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Thread: Sloppy Shifting Coupé

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    2000 Z3 Coupe, M Coupé

    Sloppy Shifting Coupé

    My 2007 Z4 Coupé 6MT has been difficult to shift since the day I bought it. It's got about 77K on it now. I bought it with about 66K.

    I changed both the gear oil and the differential fluid soon after I bought the car. The improvement was fairly marginal, but I had to try something.

    The clutch seems fine. First and reverse are, for want of better words, hard to find. When cold, even with full clutch depression, I basically have to force it in to gear. First to second can be difficult, too. It gets a little better when the transmission warms. It's generally much easier to shift into the upper gears in any temperature range.

    There may be other problems, but I think there's no harm in making sure the shift linkage is fresh and precise. ECS tuning has two shifter rebuild kits I'm considering. One has Delrin bushings; the other Teflon. Neither kit has any reviews, even though both kits fit a wide variety of cars.

    I checked the Z4 knowledge base here, but didn't find anything.

    Any thoughts or advice? I don't have enough experience with other Z4s to have a sense of what normal is, though I've had two people with some Z4 experience say they thought it seemed normal, or at least normal enough.
    Last edited by Outrider; 08-22-2017 at 09:56 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
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    the perimeter
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    2007 Z4C, 2012 Tacoma
    Redline recommends their ATF for the Z4 gearbox. Yes ATF. I have one with that in the box and one with some other oil and the "other oil" box is a challenge when cold. Might be worth a try before more expensive alternatives.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    2000 Z3 Coupe, M Coupé
    I swapped out the fluids at a BMWCCA DIY. We were asked to use fluid from the sponsoring BMW dealer. Though some report better performance with other brands, like Red Line, I used BMW's fluid. I figured new BMW fluid is better than 10 year old BMW fluid. Given the symptoms I have, my guess is that the fix lies elsewhere

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Southwest, Ohio
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    213
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    2007 Z4 3.0Si
    Having never actually seen the under the plate/cover manual shift mechanism on the z4 I can only compare with mods I've completed on others. The only linkage you can modify or see is the cradle where the shifter rod goes in to gearbox. Just inspect and ensure it's not been altered or updated to aftermarket and that the pivot points are not pinched or worn. If they are dry, lubricate them. If it has been modified, find an oem one to see if the force needed when cold for 1st and 2nd. So shifting the gears on the rest feels normal? That, to me, would exclude the system associated with clutch and throw out bearing is functioning fine. How does getting in to reverse feel? As for Del run I r teflon? Are t they pretty much the same thing but proprietary names? I'd call and talk to ECS Tuning about what you're going to do with the auto and see what they suggest?
    Last edited by cdsweet; 08-24-2017 at 08:54 AM.

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    Getting it in to reverse is a PITA most of the time when cold, but a little less so when warm.

  6. #6
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    Update. I was at a ZSCCA & BMWCCA DIY today. While I had the Z up on the lift, I decided to remove the clutch delay valve. It didn’t fix everything but the clutch is so much easier to use. I may have some issues with the shift linkage, and there’s always the possibility the transmission needs to be rebuilt. But for today, it’s just nice to enjoy a much quicker acting clutch.

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    EXOTICS
    Have you tried bleeding the clutch slave cylinder?

  8. #8
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    Bled it at the DIY. Probably wasn't necessary because I didn't spill any fluid, but I had a bleeder and it was easy enough to bleed.
    I've been wondering if the plastic tip on the end of the slave cylinder is a factor. I'll probably check that out when I swap in a stainless steel clutch line.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
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    2005 BMW Z4 3.0i
    regardless whether you spilled any or not, you're going to want to bleed it. Just for future reference. Whenever you open a closed hydraulic system you are going to want to bleed it.
    Photbucket looking to make extra money......

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
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    Timaru, New Zealand
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    Two Z3 Roadsters
    Here's a easy test for you to see if the issue is the clutch or the transmission.

    1) Cold engine, start the car depress the clutch and try and select reverse with a normal amount of force that a good clutch/transmission would need. e.g holding the shifter but it does not go into gear.
    2) while holding the shifter in the reverse position turn the engine off.

    If the shifter falls into reverse just as the engine stops, its a clutch problem
    If the shifter does not go into reverse as the engine stops, its a transmission or shifter linkage problem

    My guess is that's its a clutch problem. Most likely is air in the slave cylinder. There are various ways to bleed it, some work better than others. I use the following.
    - remove the slave from the transmission
    - Point the bleed valve up, open it and push the rod into the cylinder, close the bleed valve. This allows any air in the cylinder to rise up to the bleed valve.
    - When refitting the cylinder to the transmission you must ensure that the rod is in correct contact with the clutch fork. You determine this by having to push the cylinder hard to fit it. Failure to do this part correctly can result in the cylinder emptying the rod, seals and other parts into the bell housing. You either fish them out or remove the transmission to get them.

    Bleeding the slave in its normal position will not remove all of the air.
    1999 2.8L Z3 Roadster,
    2000 3.0L Z3 Roadster,

    There is only one thing more pleasurable than working on a Z3, that's driving it top down on a fine day.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    2000 Z3 Coupe, M Coupé
    Thanks for the advice and information about bleeding tha slave cylinder while removed.

    I don’t discount having an air bubble in the slave cylinder as I bled the line when the slave was still installed.

    I’ll see if I can re-bleed the system at the next DIY.

  12. #12
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    2000 Z3 Coupe, M Coupé
    Update. I tried to isolate the problem as instructed above. No change as the engine shut off. Looks like the problem may be in the shift linkage or in the gearbox itself. That said, it also seems like a good time to install a braided clutch line.

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