Shifter problems

[blkphnx]

I did the auto to manual swap about a year and a half ago and never had any problems shifting in and out of any gears with the exception of the tranny spitting out 1st once in a while and me missing third.

This morning on the way to class I put it in reverse to get out of the garage like normal and start driving, shift through the gears no problem... Just another smooth ride like always, I get off the freeway and suddenly the shifter lever seems to have almost infinate lateral play, in other words in gear or even out of gear once the lever meets resistance it makes a squeaky noise and will seem to kind of "rotate" around the pivot ball, the upshot of this is that I cannot get in reverse and barely get into 5th.

Once I get to my paking structure, I take out all the boots to inspect the assembly from above and everything visible seems to be attached securely and properly. And also I have NO front to back play... It's just left to right that it seems yo be moving improperly.

Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,

-Fredo

[jijacob]

I'd shove your hand down to where it hooks into the actual transmission and see if something came loose. I'd doubt it with how difficult that bitch clip was but you never know.

[brandonmatthew]

I'd shove your hand down to where it hooks into the actual transmission and see if something came loose. I'd doubt it with how difficult that bitch clip was but you never know.

Thats what I would say, check the rear attachment thingy also.

[jmo69]

I agree too, maybe the bitch clip wasn't on all the way.

[blkphnx]

that's the only thing i didn't get a chance to check... i was already late for class when i parked this morning... so i already looked like a tool tearing apart my center console in the middle of a random parking structure...

i'll take a look at it tonight and see what i come up with.

[blkphnx]

UPDATE:

After some six hours of fighting with some overtorqued driveshaft bolts (put on by a BMW indie shop, not me), i finally got to the linkage and took off the bitch clip, which was a little loose, but not off. When i took the pivot pin out and removed the selector rod joint i noticed that inside where the little sponge should have been was a mushy oily mess...

i'm wondering if this could be the source of my problem... any thoughts
i am planning on buying the sponge thingy and a new selector rod seal... i'm hoping this is all that's wrong and i don't have to replace the whole tranny cuz something internal is broken.