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View Full Version : 540i doesnt go into gear, not typical problem



330CIAF
05-24-2010, 04:30 PM
Ok to start i'm helping a friend out with a recently purchased 1994 540i auto. The guy he bought it off of swapped transmissions with a re-certified transmission from a dealer in dallas. When he swapped transmissions, got everything back together he got the dreaded trans program error on screen. I asked around and the locals are telling me that it was an install error or needs the TCM flashed. The local indy says that it shouldnt need flashed, but the dealer says it does.

When we first turn it on, it says its in park, we can put it in any other gear and it acts like its in neutral, but says on the dash that its in whatever gear its suppose to be in. It never feels like its going into gear, but it will go into park. We watched underneath and the mechanical gear shifter turns on an electrical box which only turns the other level into park and neutral it doesnt turn it into any other position. We also checked the battery and alternator and eliminated those as a problem. We checked the connection on the transmission and the EGS and both are clean (we even cleaned them again).

Basically, this isnt a typical trans program problem, the tranmission that the seller got was working in a car before it was cleaned and re-certified. Its not like it goes into limp mode, or anything else i find over countless hours of searching now. What do you guys think? Maybe a flash is all it needs? Where should we go from here? Thanks for looking.

330CIAF
05-25-2010, 08:04 PM
we tore apart the gear selector and cleaned all that. Taking it to an indy tomorrow. Anyone have some input?

94530inh
05-25-2010, 09:24 PM
Check the trans filter, fluid, take the inspection cover off and make sure that the guy bolted in the torque converter, check the drive shaft, rear end etc.

get a used tcm from a junk yard and try that.

Problem sounds like a transmission that has no fluid. Or a grenaded trans that someone lied about rebuilding.

Check the shift linkage too.

330CIAF
05-26-2010, 10:21 AM
linkage is good, can wrong fluid do this?? The seller put royal purple tranny fluid in, i dont know what kind exactly or what specs it had. The transmission that was in it before exploded because the seller before this seller was putting it in reverse and slamming it into drive to do burnouts. the car sat for a year, and then this seller put in this transmission.