Shift selector seal replacement

[carsnplanes]

if you just placed another seal in front of the other seal without the metal retainer set in a fixed boss, it would just move along with the motion of the shifter rod and would NOT be "sealing". The seal is to capture transmission oil from escaping from between the transmission case (fixed) and the moving rod. The original boss is designed to fit only one seal body with a friction fit and can't possibly share another seal's body in it, at least looking at the photo. Just placing it in front of the old one doesn't really do anything. It would ride along with the rod just as if you were to place a rubber band around the shift rod. There's nothing to hold the seal body in place. That's a sealing area too. Am I missing something here?

[pldlnr]

The seal seats into the body and friction fits while sealing around the shift rod. The body is deep enough with uniform dimension that you could fit several seals in a row. You would be pushing the old seal in deeper and the new one would replace. The only potential side effect would be difficulty removing the oldest seal if you ever needed to.

[carsnplanes]

The seal seats into the body and friction fits while sealing around the shift rod. The body is deep enough with uniform dimension that you could fit several seals in a row. You would be pushing the old seal in deeper and the new one would replace. The only potential side effect would be difficulty removing the oldest seal if you ever needed to.

ok, so there is no seat or lip that the seal body rests against in the tranny case. What you are saying is that the bore is one dimension deep being able to fit several seals in there like a sleeve of coins. Guess when you are replacing the seal, you have to know when to stop tapping the seal in place as far as depth goes. Also suppose you could get to the back of the seal withing the tranny, but you would have to split the case to get in to the backside to drive the seal out.

[rem83]

ok, so there is no seat or lip that the seal body rests against in the tranny case. What you are saying is that the bore is one dimension deep being able to fit several seals in there like a sleeve of coins. Guess when you are replacing the seal, you have to know when to stop tapping the seal in place as far as depth goes. Also suppose you could get to the back of the seal withing the tranny, but you would have to split the case to get in to the backside to drive the seal out.

Generally, whatever you're using to tap in the seal has a slightly larger outer diameter than the seal, so when the back side of the seal is flush with the case, you can't pound it in anymore.

[chicaneS54]

Hallelujah

I got it out. I used Alpina's idea of bashing it in on one side to kind of get a grip and push it out on the other side, then used a combination long thin Craftsman pick and small screwdriver to leverage her out. Thanks for all of the help guys..

UPDATE:

One problem solved now a new one I mangled the new seal trying to get this thing in. Any tips?

[IMSARS69]

Any tips?

At the risk of sounding... well, you know like a smart arse...

Three words -

Buy Another One

Sorry, couldn't help mesef... ';)

[chicaneS54]

At the risk of sounding... well, you know like a smart arse...

Three words -

Buy Another One

Sorry, couldn't help mesef... '

And at the risk of me sounding like a smart a$$, I already bought another one. I need some advice on getting the new one IN!

[Bert Poliakoff]

And at the risk of me sounding like a smart a$$, I already bought another one. I need some advice on getting the new one IN!

You have to find some thing like a deep socket or pice of pipe, that fits over the selector shaft and is the same diameter as the outer lip of the seal. Put some grease on the outside of the seal and give it a whack with a BFH. Seal should go right in, The trick is for the pressure to be applied evenly.

[chicaneS54]

You have to find some thing like a deep socket or pice of pipe, that fits over the selector shaft and is the same diameter as the outer lip of the seal. Put some grease on the outside of the seal and give it a whack with a BFH. Seal should go right in, The trick is for the pressure to be applied evenly.

I did that (minus the grease). I took a 15mm deep socket and tapped it in. Honestly I am on my back under the car so it is hard at that angle to whack anything and I don't think a huge hammer is going to make it under there. What type of grease (white lithium or tranny oil) and should I heat the outside a little to expand the hole?

[Bert Poliakoff]

Don't heat, if anything put the seal in the freezer and shrink it. Any kind of grease is fine.

[chicaneS54]

Don't heat, if anything put the seal in the freezer and shrink it. Any kind of grease is fine.

Good idea about the freezer.

[CW6er]

FYI, here is the official Factory method for removing / replacing the selector shaft seal; A screw driver and a piece of pipe, the pipe just got a fancy "Special Tool" number as time when on. Of course they show it on the bench:

http://www.malloc.nl/BMW/635CSi/page....html#refertoc
http://www.malloc.nl/BMW/635CSi/page....html#refertoc
http://www.malloc.nl/BMW/635CSi/page....html#refertoc

[Fogrocker]

" Lift out radial oil seal."

[Shabonian]

NEED HELP. 86 bmw 325e E30. I have a stuck shift selector seal that i have been trying to get out for a while now. I have tried flatheads, picks, heating the area around the seal, and lubing it up, but nothing has helped the seal come out. It feels as if the metal part of the seal is stuck. Any suggestions on what to get this seal out??
IMG_20160127_141557.jpg

[jwrit]

try to dig into it, hook it and pull it out. eventually after doing this enough, you'll probably break it into multiple pieces, which is when you're close to getting it out.

only problem is - once you start tearing into it, then you REALLY need to replace it.

Yup "how many times have i said, " .... if we could just get back where we were when w started. "

[chadd95m3]

I've removed two of these - the best method I've found and previously mentioned is to use a small screwdriver or other tool to push inward on one side of the gasket. This will actually pull the other side out. It kind of turns the gasket on its axis and you are then able to pick out the gasket on the side that comes out from pushing the other side in.