E34 Touring Tranny Problem

[tompkinsbj]

New guy here but I am at wits end. Here is the short story.

I have no 1st gear or 4th gear from the auto. I can use the selector stick to get 2nd and 3rd (3rd in drive and 1st also.) I have disassembled, cleaned and metered the traces on the gear selector switch, cleaned the A/M switch and disconnected and cleaned the EGS connector.

Is there a way to reset the EGS? I know the kickdown switch is disconnected (stuck on) could that cause the problem? What about the speed sensor, my dash is dead so I'm not sure if that is part of the problem but it certainly isn't helping diagnose the issue.

Appreciate any help y'all can give.

Back Story: 1995 525i touring sat in driveway for over three years with little attention. I decide it needs rescue and get it road worthy (sort of.) There are multiple issues with the car but this one is the one I have spent the most effort trying to get fixed so far.

[Elekta]

New tranny filter and flush? Pull battery cables and touch them together for 3 minutes to reboot the system? Tranny pan may have pump bolts loose. Check all the tranny trouble shoot faq threads.

Those would be next before a rebuild

[attack eagle]

dont forget the gear selection is mechanical too.

sadly I think you found why it sat for 3 years.

TIME


TO


MANUAL SWAP!!!

[sfgearhead]

If you know the kickdown switch is broken, start there, maybe it fixes it. Any auto '95 should be a good donor.

Or as Senor Eagle says, a manual swap would solve that, and add mucho value to the car.

[tompkinsbj]

Thanks for the moral support. There is a little more info and something I found last night.

The car was parked for an overheating problem. I found that to be an imploded water pump impeller. The tranny had been rebuilt before it was bought by my dad and was working perfectly for the several years he drove it before the overheating issues.

I yanked the egs last night and found it to be very corroded. It is apparent that the sunroof had leaked a bit during it's sit. Anybody have a way to test the egs itself? I'm considering just getting one off of a well known auction site to test it out.

Believe me, if I had the money she would definitely be in for a swap. Unfortunately if I can't get her to DD shape soon she might go up for sale as a parts car.

[ltflint]

Wish you were closer. I'd make you a deal on the auto from my '95 Touring.

[BavarianFanatic]

Hey, what kind of shape is it in? I might be interested in it...

[tompkinsbj]

Hey, what kind of shape is it in? I might be interested in it...

I'm not ready to give up yet...

metered out the tranny connector, all solenoids and the speed sensor ohm out right according to the manual. Working on procuring an MV egs to swap in.

I'll keep everyone posted. On the bright side I managed to unclog all the sunroof drains and fix the stuck rear motor. Hopefully when I get the motor back in she'll open up right. :D

[bmwpower]

How is the fluid? I would honestly dump the fluid and filter and replace.

[tompkinsbj]

Definitely needs to be done. I need to get the kit and a couple more jack stands to put her up level.

[upallnight]

Sounds like you are in Trans Program Mode. That would account for no first gear and why you are always in third gear.

[ThreeM30s]

Make sure you have no water under the carpet. It can get in and corrode the wiring under the rear power distribution box. To dry out is easy in the sun, so long as you get to the leaks that'll be fine. Common culprits are leaves blocking the corner drains in the sunroof cassette. Rear easy fix, just tape 3' of garden hose onto your vacuum cleaner pipe, open the sunroof, stick in the hose to each corner and suck 'em out!

[sfgearhead]

Great point ThreeM30's. there is a huge bundle of wires under the rear carpet, just in front of the rear seat. Pull up the carpet there and check for water. If you find any it would be worth an hour to pull apart the splices and redo them. I lost my interior lights to that problem.

[tompkinsbj]

Make sure you have no water under the carpet. It can get in and corrode the wiring under the rear power distribution box. To dry out is easy in the sun, so long as you get to the leaks that'll be fine. Common culprits are leaves blocking the corner drains in the sunroof cassette. Rear easy fix, just tape 3' of garden hose onto your vacuum cleaner pipe, open the sunroof, stick in the hose to each corner and suck 'em out!

It did have water in it at one time, it has been dry for a while. I'll check it out. If I read my wiring diagrams and the ETM right though my issues don't connect to the rear distribution box.

Turns out the sunroof issue was a pair of clogged drains and a dead rear motor. I was able to rescue the motor and now I have a working sunroof.

Just won an egs box for the car so hopefully that will fix my gear issues...

[tompkinsbj]

New egs fixed my tranny problem :redspot. Now I need to figure out how to get the heating system working.

Anybody have a IHKR module for a 95 touring laying around? I'm guessing that if the instrument cluster and egs were corroded beyond life that the IHKR isn't any better.

Also I have a small leak at the tranny cooler input. Do i have to pull the bumper, it's a bit cold for all that now and she want's to run...

[attack eagle]

touring and sedan are the same...

that unit was from 91-95 so you should be good to find one form most any m50 part out.

[tompkinsbj]

touring and sedan are the same...

that unit was from 91-95 so you should be good to find one form most any m50 part out.

Thanks AE it didn't look like that was the case from the realoem search but maybe I hamfisted it. **checked again, I was an idiot.**

[attack eagle]

I should have said m50, m60 era car. Sometimes the late 535s were leftovers and have the older style stuff.

Jsut needs to have the black buttons, not the glowing translucent buttons.

Sorry for any confusion.