Those with a lot of BMW factory transmission knowledge...

[CoMZ302]

...so, my transmission is extremely balky and hard to shift. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to rebuild it with the BimmerWorld transmission kit here: http://www.bimmerworld.com/ZF-Transm...epair-Kit.html

My question is more about, what transmissions actually fit the M5x motors? I know the ZF that I have came in both my E36 328 and the M3.

The class I run, I can run the stock gearbox for no weight penalty, +75lbs for "any" syncro-based transmission, or +150lbs for a dog box (sequential is verboten).

Based on other cars I've owned, unless you're willing to take the box out and change gears for the track, the Dog Box is simply not worth the extra weight.

That said, With the short 3.91 gears I run, second gear is damned short in the stock box....

....so, I'm wondering if there's a BMW box that will fit the M52/S52, that has a closer ratio than the stock box, and still keep the 1:1 5th.

Yes I am allowed to make a bellhousing and adapt any transmission, even a close ratio out of a chevy or whatever - but it has to be syncro- based, and I love the 1:1 5th gear.

Any suggestions?

THANKS!

PS - I will probably just buy the DiffsOnline REM'd stock box, and live with the short 2nd - but I don't have the money yet and at $4K I am definitely shopping around first anyway.

[gobuffs]

Thought about a drive gear rebuilt gearbox?

[CoMZ302]

What is that?

[ScotcH]

...so, my transmission is extremely balky and hard to shift. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to rebuild it with the BimmerWorld transmission kit here: http://www.bimmerworld.com/ZF-Transm...epair-Kit.html

My question is more about, what transmissions actually fit the M5x motors? I know the ZF that I have came in both my E36 328 and the M3.

The class I run, I can run the stock gearbox for no weight penalty, +75lbs for "any" syncro-based transmission, or +150lbs for a dog box (sequential is verboten).

Based on other cars I've owned, unless you're willing to take the box out and change gears for the track, the Dog Box is simply not worth the extra weight.

That said, With the short 3.91 gears I run, second gear is damned short in the stock box....

....so, I'm wondering if there's a BMW box that will fit the M52/S52, that has a closer ratio than the stock box, and still keep the 1:1 5th.

Yes I am allowed to make a bellhousing and adapt any transmission, even a close ratio out of a chevy or whatever - but it has to be syncro- based, and I love the 1:1 5th gear.

Any suggestions?

THANKS!

PS - I will probably just buy the DiffsOnline REM'd stock box, and live with the short 2nd - but I don't have the money yet and at $4K I am definitely shopping around first anyway.

Waste of $ if you ask me ... I love the Diffsonline stuff, but the ZF tranny is pretty good as is, and you can get a dozen used ones for the cost of a single REM box. Unless you're changing the gears, I would not bother.

[CoMZ302]

That tranny is a ton of money, but if it really gives 6-10hp I have to think about it... while I know I have to fix the tranny anyway.

[gobuffs]

http://www.drive-gear.com/transmission/

[CoMZ302]

what's the cost to rebuild a ZF?

[ben4bama]

Might just need new clutch master and slave cylinders.

[CoMZ302]

Might just need new clutch master and slave cylinders.

Good thought - I'll take a look.

- - - Updated - - -

FYI the rebuild cost was about $1950 with shipping.

[NeilM]

...so, my transmission is extremely balky and hard to shift. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to rebuild it with the BimmerWorld transmission kit here: http://www.bimmerworld.com/ZF-Transm...epair-Kit.html.

OK wait a minute. That's the detent kit to fix the manufacturing issue on a certain build range of transmissions where excessive friction would prevent normal gear selector self-centering into the 3-4 plane. It has nothing to do with balky shifting, unless what you really meant is that the gear lever doesn't return to its normal resting position.

If your gearbox is generally reluctant to release and engage gears then the normal issue would be failure of the clutch to release fully. Causes could be improper bleeding of the clutch hydraulic circuit, or failure of the clutch master or slave cylinders or the throwout bearing. You could also have some kind of shift linkage issue. Or of course your transmission is actually lunched.

Neil

[CoMZ302]

Yup, I understand that now - you saw my other thread on the Pressure Plate issue.

[Crustashio]

OK wait a minute. That's the detent kit to fix the manufacturing issue on a certain build range of transmissions where excessive friction would prevent normal gear selector self-centering into the 3-4 plane. It has nothing to do with balky shifting, unless what you really meant is that the gear lever doesn't return to its normal resting position.

If your gearbox is generally reluctant to release and engage gears then the normal issue would be failure of the clutch to release fully. Causes could be improper bleeding of the clutch hydraulic circuit, or failure of the clutch master or slave cylinders or the throwout bearing. You could also have some kind of shift linkage issue. Or of course your transmission is actually lunched.

Neil

That kit is both the self-centering problem and the detent pins for the selector forks which can cause shifting problems. They replaced the original ZF pins with a slightly smaller pin and a teflon coated bushing.

Not saying it's his problem, but there are ZFs that are hard to shift because the selector fork pins can jam.

[Bobkid]

http://www.drive-gear.com/transmission/

I went with theirs late last year and have had good luck with it. Wasn't having much luck finding a used ZF with <100K miles on it, and didn't want to swap in a questionable unit and have it show the same issues that I was trying to fix.

Andrew's rebuilt unit shifts smooth, no more fighting worn synchros on the 4-3 downshift, and it even had all the shift pin and detent work done too. For about half the cost of a factory rebuild, it was worth the wait.