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Thread: 328i gear lever doesn't go back to 3./4. gear, stays in front of 5. gear

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
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    Austria
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    e36 323i, M3 3.2

    328i gear lever doesn't go back to 3./4. gear, stays in front of 5. gear

    Hello,

    My name is sam and i'm new to this forum. First i have to say my english is not perfect but i'm trying my best. i really hope this is the right place for my problem. i'm from switzerland and drive a e36 328i coupe. i'm also at the german BMW forum but i think this one here is better , as it has more users.

    My problem is that the gear lever (manual gearbox) doesn't go back to neutral position between 3th and 4th gear, as it should be. It just stays in front of 5th gear. there is also a lot of force required to get into 5th gear because there is kind of the same "blocking" (kind of the same as when you want to go into reverse) you have to overcome to get into 5th. i literally read every thread in the entire internet about this problem.

    I know that this is caused by worn out/broken bushings/bearings (i mean these things with the spring in it, those things on the side of the gearbox). My clutch is pretty new and i dont really want to take out the gearbox again to fix this issue. (sadly i had no time to fix it at that time because i had to replace the clutch very fast because i needed the car and didnt have these bushings ready at that time.)

    Is there another fix to this problem where the gearbox can stay inside ? did anyone try it or is it literally impossible and the only fix is to replace those little parts ? i'd be very happy if someone would share his experiences.

    thanks for your help and again i excuse for my english.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
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    washington dc
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    Avus Cosmos Calypso!
    classic symptoms of drift pins needing to be replaced. Will need to drop the trans housing again to get at them. Look up thayer motorsports in VA for tools.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
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    Austria
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    e36 323i, M3 3.2
    this seems like it could be the problem because besides the 5th gear problem, shifting in general is really rough with my gearbox. i dont think i will get tools from a company located in virginia sent to switzerland (expensive). actually no one from the german forum ever did that fix on their car, so this seems kinda new to me, as i just knew about the fix for the 5th gear and reverse until now.

    but i guess now i have to life with it and wait another 250000 km until the next clutch replace.

    at the moment i would even be happy if i could solve the getting-in-5th gear problem. as far as i know it is caused by friction, so wouldn't it be possible to get any grease or other lubrication in there somehow ? or did anyone try anything that didnt need the gearbox to be outside the car or even managed to replace those things with the gearbox still inside ?
    Last edited by samy01; 10-26-2016 at 10:34 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    NY
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    9,079
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    1997 328i
    Greetings fellow swiss, from the asshole of the world I give you a video with great detail to fix your ailing e36

    Yes your trans must be removed, so don't get your hopes up

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vm7coapL-V4

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
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    Austria
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    e36 323i, M3 3.2
    thank you, that really helped to see how it works. well i guess then i will life with it. it's a shame, i love the car but the only bad thing is that the gearbox isn't really the best anymore.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
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    Austria
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    e36 323i, M3 3.2
    just in case someone who has the same problems will find this thread in the future: i removed the cdv and now shifting in general is much better, especially from 1. - 2. (of course it didnt solve the problem with the 5. gear, thats a gearbox problem and not a clutch problem)

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Wisconsin
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    11,751
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    98 328IS 03 325xi
    This link should have everything you need to do this job. There should be dimensions for the drifts to install the bushings in the required parts and tools section near the top of the page. http://webspace.ringling.edu/~dplass...ins.html#tools

    Gave away my BMWs, driving a VW and an Audi now.

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