540i6 pops out of gear

[toyotahachiroku]

my car does this occasionally. haven't found any similar cases. i've only found cases where the 6 speeds get stuck in gear. in my car, it can pop out of any gear and only does so right after a shift up or down and sometimes from neutral to 1st/reverse when i want to get the car moving from a stand still. if it doesn't pop out right after a shift it wont ever pop out. so if im cruising in 6th on the highway, it wont suddenly pop out of gear. the shifter throw distance and engagement feels like the car is in gear but it acts like its not all the way in. the box doesnt grind or anything. clutch seems good. the shifter has a bit of play but not excessive. i dont know how i should tackle this problem.

[xatlas0]

Have you checked the trans and motor mounts?

[Silverlion]

The PO didn't rag on it or not know how to drive a manual, did they? Check shifter bushings or synchronizers. Also, check the fluid level. Look for metal in the tranny oil. Just drain a bit after taking it for a spin. Wait a few minutes for it to settle in the cup. Pops out of every gear? Hmmm.

[toyotahachiroku]

the previous owner was a senior citizen who had the car for 10+ years. the car has about 150,000km(93k miles) on it. im pretty sure hes not the type if guy that abuses his cars. the car has been sitting for about 5 years when i bought it though. it doesn't pop out for sure if i shift really really slowly and or apply light pressure to the shift knob for a second before letting go. it is not leaking hydraulic fluid. fluid level is good. fluid is clean. not sure about the oil inside the box. maybe i will change the oil first and see if it improves. but overall it doesnt happen often. maybe once a week? i drive the car daily too. it most frequently happens in 1st gear. but slow shifts and holding it down a bit after a shift can make the popping stop. i dont think its my driving either. ive driven mk4 supra, e46 m3, e39 540i and m5 and none of them had to be shifted this slow.

[540man]

1. Make very sure you have enough fluid in the box.
2. Could be something loose or misaligned, like bolts not tight, tranny misaligned when installed. Maybe a clutch job wasn't done correctly at some point ?
3. Could be a bent or worn shifter fork or linkage part, therefore not always going fully into gear unless give a bit of extra effort.

Does it seem to be hard to shift or does ever grind going into gears ? If so, might be worn synchros. This could also contribute to the popping out of gear problem.

Also, if the po had the habit of driving with his hand on the shifter, this could have worn the synchro sleeve edges and can cause the problem also. Bad habit to get into. The weight of your hand is magnified by the shifter and can cause wear all along the line, worst of all to the synchros.

See if changing the fluid has any effect. Not sure on the Getrags, but many manuals are sensitive to low or dirty fluid.
To me it sounds like synchros, hope I am wrong.

[ESSSupreme]

Bad idle can cause your gear to pop out, so is improperly bled/low fluid system.

[h2oyo]

a lazy shift will cause it too, if only feel the first notch. It just isn't in gear all the way and when you start to accelerate it pops out. I have a nephew that does it all the time. Horrible sound.