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Thread: Automatic Trans Gear selector rod seal +pics. How do you remove this darn thing!!

  1. #1
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    Automatic Trans Gear selector rod seal +pics. How do you remove this darn thing!!

    Hello everyone,

    I noticed some leaks from my automatic transmission so I took a look under the car. The transmission oil pans are bone dry but the gear selector rod has constant oil seeping out. It's pretty bad to the point that I see oil all around the nuts and it drips a few drops when I leave the car parked over night.

    So I went out bough a new seal part # 24 10 1 218 852 for the 1996 328i Automatic

    Did a search on google and this forum, no one really has done a diy for this yet. Only for manual transmissions.

    Car is sitting on jack stands right now and I cannot get the damn seal out! I've tried many things. prying it here and there, using a fish hook, but nothing. Just won't budge. I'm at the point of no return as I've damaged it too much to not replace it now and I can see more transmission oil seeping out.

    Any tips on how to get this damn thing out!?



    Some pics:

    The transmission gear selector rod seal. This is before I started. overall.JPG

    Picture of the seal
    seal 1.jpgseal 2.jpg

    Picture of the seal in the trans
    seal cannot remove.jpg

    Tools I've been using
    tools tried.jpg

    Any help is much much appreciated!!!!!!

  2. #2
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    Same trans: http://forum.planetisuzoo.com/viewtopic.php?t=53784

    Likely need to drop rear of trans enough to get a straight shot at it.
    Last edited by choffa; 08-14-2013 at 07:49 AM.

  3. #3
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    Man looks like this has become quite the big project.

    I stupidly went ahead and tried to remove the gasket and I have managed to break the seal in half and left the most of the seal inside the transmission. Basically I picked out the top rubber layer with a dentist tooth picking utensil but left the body of the gasket seal inside the transmission. Here's a picture of the seal stuck inside the trans. broken seal.jpg

    I was surprised to see the gasket itself having a metal body with the rubber top. metal gasket.jpg

    What I attempted to do was cut the gasket's rubber top off cut gasket.jpg and mate it with the metal body of the gasket that's stuck inside my transmission.

    Here's a shot of the cut seal with Permatex Ultra black gasket maker on it. gasket cut with permatex.jpg
    I put the seal onto the shifter shaft gasket set on shifter shaft.jpg
    Last edited by silver36; 08-17-2013 at 04:31 PM. Reason: added detail

  4. #4
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    And used a 13mm socket to push it on to set the seal on setting seal.jpg


    End result, with my fingers crossed like theres no tomorrow that this patch fix worked. shifter link with permatex seal2.jpgshifter link with permatex seal.jpg


    And of course it did not. Woke up this morning and theres a puddle of transmission oil on the ground underneath the car. Sigh.

    So my next idea, which is a pain in the ass, is to drain out the transmission oil, drop the pan, and push the seal out from the inside. push seal out from inside.jpg
    Does anyone know if this is possible? Or will I hit a dead end when I drop the pan? Thanks!
    Last edited by silver36; 08-17-2013 at 04:32 PM.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by choffa View Post
    Same trans: http://forum.planetisuzoo.com/viewtopic.php?t=53784

    Likely need to drop rear of trans enough to get a straight shot at it.
    Hi Choffa,

    Thanks for looking into this for me. I did find that tool that they mentioned there in the Isuzu forum, the Schley Products Inc 96480 Gm Transmission Seal Remover/installer found here http://www.amazon.com/Schley-SCH9648.../dp/B000FN4A5I

    But it looks a bit too long for my application. Because the E36 has pretty tight space inbetween the transmission and the car.
    I'm hoping I don't need to drop the transmission as you mentioned as that is just beyond my mechanical scope.

    Do you have any idea how this tool works? It's listed as the bmw tool for removing and installing rotary shaft seal of gearshift shaft for the A4S 310R. Altho I have the A4S 270R. I just can't vision how this tool works.
    tool.JPGbmw245360.jpg

    thx!

  6. #6
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    That tool simply screws into that seal.. Once it's snug you pull or pry it out depending on how the tool was designed . Screw it in to tight and it free spins, the tool will no longer work on that seal.
    Clint
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  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by modular93fox View Post
    That tool simply screws into that seal.. Once it's snug you pull or pry it out depending on how the tool was designed . Screw it in to tight and it free spins, the tool will no longer work on that seal.
    Clint
    Hi Clint,

    Hmm I see, that makes sense. Looking at my seal though theres no room for this tool to grab onto the seal though. The metal side/body part of the seal is pretty much flush with the rest of the transmission body. Heres a better picture 2013-08-14 18.50.26.jpg

    I'm gonna try to find a shop that has this tool locally and maybe they have a better idea than me.

    But that being said, curious Clint do you know if the seal needs to be pulled out? Or can it be pushed out from the inside of the transmission oil pan? Say for example if I applied the tool and it spins freely meaning it'll no longer work to pull out the seal.

    Thanks!

  8. #8
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    If you are at or close to the 60k replacement of the filter, go ahead and drop the pan to see. I think that you could push it out with the filter dropped.

    - - - Updated - - -

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  9. #9
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    Wow, I've had issues with removing the shifter shaft seal, but never like this. I usually use a small but strong screwdriver, tap it through the seal, avoiding scratching the shaft, and lever the seal out. I realize this is a bit late for where you are, at this point, but I don't think you're going to easily remove this from the inside; I seem to recall seeing a rear face around the shaft, when looking from outside.

    When you DO manage to remove the rest of the seal, you need to clean up any burrs you've created on the shaft, or the new one will never seal. I also recommend putting a wrap of electrical tape over the sharp edges of the shifter shaft before installation, to protect the inner edges of the seal from catching on the shaft. Pack the inside of the new seal with grease or vaseline.

    In one instance where all this precaustion failed to give a good seal, my boss insisted that I drive the new seal to its furthest depth, and install a SECOND seal on top of it. I argued, because that seemed really half-assed to me - but it actually worked!

    Chris Powell
    Racer and Instructor since, well. decades, ok?
    Master Auto Tech, owner of German Motors of Aberdeen
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    German Motors is hiring ! https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...1#post30831471

  10. #10
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    You're at a point where you'll likely need to drop the rear of the trans: exhaust out, trans cross member out, drive shaft center bearing disconnected from the body. Good time to inspect & replace the flex joint (Guibo) if needed. Keep an eye on the fan so it doesn't smash the radiator shroud as the front of the engine rotates upward.

    Doubtful you can punch it out from inside, the bore where the seal fits is the bearing surface for the shaft (tight clearance). Once you have a clean shot at the remnants of the seal, the removal tool, or a small chisel, sharpened so you can collapse the steel ring in toward the center of the hole. Google "cape chisel" to see what the tool looks like. Used to collapse bushings, used carefully, you can grab the edge of the steel ring & collapse it inward, then pull it out with pliers.

    Best of luck!

    Here's one of several procedures for the trans, driveshaft, area. Look at the left column for others relating to dropping the trans (partially in your case):

    http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech.../E36-Guibo.htm

  11. #11
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    Hi everyone,

    thanks for all the tips and help. I ended up driving the car out to a transmission shop and the guy used a tool to remove the seal. Although it was not easy and he was laughing at me the whole time. Anyhow he used this tool MST9648.jpg but because it was too long he considered cutting his tool. But ended up just lowering the transmission to get the seal out. He was pretty close to giving up too but in the end he got it out.
    Now I got this ring of shame to remind me of my failing attempt at a DIY! I wore the ring around my pinky finger all day as well hah ring of shame.jpg

    So tip to anyone that attempts this, having the right tool helps a lot. The transmission shaft seal removal tool screws into the seal and removes the metal seal. I was hesitant to buy the tool as it was made for GMs therefore I thought the tool would be way to big to fit into the e36's available space. The BMW auto transmission rod selector shaft seal removal tool isn't that easy to find so I attempted it with tools from home.

    Big thanks to the Bimmerforums community again! Hopefully my post will help someone in the future

    - - - Updated - - -

    Hi Chris,

    Thanks for the tips. I had the transmission mech add some gasket maker around the outer seal to fill up the nicks in the shaft seal housing that I created. So far so good with no leaks, fingers crossed!

    I've also read many ppl saying they just jam a second seal into place and it seems to work. This first seal I had in there for a good 200,000 kilometers so a second one should last beyond the life of the transmission.

    thanks again
    Quote Originally Posted by bmwdirtracer View Post
    Wow, I've had issues with removing the shifter shaft seal, but never like this. I usually use a small but strong screwdriver, tap it through the seal, avoiding scratching the shaft, and lever the seal out. I realize this is a bit late for where you are, at this point, but I don't think you're going to easily remove this from the inside; I seem to recall seeing a rear face around the shaft, when looking from outside.

    When you DO manage to remove the rest of the seal, you need to clean up any burrs you've created on the shaft, or the new one will never seal. I also recommend putting a wrap of electrical tape over the sharp edges of the shifter shaft before installation, to protect the inner edges of the seal from catching on the shaft. Pack the inside of the new seal with grease or vaseline.

    In one instance where all this precaustion failed to give a good seal, my boss insisted that I drive the new seal to its furthest depth, and install a SECOND seal on top of it. I argued, because that seemed really half-assed to me - but it actually worked!
    - - - Updated - - -

    Hi Choffa,
    Yeah the transmission mech ended up dropping the transmission centre support to lower the transmission a bit.
    I took a look at the guibo and surprisingly theres no tears or anything on it, good heads up tho.

    And the same thing the transmission mech said, no way you can punch it out from the inside. I could see the end of the bore where the shaft seal fits after it was taken out.
    Close call, I almost dropped my pan to take a look from the inside. Phew.
    shaft seal out.jpg

    Quote Originally Posted by choffa View Post
    You're at a point where you'll likely need to drop the rear of the trans: exhaust out, trans cross member out, drive shaft center bearing disconnected from the body. Good time to inspect & replace the flex joint (Guibo) if needed. Keep an eye on the fan so it doesn't smash the radiator shroud as the front of the engine rotates upward.

    Doubtful you can punch it out from inside, the bore where the seal fits is the bearing surface for the shaft (tight clearance). Once you have a clean shot at the remnants of the seal, the removal tool, or a small chisel, sharpened so you can collapse the steel ring in toward the center of the hole. Google "cape chisel" to see what the tool looks like. Used to collapse bushings, used carefully, you can grab the edge of the steel ring & collapse it inward, then pull it out with pliers.

    Best of luck!

    Here's one of several procedures for the trans, driveshaft, area. Look at the left column for others relating to dropping the trans (partially in your case):

    http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech.../E36-Guibo.htm

  12. #12
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    Great news! Glad you got the old girl back on the road.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by bmwdirtracer View Post
    Wow, I've had issues with removing the shifter shaft seal, but never like this. I usually use a small but strong screwdriver, tap it through the seal, avoiding scratching the shaft, and lever the seal out. I realize this is a bit late for where you are, at this point, but I don't think you're going to easily remove this from the inside; I seem to recall seeing a rear face around the shaft, when looking from outside.

    When you DO manage to remove the rest of the seal, you need to clean up any burrs you've created on the shaft, or the new one will never seal. I also recommend putting a wrap of electrical tape over the sharp edges of the shifter shaft before installation, to protect the inner edges of the seal from catching on the shaft. Pack the inside of the new seal with grease or vaseline.

    In one instance where all this precaustion failed to give a good seal, my boss insisted that I drive the new seal to its furthest depth, and install a SECOND seal on top of it. I argued, because that seemed really half-assed to me - but it actually worked!
    Old thread, but I read that worked for manual trannies. You have an auto and putting the new seal on top of the old one worked?

    Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

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