Differences in Getrag manual gearboxes

[hooRAH]

I have a 93 525i with a blown 2nd gear in a Getrag tranny - what I believe is the S5D 250G based on the info I've read but have been unable to confirm except that the side of the transmission says "Getrag" and there was only one getrag tranny for the E34.

My question is this:

If I find a manual Getrag 5 spd from a similar car, like an E36 325/328 (I've even heard that my E46 uses the same gearbox), is there any difference in, say, the output shaft or mounting locations?

I obviously find a whole lot more manual gearboxes from 3 series cars than 5 series, which is why I'm asking.

Thanks guys!

[xatlas0]

If you get one tied to the same motor, and it is a Getrag (rather than ZF) it should be fine. Check the PNs on realoem, they should be the same.

[SevenThirty]

Yes it's the same gearbox as the 325i/323i/328i etc. Realoem goes a bit tits-up because it says it's the same box as an 850CSi and a 316.......

Second gear syncro is going on my 320i E36. :-( Needs care when cold to avoid a c-r-u-n-c-h ).

[hooRAH]

So no differences on the output shaft or having to get a new driveshaft? The PNs are different on REALOEM, but not the trans names (the 250G part).

Interesting. That gives me a whole lot more options to look around at. I'd like to just have my trans rebuilt, but the shops around here are giving unrealistic estimates.

[SevenThirty]

Don't worry too much about Realoem part numbers. BMW aren't going to make two different gearboxes when one will do.
An example is a gearbox for an E28 520i. It is absolutely identical in every way to that of a 320i. I fitted one to a 320i I had - yet the last two letters on the serial number are different. It's BMW's way of identifying what car the box was fitted to and what engine to bolt it to on the assembly line.

As for 2.5 M50 stuff - same casings, same input shaft, same ratios, same output flange. Some used the big guibo coupling, some small but the output flange is easily swapped.

[hooRAH]

Thanks alot for the info. When you say that the output flange is easily swapped, are we talking nuts and bolts or pressed like a differential flange?

I found some guy on Roadfly that claims he put a 99 Z3 trans in a 92-93 E34, so I'm pretty optimistic. Can't wait to get this thing back on the road.

[SevenThirty]

Big nut and pull the flange off, easy. But I doubt you'll need to swap it. A Z3 box probably would fit as it's an E46 garbox which is similar to the E36 unit.