E36 transmission disengages after a few feet

[EsKaye]

Evening folks, recently purchased a 328IS 97' with 144K miles from some old folks living on a farm for 600$, it was pretty solid, they told me the transmission oil leaked, but it drove, so I drove it 40 miles home. Changed the transmission oil and transmission filter and now she drives for a few feet, then the transmission slips into neutral and I have no forward power. I can reverse back, but switching it from neutral to drive gives me 2 seconds of forward power, then slips off into neutral again. Thank you.

[shogun]

Did you properly fill up at the correct temperature and with engine running? Here is how to do http://www.europeantransmissions.com...ansService.pdf

fluid level checking GM and ZF without dipstick
-trans temp must be between 30-50 degree Celsius before you can start checking
-vehicle must be level and without load. with the engine running, switch on the aircon. this will increase idle speed and ensure that all oil passages in the trans are filled with oil.
-step on brake firmly, apply parking brake, and move the selector lever thru all gears, pausing briefly in each gear.
-with engine running and selector lever in P position, remove the FILLER plug, if a small stream of oil runs out, the fluid level is o.k.
-if no oil runs out when the filler plug is removed, the fluid level is too low, add oil until it starts to overflow.
-with the engine running, reinstall the oil filler plug

[EsKaye]

I haven't done it with the engine running, only when it was level on my jack stands and cold, would the difference be drastic?

[shogun]

Yes, engine MUST run and the trans has to be shifted. Do it again and you will see that much more ATF will go into the pan.
When engine is not running, you just fill the trans pan, when engine is running, the internal trans pump picks it up from the pan and pushes it into the clutch packs, torque converter, cooling lines etc, so much more will go into the pan before it overflows.

[EsKaye]

Brilliant, I will have this done tonight. I will go to Walmart right now to pick up ATF, and refill the fluid. I may just do another transmission oil change.

[Eric93se]

It also has to be raised level, i use a bubble level on the pan.

[EsKaye]

Update. Changed the transmission fluid and added a bottle of Lucas oil. Filled the right way, level, and engine running. Drove for 1 mile, gears 3 and 4 would not engage. Then on mile 2, the transmission slips into neutral again.

[EsKaye]

http://www.europeantransmissions.com...ansService.pdf
Followed the instructions on this so I filled it with the engine running, there is a pump that pulls up the transmission fluid into the rest of the transmission so it should dribble out when it's filled properly. How I figured it out it that I cut the engine with the full bolt open. About a quart came back out. So I started the engine again and refilled it, then closed the bolt, then cut the engine.

[whiskychaser]

Must have my stupid head on. I can't find a US 328i saloon after April 1998 but your sig says it is a 2000? Either way, did you use the correct ATF and cycle through the gears while filling? Is it possible your filter isn't seated correctly and is dragging in air instead of ATF?

[shogun]

In his first post he mentioned " recently purchased a 328IS 97'"

[whiskychaser]

In his first post he mentioned " recently purchased a 328IS 97'"

Just re-read it and noticed. It confirms which head I have on today

[EsKaye]

I apologize for the confusion, I have another BMW 328i E46 with smaller transmission issues for another thread.
Yes I have used Dexron III which I believe is the proper fluid.
I have cycled through the gears and lingered for a couple seconds per gear.
The filter I've replaced and set on pretty well, when the engine was turned off, quite a bit of fluid came out the full plug so it should be sucking most of it up.
I'm very confused by this vehicle, but when I drove in second gear and floored it, she wanted to move, and she did. I'm baffled.

[whiskychaser]

Does it move at all when you put it in manual 1,2 or 3 instead of D. Or is just reverse working?

[EsKaye]

Moves in 1, 2, and reverse.
3 and Drive give up sooner than 1 and 2 do.
1 mile in D and 3, another half mile in gear 2, then loss of forward power completely.

[whiskychaser]

It sounds like you are losing pressure but why this should be after just an ATF and filter change is a puzzle. There are a couple of small filters in the valve body and it is possible they are choked. I'm a bit surprised you don't mention it is dropping you in limp mode to get you home. If it is now filled correctly and the cable is adjusted correctly, I'd suggest the next step is have the TCM fault codes read.

[EsKaye]

It sounds like you are losing pressure but why this should be after just an ATF and filter change is a puzzle. There are a couple of small filters in the valve body and it is possible they are choked. I'm a bit surprised you don't mention it is dropping you in limp mode to get you home. If it is now filled correctly and the cable is adjusted correctly, I'd suggest the next step is have the TCM fault codes read.

It doesn't feel like Limp Mode because for the few seconds I have forward drive, I receive full engine power. Even so, I usually shift into reverse and reverse the quarter mile back. I am considering removing the valve body and cleaning it, for which I would like advice for if I should do so or send it off somewhere, but this is a pure project car I would like to restore and learn from. I can upload a photo of the parts to see if anything is amiss, once I figure out how to post photos here.

Could it be a clutch issue?

[whiskychaser]

My apologies. What I meant was the trans going into limp mode, not the engine. The TCM knows what you are putting in at the front of the trans and what you are getting out at the back. If what it sees is outside spec, it will probably give you a message 'trans program' in check control or AFIK, you may get the gear symbol in the cluster with an E36. When that happens, you get a high forward gear and reverse only. The pressure regulation is also switched off so you get all the ATF pressure it can muster. If it doesn't move forward then, something is badly wrong.

The trans has about half a dozen clutches and uses different combinations for forward gears. I find it a bit odd you cant get them when all you did was change the ATF. The fault codes would help diagnose the issue. Hopefully, they would come up with something more helpful than 'speed monitoring'

[shogun]

Also make sure that you did not mix up fill and drain plug. 9 is drain plug http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=24_1582

[EsKaye]

Wonderful advice and information, I appreciate it all. Today when I awaken I'll head over to my buddy's shop, have the e36 pulled by my friends truck and check the transmission codes and any and all other codes that come up.

[flyfishvt]

Today when I awaken I'll head over to my buddy's shop, have the e36 pulled by my friends truck and check the transmission codes and any and all other codes that come up.

Never knew anyone that could post in their sleep. Kudos

[Nanniepoo]

I'm not convinced you have the level correct. Why did you check the fluid level with the engine off? The instructions you linked to describe checking the fluid level with the engine on, warm trans, and after cycling through the gears (which is correct, btw). There was nothing to be gained by checking the level with the engine off.

I'd get it warm, jack it up nice and level, open the fill plug and fill until it overflows. Button it up and try again. It's not uncommon to need to top up once more after a drive.

[EsKaye]

I was lit so I forgot that I had to leave the engine running so I shut it off, hopped down and saw fluid streaming out of it when it wasn't before, so I had to refill it with the engine on. When I return home from school ill try another fill cycle once I drive a little, warmed up and everything.

[whiskychaser]

Don't get it hot. The ATF needs to be around the temp of a baby's bath water. If you don't have DIS or a thermometer, you can always use your elbow

[EsKaye]

Did it again. Filled it. Drove about a mile beforehand before it disengaged. After filling, quarter mile, disengage. I'm afluster.

[shogun]

Might be time to connect it to a good diagnosis tool.
One shot in the dark: disconnect the plug on the trans side which comes from the trans computer and check if it filled with ATF. That quite often happens when the plug gets brittle and then there sometimes is no contact between male and female pins, see here for example how someone fixed that problem https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...2#post29737042