tranny problem persists

[tsr50]

I posted a message back on 12/17 regarding tranny problems with a 1988 325i project car. I finally got around to changing the fluid. It was low and dirty, but is now filled with clean fluid. Did another test run and the darned thing still will not shift into third gear 90% of the time. The shift lever moves to the correct position but it's definitely not in gear (evidenced by the horrible grinding noise!). All other gears still work fine. Any other solutions, besides a teardown, or substituting a used tranny?

Also, any solutions to the oil leak from the oil filter housing? I couldn't find anything in the Bentley manual.

Thanks for any advice.


Tom

[tsr50]

Haven't posted for about a year, but just to follow up, I pulled my tranny, made a case puller out of an old 2x4 and some spare carriage bolts, got the case apart, and found that the anti-rattle pin had come loose from the 3rd/4th gear shift coupler. This resulted in the 3rd gear not being fully engaged even though the shift lever was in the 3rd gear position. Total cost of repair: 25 cents for parts and lots of no-cost labor from me (and probably lots more labor than normal since this was my first time doing such work. But satisfying none-the-less.)

[jase007]

Tom:

nice work.

Better than getting the newly advertised Getrag "second" life transmissions. Did you take any pics while you were in there?

There seems to be a real lack of anything related to BMW trannys. I know for a while BMW wasn't selling tranny parts in the US. Pull and send in for a rebuild only. Have to admit these Getrags [260s...?] are pretty trouble free.

What'd you use for fluids .... redline I hope?

Jason

[iXer_16323]

If you need a tranny I have a rebuilt on with about 12000 miles located in NW PA near Erie. It is out of an iX, and needs your tailshaft housing to fit yours. car was wrecked in front. Glenn

[tsr50]

Glenn, Don't need a tranny now. Thanks.

Jason, Thanks for the reply. I'm surprised at how little feedback I received for my problem. I assume that means the Getrags are very good and no one has had any internal tranny problems that they've tried to fix on their own; or if they've had problems they took it to a shop for repairs or bought a used one instead of trying to fix it themselves. I almost spent a few hundred dollars for a used one. But first I figured if I was going to use my old one as a boat anchor, I had nothing to lose by taking it apart. I got real lucky. Here's a couple of pics. You can see where the tensioner pin had worked its way loose. It is gnarled at the top of the pin because it was scraping against the top of the case. The case kept it from coming all of the way out and falling into the gears. But it was out enough to prevent third gear from meshing. I have no idea why the pin would work its way loose. The new one fit snugly, and I also coated it with threadlocker.

[wludavid]

Unfortunately this board isn't as active as it could be, hence so little feedback.

These Getrags are pretty trouble-free, and used trannies are so cheap and e30s worth so little that it seems pretty pointless for most people to spend the money on a rebuilt one.