Mobil 1 ATF doesn't have 3309 as a listed spec.

 

The old version of Mobil 1 ATF was JWS 3309/T-IV compatible. They changed it this year and it is no longer compatible. I stocked up on the old stuff earlier this year when the change began. Redline D4 is compatible and some think it is better, you can get it on Amazon. Also Lubromoly, the well regarded German oil co. (I am running their Longtime High Tech 5w-30) recently came out with a compatible synthetic that is also available on Amazon.

 

Gotcha! Yeah I would totally prefer Mobil 1 synthetic! Oh well...now that I am at 50k miles, new fluid synthetic or not will be much better than the old. :-)

 

Having just performed a filter and fluid transmission service on the Aisin 6 speed, I thought I would add my two cents to this thread. Thanks to all for the info.

Here are my notes on the job.

Lay out a painting tarp under the car. This will catch any drops of fluid. You WILL get messy doing this.

1. The key to the whole job is temperature.
2. get an infrared pyrometer and let the car idle until you get the fluid to 95-113 deg.
3. remove inspection plug and overflow tube, let tranny drain.
4. You'll have to lower the front subframe to access the bolts that hold the pan on.
5. Remove pan and clean the inside as well as the magnets on the pan.
6. Replace filter. Removing the old filter will probably drain more fluid.
7. put pan back on with new gasket and bolt subframe back up.
8. Refit overflow tube back into pan.
9. Heat up the new fluid in the bathtub til it's at 95-113 deg.
10. Remove T55 plug on top of transmission.
11. Attach fill hose in the top of tranny. I used a small hard plastic coupling trimmed down to fit in the hole. I wrapped the coupling in electrical tape to seal it in the hole. I then used some clear plastic tubing to a funnel.
12. Fill transmission with correct fluid. This will take time. Use the pyrometer to check temp of fluid. submerge in bathtub again if needed.
13. Wait for fluid to pour out of the overflow.
14. Now, make sure you put the T55 plug back in the top of the tranny. You'll need to run the transmission through the gears to circulate the fluid. if you DONT put the plug back, you will have a GEYSER of transmission fluid shooting out.
15. Run through each gear for 5 seconds. Shut car off and remove T55 plug.
16. Fill with fluid (again) check temp (again)..
17. Wait for fluid to pour out of overflow. When it stops, re-fit the inspection plug and T55 plug.

The car I'm working on ran terribly before. Jerky and slipping. Now it runs great.

 

Just got the drain plug fill adapter. I will document the drain-plug-only fluid swap when I get a chance to crawl under the car.

 

So I did the drain and fill using just the drain plug. It was just over two quarts. Pumping the fluid back in was easy. The fluid level was above the standpipe as about 1/3 of a quart came out before removing the little plastic standpipe.

I do believe it is shifting less mushy now. The fluid that came out was red and brown. The new toyota fluid was bright red. I will do this flush again in a few thousand miles.

 

I too recently did the drain and fill using the drain plug and the VW tool. However I jacked up the front end and drained 2 quarts before removing the standpipe and 16 ounces after removing it. I lowered the front end some before adding fluid and quickly pumped in 50 ounces before fluid started flowing out. I added the remainder from the top. Next week on the second drain and fill I will experiment with keeping the car level to see if I get drain results closer to strobeyprobey. The drained fluid was slightly darker red than new, however it still looked good. This was at 40,000 and at 20,000 I had done 2 drain and fills with Mobil 1. I used Mobil 1 again as I have a stock of the older compatible stuff.

 

Clutchless, Can you fill the ATF fluid from the bottom of the pan? If so, how? What's the trick to getting at the top fill T55's on my '08' cooper? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

lwbaldep: To fill from the bottom you need the VW tool mentioned in the posts above that start on Page 2 of this thread. You cannot get all the fluid in that way, you still have to finish filling from the top.

The main posts to read for how to do this are, 6 - 7, 15-19 one of which has a photo of the T55 fill plug. 22-25 and especially 27-28 which describe how to get the fill plug off and what combination of tools you need to do this. It is very hard the first time, much easier after that. I recommend doing it with the engine cold, having been off several hours and your new fluid at the same temperature. Measure exactly how much drains and put that much back in. If you need a new drain plug, only replace it after doing the 2 or 3 drain and fills. A Nissan 3.5 engine oil drain plug, for 2005 fits perfectly and is probably cheaper and easier to find than a MINI plug.

 

Clutchless, thanks for the help. I finally got that stupid T-55 broke loose and was able to drain 2qts. & 14oz. I replaced it w/Royal Purple full Synthetic and it seems to be shifting and running great.

 

I just did the drain and fill procedure again on my car yesterday. Took about an hour. I was able to completely fill it from underneath. You just have to be quick disconnecting the fill adapter and screwing in the drain plug. I had maybe a tablespoon at most leak out. I also put on a new OEM crush washer. The new fluid does look a lot cleaner.

 

2006 R53 Mini Cooper S Auto 6 Speed Transmission.

FYI I used Castrol TRANSMAX IMPORT MULTI–VEHICLE at 72k miles, meets JWS 3309. My car was down shifting hard in second gear. Now it shifts smooth and I have 5k on my transmission so far with the Castrol. Shifts great still. Much Cheaper than BMW fluid.

Here's the datasheet

https://msdspds.castrol.com/bpglis/FusionPDS.nsf/Files/45250187D5760D59802585A6005D9C78/$File/WEPP-BRPBG3.pdf

Fluid available at AutoZone.

 

Great find on the Castrol fluid!!!

 

Clutchless has provided the guide for the 2007+
Here is the PDF for both 2002-2006 and 2007+

 

Getting ready to do the drain fill this weekend on my 08 S Convertible

MANY MANY Thanks to those who have gone before me.

Has there been anyone else that has tried using THIS drain plug?

wkp1219:
soi went to change my ATF today and noticed that I have a larger drain plug in addition to the smaller on on the pan. it is located right under where the axle shaft exits the tranny. I pulled that plug first and got out approx 3 quarts of fluid then pulled the smaller one on the pan and plastic riser tube and got out another quart for a grand total of 4 quarts!

I never heard anyone mention this other larger drain plug, my MCSa was built 10/06 so not sure if something changed during that build period???


Also as I have been reading the write ups especially regarding the fill plug access / loosening / filling on my car the more I want to fill from below.

Apparently temperature makes a difference in the fluid volume. What would be wrong with the following drain / fill sequence:

1) Drain from "other" plug + pan plug + remove stand pipe
2) re-install stand pipe
3) gravity / pump fill COLD fluid through standpipe until it overflows out stand pipe
4) Start car, run through gears (P,N,D,R) 5 seconds each
5) shut-off car
6) attempt to gravity / pump fill COLD fluid through stand pipe until it runs out of stand pipe
7) Start car, run through gears, allow car to idle until fluid reaches temp, allow excess to overflow standpipe, if no excess, add HEATED fluid to top of standpipe

This way no need to access anything other than drain plug, no need to buy VW filly thingy... just some flexible tubing pushed up through the stand pipe.

 

There is a fill plug you can remove under the airfilter box, just remove the box and you will see it. And fill up fluid there, this is on the 6 speed automatic trans.

2006 R53 6 speed automatic

 

Just follow the procedure in the PDF. It is based upon experience. Your proposed method will create a mess as you fail to pump in the fluid while it is trying to flow out, you will lose track of the amount of fluid and you are making it more complicated than it needs to be. Your 1st gen layout is much easier to access the fill plug than the 2nd gen.

Furthermore, the standpipe is so tiny you will have a hard time pumping much fluid thru another hose that is small enough to fit inside of it, kind of like sticking a coffee stirrer inside a straw. Also no fluid will be able to flow out the standpipe if another hose is sticking out of it, effectively rendering it useless for determing fluid level.

The one time I did this with the VW pipe to fill from below, I still needed to add fluid from above in the fill hole to reach the proper level to equal the amount of cold fluid that had drained out.

 

Somewhere here is my horror story of filling from the top.
Before you start this job and particuarly if you want to use a small hose inside the standpipe buy another standpipe.

If you get the vw tool and a fluid transfer pump the orange one (tape the connections) you can change the fluid without even jacking the car up although it makes it easier.

As easy as an oil change with the right tool.

I found a voltmeter with a temperature probe taped to the pan worked best as you can have it read continuously.

My personal opinion is if you try to fill from the top you will wish you were never born (3 days trying ended up disabled for 10 waiting on the tool). It just would not fill from the top.

Good luck.