E36 zf 5hp 18 transmission neutral all gears

[ThePowerfish]

Ive recently bought this car as a no runner, had been sitting for a few years (8) and was not running. The car was left in neutral when it was sitting. The engine is now running and is great but when i got to the point of backing jt out of the driveway the transmission didnt move the rear wheels. When the gear is selected the rpms change but nothing happens, its like the car is in neutral. All gears are like that. Unsure of where to go with this one, any ideas on what it could be?

[shogun]

did you check the fluid level in the transmission?
Check Shift linkage between selector lever and transmission, maybe mal-adjusted
Check if the manual shift valve on the side of the trans is broken, here a pic https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...0#post30510260

valve body overhaul ZF 5HP18 https://web.archive.org/web/20150918...aul-DIY-Part-1

here how to test the solenoids on the 5HP18 http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Troubl...ch%20Guide.pdf

[Eric93se]

Loss of reverse on the 5hp18 is a known mechanical failure mode. But try as Shogun suggested. You can search the net to find some articles on this failure.

[shogun]

his car is not moving in all selected gears, not only reverse, so I would first check the linkage between selector lever and transmission + check if the manual shift valve on the side of the trans is broken. Especially the broken manual shift valve is nowadays very often the case, and that is also the reason why they changed the material of the valve.
Same problem on 5HP30, over the years the material of the old valve swells and gets stuck and then breaks, read this thread, same problem and solved with a new valve https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...al+shift+valve
updated ZF manual valve A MUST FOR EVERY REBUILD, ZF5HP18, 5HP19, 5HP24, 5HP30, 5HP19 HLA, 5HP19 F EW, ZF p/n 1056-327-17