New kid with a floppy gearshift!

[Bee-Emm Fan]

Just joined this site as it looks great!! Some sensible answers to questions! Just visited a dedicated BMW garage and got to deal with the hard nosed owner that told me the internet is useless and my gearbox is broken. Mmm, I've now driven Bee-Emms for 100's and 100's of thousands of k's and within the family, we must have a few million k's under the belt! I read a great thread on excessive shifter play on an E46 318i which is my current baby and my complaint is identical.

Being told that my gearbox is broken after the k's that I've done in manual Bee-Emms and know that one of them was close on 600 000k's, I cannot believe that these fantastic gearboxes just break for free at 200 000k's.

I have experienced a similar issue on a Golf that I once owned and all I did was replace all the bushes in the linkages. I was told this morning that there are no linkages whilst we stood under a car discussing it and holding the connecting rod from gear lever to gearbox in one hand which clearly has a bushed linkage on either end!!:argh:

The thread I followed earlier reckons that the poster only installed some new bushes and it made a 50% improvement, so maybe the rest of the bushes will lead to 100% improvement? After being told that my best option is a second hand box (because they don't break???????) I can only imagine installing it only to find that I still have the same problem, maybe the dealership is my best option, but to me it feels like there is play in the non-existing linkages!

 

[Sankekur]

Welcome to the forum :wave:

Chances are you are probably right about the bushes being worn, a broken gearbox would have other more obvious symptoms as well. This it pretty typical of most mechanics, to just want to start replacing the most expensive parts first. It is always a better idea to start with the cheap stuff, like in this case the bushes, and chances are they are still the originals that the car came with so after 200k km they would need replacing.

As for the internet being useless, pffft, please.......everything on it should just be double checked to be sure.

 

[Raybimmer]

Go to www.realoem.com and enter the last 7 digits of your vin number then go look in the gearbox section . You will see the linkage and plastic liner around the ball and bush end . Good luck .

 

[Solo Man]

Hi and welcome. i recently repaired the sloppy gearlinkages on my E36 318iS and it was quite easy after the first attempt. Replaced the rubber bush at the rear end of the solid section of the gear linkage with a rubber i got off a old shock absorber which i filed down to fit and ordered the front bush where it fits over the rod that sticks out of the rear end of the gearbox. Cost was about R155 iirc for the new bush plus sponge that goes into the rod opening. After doing this the gear linkage has about zero play sideways and it feels just fine. Gear selection is like a good rifle bolt action.
Afterthought: you will probably need the big rubber that fits over the gear selector below the gear lever which is just about impossible to get over the gear selector ball joint. This costs about R250
Go on the internet for removal of gear linkage as you need to see how to remove the rear pin in the selector rod which is in a awkward position

 

[rick540]

Also just been through this, the shift was more than sloppy, could barely hook any gears. I replaced the nylon bush at the base of the gear lever and made my own ball bearing based shift rod.

The result was great with no discernable play indicating even a high mileage gearbox has a lot of feel with no play left in it if the selector is sorted.

 

[punga]

I have the same problem on my 2002 330i with 136k km, have been told that the gearbox needs to be dropped to replace the bushesas well as a locating pin. As i am not prepared to pay the huge sum of money they estimated to repair this, I have been sucking it up an living with it.

is there anyone in CPT who can assist, by as Sankekur put it starting with the cheapest, obvious things first.

 

[frikkieh]

I have to fix my sloopy shifter too. Any cost estimations please.

 

[Henry330i]

I have to do mine on my e24 aswell does the box have to come out. Any ideas?

 

[Raybimmer]

I think most like the e30 and e36 are ok to do , maybe loosen the gearbox crossmember and support the box on a trolley jack . Space is scarce but once the "bitch clip " is off it not too bad . This clip sits over a rib on the box and needs a screwdriver to lift it up, then is slides out .

 

[Bee-Emm Fan]

Thank you all!!!! What a fantastic community!

I have been under my car and saw one in pieces yesterday, I don't see that it will be a huge issue to replace all these bushes and I will do as soon as I have spare cash!! What I can tell you is that the operation is completely impossible to achieve without removal of the propshaft and exhaust. Removing the gearbox is not necessary as far as I can visually determine.

It is great to know that I am not alone with this problem as the garage owner made me feel, but then I know from previous internet research that this is a relatively common problem!

Prior to even pricing the bushes at BMW I have called around to find replacement parts and nobody seems to stock these, so I will bite the bullet until my finances allow, thereafter I will publish my success story here!!

Thank you all again!!

Have a fantastic day!!

 

[frikkieh]

If you are removing the propshaft/universal, just take a permanent marker and mark it so that each part is assembled exactly as it was removed. You don't want nasty vibrations afterwards.:thumbs:

 

[gmmcdonald]

I have to do mine on my e24 aswell does the box have to come out. Any ideas?

If my memory serves the drivetrain on your e24 is identical to my old E28. If that is the case you do have to drop the gearbox to replace the linkages closest to the gearbox. The main culprit on mine was a stupid plate that connects to the gearbox with two of it own bushes, these were toast so allowed a lot of movement.

The good news is that dropping the box is a piece of cake and not THAT heavy. Its an easy DIY if you have the tools.

If you want to DIY it feel free to give me a shout for ideas.

Here is a link to the linkage diagram http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=5531&mospid=47202&btnr=25_0064&hg=25&fg=05

---

I have to do mine on my e24 aswell does the box have to come out. Any ideas?

If my memory serves the drivetrain on your e24 is identical to my old E28. If that is the case you do have to drop the gearbox to replace the linkages closest to the gearbox. The main culprit on mine was a stupid plate that connects to the gearbox with two of it own bushes, these were toast so allowed a lot of movement.

The good news is that dropping the box is a piece of cake and not THAT heavy. Its an easy DIY if you have the tools.

If you want to DIY it feel free to give me a shout for ideas.

Here is a link to the linkage diagram http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=5531&mospid=47202&btnr=25_0064&hg=25&fg=05

I am assuming you has an M635Csi? Linkage may be different if its not.

 

[Bee-Emm Fan]

Hi All

Hre is the most comprehensive DIY instructions that we could wish for!! My cousin found this after I had told him what the story was. I think the propshaft position mentioned above is a VERY important note!!

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=900208

Thank you all, this forum is like having more family!!

 

[Coisman]

imp:
My mother in law had a bad vibration on her broom once...
...it turned out that she forgot to take her vibrator out after pleasing herself... :mmm:

 

[frikkieh]

imp:
My mother in law had a bad vibration on her broom once...
...it turned out that she forgot to take her vibrator out after pleasing herself... :mmm:

:facepalm:

 

[FaSTandFurious]

Welcome

 

[Solo Man]

When i did the bush on my E36 318iS it was not necessary to remove or loosen anything. Did the work with everything in place. My advice is try it before removing or loosening the propshaft and/or gearbox as it might be possible on your car to fix it as i did on mine! It is definitaly worth the trouble as the gearchange is now very slick not sloppy!

 

[Bee-Emm Fan]

Went to BMW yesterday and got a price on all the necessary parts for this job so I know where I am going. Just a touch over R500, much less than I was expecting!! Next month it is done!! Apparently the one part that fits right up against the box is a big seller! So much for the garage owner telling me this never happens......................

 

[Henry330i]

I have to do mine on my e24 aswell does the box have to come out. Any ideas?

If my memory serves the drivetrain on your e24 is identical to my old E28. If that is the case you do have to drop the gearbox to replace the linkages closest to the gearbox. The main culprit on mine was a stupid plate that connects to the gearbox with two of it own bushes, these were toast so allowed a lot of movement.

The good news is that dropping the box is a piece of cake and not THAT heavy. Its an easy DIY if you have the tools.

If you want to DIY it feel free to give me a shout for ideas.

Here is a link to the linkage diagram http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=5531&mospid=47202&btnr=25_0064&hg=25&fg=05

---

I have to do mine on my e24 aswell does the box have to come out. Any ideas?

If my memory serves the drivetrain on your e24 is identical to my old E28. If that is the case you do have to drop the gearbox to replace the linkages closest to the gearbox. The main culprit on mine was a stupid plate that connects to the gearbox with two of it own bushes, these were toast so allowed a lot of movement.

The good news is that dropping the box is a piece of cake and not THAT heavy. Its an easy DIY if you have the tools.

If you want to DIY it feel free to give me a shout for ideas.

Here is a link to the linkage diagram http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=5531&mospid=47202&btnr=25_0064&hg=25&fg=05

I am assuming you has an M635Csi? Linkage may be different if its not.

---

Thanks its a normal 635csi its a 81 and has a dogleg 5speed.

 

[faya]

imp:
My mother in law had a bad vibration on her broom once...
...it turned out that she forgot to take her vibrator out after pleasing herself... :mmm:

:roflol::roflol: