Transmission Mount size

[Wertles]

Does anyone have the height of the OEM transmission mount. Mine were replaced before I got my car with budget aftermarket ones and I am having issues with my shifter hitting my driveshaft. I have 3 possible reasons why this can be but the easiest and cheapest would be that the cheapo transmission mounts are taller than OEM and therefore my transmission is sitting a touch too high. Before I order off new ones, hoping that I could get a measurement of how high OEM is.

You can read my whole bad shifting experience here.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1803931

Any and all input is greatly appreciated.

[dmytro]

You may also consider that different bmw shifter levers have different lengths below the ball. The longer the length, the shorter the throw, limited only by clearance to the driveshaft.

[Wertles]

You may also consider that different bmw shifter levers have different lengths below the ball. The longer the length, the shorter the throw, limited only by clearance to the driveshaft.

Everything in the shifting is stock. My car was wrecked and is almost fully rebuilt. The crash was hard enough to damage the original transmission mounts and they were replaced with cheap OEM knockoffs. I either have a bent shifting arm, a bent transmission support (most unlikely IMHO), or the transmission mounts are not the correct size. I thought I would start with the cheapest, easiest fix first.

[SunzOut]

1 and 3/8 inches tall

[Randy Forbes]

You may also consider that different bmw shifter levers have different lengths below the ball. The longer the length, the shorter the throw, limited only by clearance to the driveshaft.

The ///M lever is the longest__below the ball__of them all.

[Wertles]

Ok. The transmission mounts are close enough to 1 3/8. The cross member is not bent. The only thing left is a bent shifting arm. UGG. I am NOT looking forward to replacing that. If everything is coming out anyway, I might look into some sort of SSK. Wondering if unbolting the guibo from the drive shaft, unbolting the transmission mount and lowering the back of the transmission gives me enough room to make this job not soo bad. Any dangers? This now is all new territory for me. The only transmission work I have ever done has been fluid changes.

In the mean time, bought some longer bolts and washers. Thinking about placing a couple of washers between the frame and the transmission cross member to give me an 1/8 inch clearance temporarily to use 2nd and 4th gear till I get this done. Again, stupid and dangerous or ok to drive to an inspection station or transmission shop? Obviously, no testing out the new suspension with it that way.

[SunzOut]

You will soon come to know the "bitch clip"....have fun!!

[lokijibber]

I'm not sure "washers" are the right thing to do here. When you say it can't use 2nd or 4th, I assume these worked before? Sounds like this is something new if that's the case.

[Wertles]

No, this is not something new but I have made it worse when I put the shift knob back on trouble shooting the initial "grinding" that I had. In 2nd and 4th, the shifting lever is physically touching the drive shaft. The rod holding the shifter I believe is bent down (initially from the crash, made worse hitting the know on with my hand) and that is the true fix to the problem.

Part #1 in the diagram
http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...13&hg=25&fg=05

I am having a problem finding out how to remove part 1 from part 3. My Bentley is at home and I am not. The selector rod is fine so I don't know if I have to remove the "bitch clip" assuming that is the one everyone is talking about.

Randy, are you still making your SSK? Or am I a few years out of luck?

[lokijibber]

Have you read this?

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...t_Bushings.htm

[Wertles]

Have you read this?

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...t_Bushings.htm

That is priceless right there. Thanks. Two hours of searching had turned up nothing.

[Randy Forbes]

Don't alter the driveline angle with spacing washers.

Put a shift lever from a 2.8 Z3 in, and you should have the clearance you need.

[PbFut]

Randy is correct. Doing so will over stress the guilbo and center support bearing. It is a vague memory, but doesn't the M shift rod have a slight bend as well as twist to it? I recall, if the lever is installed backwards you will have the symptoms described. This is from years ago and my memory is crap so don’t take this as fact, but may be worth checking.

[Randy Forbes]

Randy is correct. Doing so will over stress the guilbo and center support bearing. It is a vague memory, but doesn't the M shift rod have a slight bend as well as twist to it? I recall, if the lever is installed backwards you will have the symptoms described. This is from years ago and my memory is crap so don’t take this as fact, but may be worth checking.

Good point! Shift rod shown below, and it looks like the bend is downward AT THE XMSN.

Depends on what's toching the driveshaft though, the bottom of the lever, or a portion of the rod.

If the impact bent the shift rod farther, then I would expect the lever inside the car to be at an odd angle__not upright when in neutral.

[Wertles]

So I thought I might pull that rod out, see how bent it is, maybe bend it back and go on my way. No go. There was no way that bitch clip was going to get removed. I am not sure even if I could get the clip moved up that there was enough room in the tunnel to move it up enough to clear the transmission. I am not sure how much the transmission is supposed to move, but I removed the transmission mount bolts and thought I might be able to move it down a little to gain access but it didn't budge. It really wouldn't even pull down.

So here's the plan. I have ordered off the 2.8 shift lever and another new cup as per Randy. This is my temporary fix for the problem. Someday, I will drop the transmission and freshen up everything. Hopefully Johnathan will someday hold a transmission shift pin day/weekend (hint hint) and I can get everything done at once.