'94 320i Transmission Fluid

[Paul Nel]

My 320i auto jerks when it changes to 2nd. Especially when cold. From experience with other auto's (not BMW) this is sometimes a symptom of low transmission fluid. I tried to check it this past weekend. The box does not have a filler plug on the side of the sump. Only two plugs on the bottom. One is a 19mm "bolt", the second is ±40mm diameter with a 10mm allen in the centre. Can anybody PLEASE tell me to check/top-up the fluid?

[kyleabaker]

Is your car jerking while in motion or while sitting? If in motion then does it shimy at the steering wheel? and if while still, is the idling process stable?

[Paul Nel]

The car jerks when changing to 2nd during normal accelleration (when in motion). If the accellerator is floored from standstill, the change to 2nd is smoother. While idling in DRIVE, everything feels OK. Haven't noticed anything on the steering wheel? (is the gearbox and steering pump connected?) I have also noticed that while accelerating to overtake from 5th, the 'box kicks down well to 3rd but when the revs reach ±4,200 it feels as if the car hesitates (wanting to change up) and then carries on accellerating to above 5,000. The change up then happens smoothly.
My wife used the car for a while and did tell me that she's noticed the idling goes wonky when stopping at intersections. This happened very infrequently, though. I haven't experienced this. (I bought the 320i for her, but she does not want to part with the 328i.......and they say women don't like speed!)

O, and another thing. When driving the radiator fan can be heard all the time. It sounds like an aeroplane. I think the viscous coupling has had it. The car's done 175k km's. Shouldn't the fan be quiet at lower rpm's? Unless the car is hot?