Stiff automatic transmission gear shift

[zippyzgs]

The gear shift occasion become stiff when shifting from P to R and R to D....need extra effort to shift the gear. However, the forward gears just working perfectly fine.

My gear box should be ZF 5 speed-gear ...is it time to change the ATF fluid?

[ducky328i]

couldnt hurt

[zippyzgs]

Just hope there is no need for an expensive rebuild

[drtweak1992325i]

is there a good clunk when shifting?

On mine with some time i got a really bad clunk when i would go from P or R and then N to D or N to R.

With time it got worse and worse and worse. Talked to my dad. so we jack up the car and took a look...This is what we found...

http://thetweakingzone.com/pics/BMW/newparts/1.jpg

the guilbo was just TRASHED. GONE. so we replaced it. It was a bit of a pain in the ass because the car about about 1 - 1 1/2 off the ground and it just right space (me and my dad are both 6' and REALLY long arms and legs). But once it was replaced and fixed no more hard bumping shifting sound!

Tip: If your car starts to shift (foward 1-5 gears) hard and with a good cluck...your fluid is low. I know this one too well...

[TheKyle]

I had the same problem with my shifter. I could disconnect the cable from the trans and from the shifter and both the shifter itself and the cable moved very easily. But when the too were connected the shifter was very hard to move. The problem was what I was told to be the trundles? Basically, at the shift selector lever on the transmission, the cable is clamped into two pivots which allow the the selector lever to move rotationally while keeping the cable parallel to the ground. These pivots are what the solid end of the cable slide into and are what hold the cable when you tighten that nut on the selector lever.These pivots rotate when you shift the transmission and my pivots (called trundles?) were rusted and did not allow the cable to move easily. I actually dealt with Ducky328i on replacing the shifter itself but then found the trundles to be the problem. Hey Ducky .

Hope I'm clear

[zippyzgs]

Thanks for the advice. But someone said it is the problem of the solenoid that jam the shifter knob. I am quite confused now....

[Biochemlab]

I just did a solenoid replacement on my transmission, it was shifting hard from 1 to 2 and from 2 to 3, 3 to 4 was fine.

Shifting the knob from P to R to N to D, was all just fine. The solenoid affected how the automatic shifts occurred. They were so rough it sounded like I hit something.

$900+tax...

[MJFX328]

ouch! You can try luing those "trundles"^ but it usually means there is wear. Look for a cheap auto trans or do a manny swap if you can afford it. Otherwise try changing the fluid and hope it works out

[TheKyle]

To the OP

I'm not quite clear on what your describing in the first post. Nothing internaly in the transmission will cause the shifter to act stiff unless there is something wrong with the manual shaft in the valvebody of the transmission (which never occurs). If the transmission itself shifts gears fine, and it is the shifter (inside the car) that's difficult to move then there is a problem with the shifter cable, the trunions (as described in my earlier post) or the shifter mechanism. I don't know what the climate is like in Hong Kong, but in New York cars rust and thats what caused my shiter to be stiff (rusted trunions). Again my transmission shifted gears fine but it was physically hard to engage the gear with the shifter.

[zippyzgs]

Thanks for the advice, I have removed the shift console and it seemed that the shift lock solenoid is working fine. I have also spread some WD-40 on the shifter rod, hoping that it is due to the oxidation on the rod.
However the problem still exist, usually after driving more than 30 mins and then will find the gear shift will become stiff. I can't get access to the gear shift cable so may be I need to take my car to the repair shop to check for the problem.

[zippyzgs]

Finally the problem is solved by the repair shop. A plastic control rod inside the valve body rotten with time and expaned when the ATF become hot. That's why I can't shift the gear after a long way driving. The technician said BMW already recognized this problem and a metal replacement part was introduced.
The ATF replaced was in horrible condition, just like mud and clotted inside the valve body. Now the ATF is replaced and the valve body is cleaned, and my car has become more responsive and quiet.

[dooleyt]

Finally the problem is solved by the repair shop. A plastic control rod inside the valve body rotten with time and expaned when the ATF become hot. That's why I can't shift the gear after a long way driving. The technician said BMW already recognized this problem and a metal replacement part was introduced.
The ATF replaced was in horrible condition, just like mud and clotted inside the valve body. Now the ATF is replaced and the valve body is cleaned, and my car has become more responsive and quiet.

Hi Zippyzgs,
I've just read your post (8yrs later ☺) and the issue you describe sounds just like the issue I'm experiencing. I've got a 1993 520i with a 5 speed auto transmission, where the gear shifter jams (unable to move from P to N to R to P) when the car warms up. I've replaced the cable and the atf (Dex-III), the problem persists. Would you have a part number for the control arm, or advice as to where I could get a replacement arm.
Many Thanks
Tony

[BananaBender]

In 2019, my 1994 320i 5 speed auto gear selector became difficult to move from "D" to"P" once the car warmed up, although easy to move once the car cooled. A BMW dealer quoted $188 (plus $100+ fitting) for the cable linking the gear selector to the auto transmission. Previous posts indicate this may not be the problem.
Haynes E36 Manual described removal of the "T-bar" handle and the "2-3-4-D-N-R-P" cover plate revealing a dry looking rod entering a metal tube leading to the transmission.
About 40mm of 6mm inner diameter split rubber hose tie-wire clamped at one end on the rod and on the tube at the other end was periodically filled with a few drops of engine oil and allowed to seep into the tube over 24 hours...
The gear selector now moves freely, hot or cold.

[shogun]

Finally the problem is solved by the repair shop. A plastic control rod inside the valve body rotten with time and expanded when the ATF become hot. That's why I can't shift the gear after a long way driving. The technician said BMW already recognized this problem and a metal replacement part was introduced.

Over the past few years I have read about more cases and in some cases the selector valve broke cpl., and ZF also changed the material, mostly on ZF 5HP18 and 5HP30 but also on 4HP..
Selector Valve Product ID : 1056 327 173 01 http://www.thectsc.com/products/sele...4-5HP24A-5HP30
also shown here in the vb overhaul http://forum.roadfly.com/threads/131...aul-DIY-Part-1

[BananaBender]

Thanks Shogun...your Selector Valve post identified my real problem which only appeared on longer trips now that the weather has cooled. The lubricated selector cable moved freely once disconnected from the transmission.
A Brisbane Automatic Transmission specialist ordered a replacement selector valve and a ZF5HP18 filter kit, 8 litres of Fuchs synthetic ATF and took 3.5 hours to replace the faulty valve and road-test the car.
A recent 200km road trip has confirmed the successful repair.

BMW 5 Speed Selector Valve (c).jpg

[shogun]

Great!
And today we solved the same problem on an E34 with 5HP30 https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...n-stucked-in-D

[Riri1010]

Hi my ZF4HP22 trans does not go into forward gears.
Only reverse. I did a complete recon of the trans fluid is clean and new filter also new. Oil pump works but i can't get forward gears. I don't know what to do please help me if u have any suggestions thank you

[shogun]

most probably clutch A defective, worn
Fault: position D, no drive

possible cause:
dirty oil filter
clutch A defective
one way clutch 1st gear slips
wrong setting of gear change rods between control lever and gear box
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...-forward-gears
Power flow https://www.adelaideautomatics.com.a.../tranfund2.pdf
Problem: 'A' clutch burnout: transmission will not move the car forward or there is a long delay once the car is put into gear. http://bmwe32.masscom.net/moswald/zf...2_rebuild.html