BMW 7 series, E38 (EU)

Manual transmission fluid capacity & service interval

BMW 7 series, E38 (EU) manual transmission fluid capacity ranges from 1,2 to 1,7 liters. The data covers 6 configurations.

The configuration chart below lists fill volumes and service intervals for each engine and trim variant.

Type	Specifications
725tds (1996-2000)	Use: Normal Capacity 1,2 liter Code: ZF S5D 310Z / 320Z 5/1
728i (1996-2001)	Use: Normal Capacity 1,2 liter Code: 5/1
735i (1996-2001)	Use: Normal Capacity 1,2 liter Code: 5/1
740i (1996-2001)	Use: Normal Capacity 1,7 liter Code: 6/1
730i (1994-1996)	Use: Normal Capacity 1,2 liter Code: 5/1
740i (1994-1996)	Use: Normal Capacity 1,7 liter Code: 6/1

Across the BMW 7 Series E38 (EU) manual transmission lineup, two distinct fluid capacities appear: 1.2 liters and 1.7 liters. The 1.2-liter figure applies to the 725tds, 728i, 730i, and 735i variants, while the 1.7-liter figure applies exclusively to the 740i variants.
The 740i carries a noticeably larger manual transmission fluid capacity at 1.7 liters, reflecting the greater internal volume of the gearbox paired with the larger displacement engine in that variant.
All six configurations listed carry a normal use condition designation, meaning the stated capacities correspond to standard operating conditions rather than severe-duty or special-case service scenarios.
The 730i and the early 740i share the same production window of 1994-1996 within the E38 generation, representing the earliest manual transmission configurations listed for the range.
The 740i spans two separate row entries covering 1994-1996 and 1996-2001, both specifying the same 1.7-liter capacity, indicating no change in transmission fluid volume across the full production run of that variant.
The 725tds, 728i, and 735i all share the 1.2-liter capacity despite differing engine configurations, a diesel six-cylinder in the 725tds and petrol units in the 728i and 735i, suggesting the same gearbox unit was used across those variants.
The 735i and 728i both run from 1996-2001 with identical 1.2-liter capacities, the longest production span among the 1.2-liter entries in the specification set.