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Thread: Transmission Time

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Houston, Texas
    Posts
    513
    My Cars
    1995 Dinan 740il

    Transmission Time

    For background, I have had no transmission issues, judders, failsafes, etc. 145K miles (1995). Fluid and filter changed about a year ago.

    I drove home last night, all normal. Stopped at the stop sign by my house. Started to accelerate and then it was almost like being in neutral. By reving it I was just able to crawl into the drive. Not leaking fluid.

    I'll Uber to work today and check it a bit more when I get home.

    Ideas? Things to check? My wife is already writing off the car. Sadly, Grady

    ETA - Tried it this AM and I think reverse may work but none or the 'forward' gears do any thing.
    Last edited by Grady in Texas; 05-10-2019 at 10:49 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Rochester, NY
    Posts
    524
    My Cars
    2001 740i Sport
    Definitely check the fluid level first. An auto can't stay in gear if the fluid level gets low and the pump starts sucking air.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Houston, Texas
    Posts
    513
    My Cars
    1995 Dinan 740il
    A little hard to do where it is now and it hasn't leaked at all (at home or at work). Also there was no warning, it just quit working between one stop sign and start. No noise, no drama, just no go (forward). I'd guess an electrical issue more then mechanical one.

    ETA - TCM fuse and the one in the trunk are OK. Looking at all the stuff powered by the one under the seat, I'm guessing it's OK too. Engine runs just fine.
    Last edited by Grady in Texas; 05-10-2019 at 07:35 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    KC North, MO, USA
    Posts
    11,153
    My Cars
    1996 740iL
    Exactly what mine would do when my battery was dying. I could still go forward on a flat surface if I gave it enough gas. New battery took care of it for me.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Houston, Texas
    Posts
    513
    My Cars
    1995 Dinan 740il
    Thanks Mr. Mayor - New battery in 11/17. 12.3 volts off and 14.3 on. Plenty of power to crank but it fire up on first turn. I can take the battery in tomorrow.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Ft. Lauderdale, FL
    Posts
    5,083
    My Cars
    98 740il, 00 540i,04 ZHP
    Did you get on it hard before coming to the stop sign? Loss of forward can be a broken A-drum. But I imagine that would have to happen getting on it a bit. Could be electrical I guess, but normally you'd get a trans failsafe message when you give it gas like that and you have no output shaft movement.

    Is the driveshaft/guibo ok? Any noises? And reverse works or doesn't?
    '98 740il | 9/97 build | schwarz 2 | sandbeige | 5AT | 270k
    '04 330i ZHP sedan | Mystic blue | Alcantara | 6MT | 120k
    '00 540i sport | Titanium silver | Black | 5AT | 152k
    '85 Mustang GT convertible | Medium charcoal metallic | Gray | 5MT | 216k | one owner, all original

    mods: m-pars | Bilsteins & B&G springs | ValentineOne | StealthOne
    retrofits: full nav | MKIV | bluetooth TCU | BM53 w/ AUX input | video module w/ AV input & backup cam | oem sirius xm | xenon | shades | PDC | rain sensor | BMW DWS TPMS | lighted door handles | front seat heaters | heated steering wheel | euro rear fog lights | ski pass | folding mirrors


  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Houston, Texas
    Posts
    513
    My Cars
    1995 Dinan 740il
    Checked/charged the battery and it didn't help.
    No fail-safe message (then or now on restart)
    No, I didn't get on it hard (at all), drove home from work normally -city street 35-40 MPH max (1.5 miles). The stop sign is only ~150 feet from my driveway so I was gently accelerating - to 10-15 MPH - when it died.
    I think I'd hear/feel a guibo failure???
    What is an A-drum?
    I think reverse works (seems to go into gear) but haven't tried to 'drive' it backwards since the car is safely behind my gate and I can't go forward. Guess I'll try backing around next.
    Got a price of $3k to rebuild the transmission, work is potentially iffy (transmission shop, not an "BMW Indy").
    Sadly not sure it's worth it as the car is old (24 yrs this fall) and (as of 6 mo ago) the paint/clear coat is sh!t.
    Guess I can try for a better 'repair' diagnosis, but I need to find s/o trust-worthy in Houston and now don't have anyone.
    Sadly, I really like the car (had it for 10 years) and pretty much everything important is works or is new; if the clear coat hadn't dissolved this would be a lot easier.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    California Inland Empire
    Posts
    837
    My Cars
    2001 740iL /1991 E32
    Quote Originally Posted by Grady in Texas View Post
    Checked/charged the battery and it didn't help.
    No fail-safe message (then or now on restart)
    No, I didn't get on it hard (at all), drove home from work normally -city street 35-40 MPH max (1.5 miles). The stop sign is only ~150 feet from my driveway so I was gently accelerating - to 10-15 MPH - when it died.
    I think I'd hear/feel a guibo failure???
    What is an A-drum?
    I think reverse works (seems to go into gear) but haven't tried to 'drive' it backwards since the car is safely behind my gate and I can't go forward. Guess I'll try backing around next.
    Got a price of $3k to rebuild the transmission, work is potentially iffy (transmission shop, not an "BMW Indy").
    Sadly not sure it's worth it as the car is old (24 yrs this fall) and (as of 6 mo ago) the paint/clear coat is sh!t.
    Guess I can try for a better 'repair' diagnosis, but I need to find s/o trust-worthy in Houston and now don't have anyone.
    Sadly, I really like the car (had it for 10 years) and pretty much everything important is works or is new; if the clear coat hadn't dissolved this would be a lot easier.
    Dang man tough break. Hope it all works out in the end. Gets bad when the wife is ready to sign it off. Perhaps it’s time to upgrade?



    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    2001 740iL Guides,chains,vanos done. Full steptronic retrofit,3:15 diff. DUDMD tune. Sport seat retrofit. Porn lights
    [IMG][/IMG]
    Nitto ZR 285/40/18 rear 245/45/18 fr. UUC springs front. Porn lights. Sport wheel


    1991 735iL UUC springs front only Style 42 wheels

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Ft. Lauderdale, FL
    Posts
    5,083
    My Cars
    98 740il, 00 540i,04 ZHP
    Quote Originally Posted by Grady in Texas View Post
    Checked/charged the battery and it didn't help.
    No fail-safe message (then or now on restart)
    No, I didn't get on it hard (at all), drove home from work normally -city street 35-40 MPH max (1.5 miles). The stop sign is only ~150 feet from my driveway so I was gently accelerating - to 10-15 MPH - when it died.
    I think I'd hear/feel a guibo failure???
    What is an A-drum?
    I think reverse works (seems to go into gear) but haven't tried to 'drive' it backwards since the car is safely behind my gate and I can't go forward. Guess I'll try backing around next.
    Got a price of $3k to rebuild the transmission, work is potentially iffy (transmission shop, not an "BMW Indy").
    Sadly not sure it's worth it as the car is old (24 yrs this fall) and (as of 6 mo ago) the paint/clear coat is sh!t.
    Guess I can try for a better 'repair' diagnosis, but I need to find s/o trust-worthy in Houston and now don't have anyone.
    Sadly, I really like the car (had it for 10 years) and pretty much everything important is works or is new; if the clear coat hadn't dissolved this would be a lot easier.
    Man that's a bummer. If the guibo or driveshaft was the problem, you wouldn't have any movement in reverse.

    I just realized we are talking about a 1995 740, which would have 5HP30 transmission. If you google around about that transmission, they are known to have valve body issues, where the valve body can crack and leak pressure out, causing you to lose forward gears. Reverse can still work depending on the size of the crack and pressure loss, but the reverse circuit I think runs on higher pressure so is less affected. This would be exacerbated as the fluid got hotter and less viscous. So start the car cold and try out drive and see if you get more movement on colder fluid.

    If the valve body was the issue, the good news is that you can replace that yourself with a reman for probably $500-700. The transmission does not need to be removed to do that, just the pan dropped.
    '98 740il | 9/97 build | schwarz 2 | sandbeige | 5AT | 270k
    '04 330i ZHP sedan | Mystic blue | Alcantara | 6MT | 120k
    '00 540i sport | Titanium silver | Black | 5AT | 152k
    '85 Mustang GT convertible | Medium charcoal metallic | Gray | 5MT | 216k | one owner, all original

    mods: m-pars | Bilsteins & B&G springs | ValentineOne | StealthOne
    retrofits: full nav | MKIV | bluetooth TCU | BM53 w/ AUX input | video module w/ AV input & backup cam | oem sirius xm | xenon | shades | PDC | rain sensor | BMW DWS TPMS | lighted door handles | front seat heaters | heated steering wheel | euro rear fog lights | ski pass | folding mirrors


  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    33
    My Cars
    -98 740iL
    Grady,
    Here is my old a-drum
    a_drum.jpg

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Ft. Lauderdale, FL
    Posts
    5,083
    My Cars
    98 740il, 00 540i,04 ZHP
    munch munch munch....
    '98 740il | 9/97 build | schwarz 2 | sandbeige | 5AT | 270k
    '04 330i ZHP sedan | Mystic blue | Alcantara | 6MT | 120k
    '00 540i sport | Titanium silver | Black | 5AT | 152k
    '85 Mustang GT convertible | Medium charcoal metallic | Gray | 5MT | 216k | one owner, all original

    mods: m-pars | Bilsteins & B&G springs | ValentineOne | StealthOne
    retrofits: full nav | MKIV | bluetooth TCU | BM53 w/ AUX input | video module w/ AV input & backup cam | oem sirius xm | xenon | shades | PDC | rain sensor | BMW DWS TPMS | lighted door handles | front seat heaters | heated steering wheel | euro rear fog lights | ski pass | folding mirrors


  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Houston, Texas
    Posts
    513
    My Cars
    1995 Dinan 740il
    I'm back - a month+ later. I gave the job to my local guy (non-BMW specialist) and $2,500 later I have a good transmission (finger crossed). Unfortunately, the flat bed got into an accident going to the transmission shop and slightly crunched the rear end (now fixed at their cost), don't ask how but it was backed onto the hauler, so I guess the front end wasn't strapped down???!

    Wish I had seen Racers post first though, I might have tackled it myself.

    I've been driving a friend's 2010 3 series and it was nice to get mine back tonight.

    Thanks for the suggestions and help! Grady

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Ft. Lauderdale, FL
    Posts
    5,083
    My Cars
    98 740il, 00 540i,04 ZHP
    Was it the valve body? Glad to hear its running again. Crazy about the tow truck. What a pile of garbage!
    '98 740il | 9/97 build | schwarz 2 | sandbeige | 5AT | 270k
    '04 330i ZHP sedan | Mystic blue | Alcantara | 6MT | 120k
    '00 540i sport | Titanium silver | Black | 5AT | 152k
    '85 Mustang GT convertible | Medium charcoal metallic | Gray | 5MT | 216k | one owner, all original

    mods: m-pars | Bilsteins & B&G springs | ValentineOne | StealthOne
    retrofits: full nav | MKIV | bluetooth TCU | BM53 w/ AUX input | video module w/ AV input & backup cam | oem sirius xm | xenon | shades | PDC | rain sensor | BMW DWS TPMS | lighted door handles | front seat heaters | heated steering wheel | euro rear fog lights | ski pass | folding mirrors


  14. #14
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Minneapolis, MN
    Posts
    20
    My Cars
    96 M3 LUX, 03 X5 4.4
    Did you ever find out what was wrong with the old transmission? Was it the valves/solenoids/A drum? I’m dealing with an no forward/no reverse topped off the fluid and it actually started moving in forward and reverse but only for a minute before it slips to nothing again...

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