4hp22 problem

[Kamz e34]

Hello everyone, my e34 525iA is having some problems in gearbox since a year, a year ago i got the car in the shop for governor problem, it get stock in first gear when cold, the shop removed the engine and cleaned all the transmission and replaced some seals, after 7 months the transmission oil pump went out, and again car in the shop and replaced the trans oil pump and governer as the problem of the governer went back after a month from the first repair, the problem of the governer stayed there (first gear shift at 3.5k rpm when cold), i got the car to another shop and he swapped the governer was stuck in the transmission, it worked for two weeks and now i have the same problem again.. I have paid the price of more than two transmissions and i still have the same problem. I was wondering if there is a fix for that problem, or is there anything i can do? don't tell me to do a manual swap i am a university student and will do that next year with my own money lol. And i was wondering if i can swap my transmission for the 4hp22EH from a 535i which i can easily access. If anyone can tell me what to do please thank you

[shogun]

When engine and transmission are cold, the shifting point to next gear is later = at higher engine RPM than normal, it mentions that in the owner's manual that the transmission will shift at a higher point when the engine is cold to bring it to operating temperature faster.
did you ever rebuild the valve body? https://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?2031084-*DIY*-ZF-4HP22EH-Valve-Body-Rebuild
BMW E28, E32, E34 Valve Body Cleaning (ZF 4HP22) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbWSAv9bGiQ
http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Trouble/Data/ZF%20Tech%20Guide.pdf
Do you have a spare transmission control unit to test, just to make sure the trans control unit is not defective?
Also check the ATF level at the correct temperature and procedure, for 4HP22/24:
4HP22/24 with dipstick and filling from top thru dipstick pipe: 1988 E32 owners manual states on page 63: automatic transmission, checking oil level: the car must be standing on a level surface with the transmission at operating temperature 80 degree Celsius. Allow the engine to idle with the selector lever at P or N. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it with a non-fluffy cloth and push it back to measure the oil level. It must be between the two notch marks. The quantity of oil represented by the space between the two marks on the dipstick is approx. 0.3 liter when the transmission is at operating temperature. If necessary, add fresh ATF at the oil level check pipe.

The best and most cost effective would be, if you find a shop which has a good tool to read fault codes. But it must be a dedicated BMW tool. Generic OBD II code reader only pulls codes for the electronic emissions systems...and will give the generic 5 digit "P_ _ _ _" codes aka DTC (diagnostic trouble codes) that is required by the federal OBD II mandate in US. A dedicated BMW tool will give access to BMW proprietary systems (all the control modules) and will no doubt use different codes that are specific to BMW and not the generic federal mandate DTC codes.

[Kamz e34]

None of the workshops accepted to touch the valve body, they said it will be ruined. I know it's normal for the transmission to shift later when cold but not at 4k rpm... we own this car since 1996 and i know how the car should should exactly drive, the oil level is good. In my country don't have any shops that have the OBD reader for old BMW models, it's rare to find. I am worry that i migth have a bigger problem here with the transmission oil pump that's causing this problem maybe? Is it normal for a transmission oil pump to go out?

[shogun]

trans oil pump mainly fails by incorrect installation of the torque converter, damaging the splines on the shaft. Important torque converter installation tips
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1648681-ZF-4HP22-auto-box-re-fitting-torque-converter-installation
example video Torque Converter Install and Setback Clearance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYdsbVCDgUs
detailed instructions how to repair the transmission oil pump, copy that from my website, includes pics https://twrite.org/shogunnew/otherModels/E34/Oil%20Pump.html
I have also seen quite often that the ATF filter was not correctly installed, sometimes caused by not fitting o-ring between valve body and filter, this causes that the ATF pump sucks air from a higher pint than the ATF is inside the trans pan, causes foaming and less power, here some pics , scroll down https://e32b12.blogspot.com/search/label/4HP24
repair manual 4HP22 https://www.scribd.com/doc/254865544/ZF-4HP22-Repair-Manual
There is a company in Poland which rebuilds valve bodies, maybe they sell/ship also to Lebanon, Maktrans , they also rebuild torque converters, competitive prices https://maktrans.net/zaptchasti-akpp/zf/zf4hp22-24/?srsltid=AfmBOoofmAG64VNCfQjxlza07adf_wgD-d22XZOosOv-5N9ycjsp8x1b
But if all is installed correctly, the ATF oil pump lasts forever.
valve body test data https://twrite.org/shogunnew/files/4hp22-24.pdf
"i was wondering if i can swap my transmission for the 4hp22EH from a 535i which i can easily access">>>>based on ETK your existing trans on 1989 E34 525i M20B25 was only used for this model, the 535i has a different part number, I dont know all details, you have to compare details of both models, also the driveshaft thickness/flanges, yours also has a Accelerator bowden cable http://bmwfans.info/parts-catalog/E34-Sedan/Europe/525i-M20/L-A/feb1989/browse/automatic_transmission/zf_4hp22_24_gear_shift_parking_lock_2/

[whiskychaser]

The governor can jam due to clutch material in the ATF. So it is possible that the fault can keep happening until the trans and all associated pipework is cleaned. Even then, I suspect it may recur. What reason did the garage(s) give for failure of the governor?

[Kamz e34]

At cold start the first gear is locked until 4k rpm and 4th gear have a bit of delay too, this problem is only on cold start and once i go through each gear the transmission is back to normal and operate very smoothly, i was told yesterday by a transmission shop that the torque converter that the other shop installed it for me is bad which causing metal shaving to stick the governor, when i replace or clean the governor it work for a few weeks and then get back to the problem. Is there any additive that can fix it? i also have a sound at idling when i cold like tapping from the front transmission

[sixerguy]

What was the exact transmission fluid used? It might be down to refilling with the wrong formulation of fluid. It could also be a sticking solinoid.

[Kamz e34]

The oil used is dextron 3

[shogun]

solenoid valves in valve body and the speed sensor you can test by yourselves at the plug on the transmission, not too difficult, details of test values here http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Trouble/Data/ZF%20Tech%20Guide.pdf
Resistance of output speed sensor https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?2488810-Resistance-of-output-speed-sensor