Removed the allen key drain plug on my transmission, but don't see any stand pipe as indicated by the instructions. Please look and tell me what you think. It's an 05 cooper s, 6-speed automatic. I provided someone here with the vin and they insured me it isn't a CVT. Where is that stand pipe! Unless this isn't the tranny fluid. But I am 100% it is the drain.

 

i have read so many threads where people give instructions on how to change the tranny oil, no one can now answer my question? where are the experts?

 

Item 7 in the illustration below is the overflow tube you're referring to. It's removed when the fluid is drained from the transmission. To check fluid level just the plug, Item 5 in the illustration, is removed and, with the engine running, fluid is added until it overflows. Also, the drain plug is a Torx 55 screw. You seem to have the engine oil drain plug pictured.

 

Thanks for your reply. I understand that, but the way mine looks doesn't make sense. First, after the fluid drained, i looked inside as you see in the picture and there is no stand pipe, there is actually some metal looking rounded parts. So, not sure where am wrong or right. Also, my drain plug is not bolted to a transmission pan, it's in the transmission block.

 

Is the residual fluid thick like engine oil?
Here's an excellent link for some step-by-step instructions.
www.*********************/library/2nd-generation-mini-cooper-how-to-4/6-speed-automatic-transmission-fluid-change-106/#axzz2SzsGMNKE

 

No lights are on at all. I will look at it when I get home. Can't view it from my phone for some reason.

 

unfortunately the link doesn't work.

 

I noticed that. It's on motoring alliance and NAM seems to blank that part out. Try putting in motoring alliance with .com at the end and with no spaces where all the asterisks are and it ought to take you to the forum with the pdf.

 

You mentioned that It might be the engine oil plug am showing. Well, ths plug is located on the driver side, and it's on the bottom of the fill in lug side, so am sure it is a transmission plug. but for some reason it doesn't look anything like any of the instructions I read, which state that there should be a stand pipe after removing the plug. Also, it isn't part of any transmission pan. That is weird. Unless there are two different drain plugs for the tranny.

 

Should you be trying to do this work if you don't know which is the right plug to remove?

I think you took out the final drive oil plug......

 

I would appreciate it if you would lower your tone when replying. I don't need smart *** questions. Regardless of what I did, and you would have to excuse the fact that not everyone is as intelligent as you. So unless you have a helpful comment, please keep your advise tone to that of a respectful one. You actually don't know what my profession is. I also don't care if I miss up the car. I can always buy another one.

 

Lower my tone?

You asked for help and when you get an answer you don't like it's my fault?

I'm being disrespectful?

Please.

What I was suggesting is that if you do things wrong it can get very expensive. Your picture is not conclusive, and you clearly do not know the difference between automatic transmission oil, gear oil and engine oil. confusing those can cause really expensive problems.

Since you don't know this, maybe you can get a friend who's more knowledgeable and experienced to take a look at what you're doing and help you?

Like I wrote before, it looks like you took out the final drive gear oil plug, not the ATF plug.

Good luck.

 

+1
many a proffesional has messed up a car by getting into a diy too deep...that is deeper than their skill level allows. You might be a great brain surgeon....but sometimes we all need a reality check. Messing up a tranny can be a $7500 mistake....we are just trying to get you to stepback and consider your options before you get into your car too deep, resulting it needing to get it flat-bedded to a shop that will fix a basketcase.....
Goodluck.

 

I understand that you are trying to help people around here, especially those with no experience at all. I am no certified mechanics, but I have had my share of cars and fixes. Sure, I hardly ever mess up, but with the instructions I received it states that the plug should be in this exact location, and when I saw it I didn't even think about the fact that there might be others, it was my mistake. If I had no sense at all I would have continued what I was doing, but I stopped because the next step didn't make sense. One of the posts above immediately ran to the conclusion that if I don't know the difference between the plugs that I should not be playing with the car. Well, I know where the oil plug is, if I did then sure I would have taken your comment lightly, but you didn't even provide a concrete answer to my question. You just criticized that I should even be doing this in the 1st place. If I mess up the tranny it would be my fault, no one else. And I appreciate that people are trying to help. That is why I asked what this looked like, and the only answer I received so far is that it might be the final drive plug. I actually didn't look around the plug for others, assuming that it is in the transmission, exactly as the picture showed it, and that it would make sense for it to be the one, but I guess I was wrong. Now I would need to find the tranny drain plug, change the fluid, and change the FD fluid as well. Overall thanks for everyone's help.

 

You don't say what oil you're trying to change, the final drive lube or the ATF (automatic transmission fluid)

If the latter, here is a pic showing AN auto transmission pan (not a MINI tho) and you can see the plug in the bottom of the pan. You'll also need to locate the fill plug on top the trans to refill, you also need to know how much you drain out so you can put approximately that much back in again - you don't want to overfill it. Be aware that most of the ATF is in the torque converter, you're only changing a portion of the fluid - that in the pan. Most of the time when you change the fluid you should also pull the pan and clean the screen and change the filter (if it has one - most do). I do not recommend your doing this based on what I've learned of your skills and experience so far.



Like I said, your pic is inconclusive and you haven't posted another, better one to help us know what you actually did - but if you took out the final drive plug you need to put the right fluid back in - check your owner's manual for the recommended fluid - and you need to find the other (upper) plug to refill it.

ATF (unless badly burned) is a nice pinkish red, lightweight oil, very slippery.

Hypoid Gear oil has a very distinct smell to it, will be gold to dark brown in color and much thicker.

Engine oil will be lighter than gear oil, and will not have the hypoid smell. Depending on when it was last changed it could be anywhere from light golden brown to black in color.

Be aware that some "how to's" are written by people with no more experience and knowledge than you, and as such could be very wrong and lead you into problems, especially if you don't have a background in the field to know when they're wrong.

Good luck.

 

Thanks. i located the ATF drain plug. Removed it , drained, and removed the stand pipe. Also located the fill in plug and removed it. I will look into the manual and see what fluid is recommended for the FD. Thanks for all the info. Will fill in ATF, drive for some miles, and flush it twice more. Hopefully I will be able to get out 50% at least.

 

I asked a question on one of these websites that you pay for, supposedly answers from experts. This guy tells me that the final drive fluid I drained I guess, or the plug I removed is actually filled with ATF, same as the ATF I will be using for the tranny. He said he couldn't find any pictures or more info on it. Am like if you guys don't know what it is exactly then you just want me to guess what fluid to use? The manual I looked at and it doesn't say a thing. Don't know who to believe any more. There is NO information online on the FD fluid, location, how to fill, and what fluid to use. The expert couldn't even tell me what the FD is, what it is used for, or anything.

 

dcnaz - sounds like you have completed the project. Our ATF DIY article may help clarify:

ATF Change - MINI

Mark / Pelican Parts

 

so does anyone knows why there are 2 plugs for ATF fluid. The main one in the pan and another one in the transmission? Both drain the same fluid I guess, but someone here suggested that it could be the final drive? there is no information anywhere on this. Even the dealer doesn't know.

 

So, since I buy/sell cars on the side, and since I have limited experience I usually try to learn from what I do for the next adventure. If I didn't buy this 05 cooper s for $2,350 I wouldn't take chances. So I kind of wanted to do it on my own since the tranny was acting up anyways, what worse could happen?
So here is the update:
Car is cold, drained the ATF and it was about 2.5 quarts. Added close to the same minus what's on my garage door now lol, so I wanted to make sure the ATF level was correct. Opened the plug let it drain until it stopped. What came out was pretty clean, so I guess some of what I have added.
Then, I cranked the car, put it in P, D, and R for few seconds, and went to watch any ATF coming out, none did, not even after it idled and was warm for sure. Warmed up some ATF fluid, added until it started to drain from the bottom, pugged it.
Washed the motor from the little mess I did lol (i said it's a learning experience), and drove it. It drove like crap, harsh, jerking, and stalling twice at stops. It also gave me the EML and service engine lights, sometimes only the engine light. When I restarted it they went away. Then on the way home (after 1 mile) the EP came mode came on.
Parked it and let it sit for 2 hours. I went outside now, sat in the car, put the key in the ON position, depressed the gas pedal 3 times down and up in 5 seconds. Went to drive it. It drove wayyyyyy better. Never stalled once. Even took it on the freeway, no issues there (considering this is my 1st time taking it on the freeway). Came back after 5 miles of driving, wayyyyyy less jerking, only noticeable when the car downshifts to 3rd and 2nd gears, as if i was driving a manual. The issue where the car would act as if it's in neutral before engaging into gear is wayyyyyy better too, only split of a second. So my question is: is it worth doing another ATF drain? Oh and when the EML and service engine lights came on i read the codes and they were 700 and 733. Remembering this, when i bought the car, it took 30 minutes to get it to crank since it was bad. Finally after i got it home the 1st time every it took 3 jumps. I took the battery to advance 4 days ago, i came back, he said it is unre-chargeable. But i put it in the car and it now cranks fine every time. Is it possible a weak battery is doing some of this jerking? I heard it in a couple of forums.

 

You purchased a 2005 Cooper S for $2,350?

 

Yep