325 Sport short shifter?

[f4stjay]

Has anyone got any comments as far as fitting a short shifter to a Sport?

I can't decide whether my car needs one so I'd appreciate some feedback from anyone who's fitted one...

Thanks

[Omi]

No question, no hesitation. Do it.

I drove someone's E30 that didn't have one the other day and it made me cry.

[f4stjay]

Difficult to fit?

[Omi]

Not really, I'd recommend replacing the plastic cup it sits in and the nylon washers below... Silicone grease will keep the new one tighter for longer.

Use brake/carb cleaner to move the crud so you can see what you're doing. - Screwdrivers and a bit of leverage will remove the old assembly. Look at the new parts if you're unsure how the current bit is held in.

[f4stjay]

[daimlerman]

Best to replace all the moving parts whilst you have the thing in bits,there's a knuckle joint atached to the gearbox that wears and creates slop.
You need a Z3 gearstick,new selector rod,knuckle joint just mentioned,plastic stick retainer that omi mentioned and all the relevent washers and spring clips.
Phone CotswoldBMW for the best prices(mention the zone!)last one I did was about £60 for all the bits.
Result is remarkable,much less throw both front to back and side to side and no free play.

[penton08]

i love mine!!! driving a e30 without one now feels dodgy. however it is possible to beat the syncros with a short shift fitted.

[E30BeemerLad]

All you need to know here, including the part numbers


http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... conversion

[Alex]

No question, no hesitation. Do it.

I drove someone's E30 that didn't have one the other day and it made me cry.

dont worry its on the to do list omi , i should have had a go with yours to feel the difference, seen you going past sainsburys this morning

[e301988325i]

I don't like my short shift, I sould have left it after I renewed all new the linkage pieces.

[town325i]

im using a z4m shifter that gives you an even shorter through than the z3 one and its really short highly recommended imo

[Alex]

im using a z4m shifter that gives you an even shorter through than the z3 one and its really short highly recommended imo

i thought a z4 one was too stiff for an e30 box and can damage it

[town325i]

ive never had any trouble with it the only trouble you can have is clearance on the vibration damper on the prop shaft but the way round that is just take it off and chuck it in the bin

[Cypriotgeeza]

does this apply to ALL E30's (ie an iS)
or isit just a 3.25 sport thing?

[stonesie]

I think it was just the 2.5's that got the vibration damper, I've had 2 2.0's and nither of those had one and as has been said theyre pointless and can be removed without any issues as the prop is ballanced anyway.

[Omi]

iS has a vibration damper...

Not really a hardship to hit the steel part of the linkage with a hammer on the floor a few times to circumvent the problem.

How can moving the pivot so it takes more effort to change gear do damage to the gearbox unless you're pulling the next gear hard enough to do damage with the standard one anyway? - If you have anything resembling mechanical sympathy, this won't be a concern.

[Felix79]

Z3 shifted kit and steering rack are awsome mods that make the car feel so much more precise. I'm lucky that the Alpina had a very tight setup when it was converted other wise I would have done this mid again.

Never realized a Z4 one would work. What is the differance over the z3's?

[f4stjay]

What is the differance over the z3's?

I assume it's down to the length of your shaft

[Felix79]

What is the differance over the z3's?

I assume it's down to the length of your shaft

I would be labeled as a liar if I said LOL.

[Nay]

Z3 shifters are so good that something like that should have been standard!

Well worth it IMO, and do everything you can to the entire linkage at the same time. Tight and precise gear changing on a 20 y.o. car... love it!

I really want to do the steering rack mod as well, but haven't been able to locate the rack I want (Z3)...

...all in good time, I just have to be patient... lol

[Alex]

How can moving the pivot so it takes more effort to change gear do damage to the gearbox unless you're pulling the next gear hard enough to do damage with the standard one anyway? - If you have anything resembling mechanical sympathy, this won't be a concern.

not sure, i just remeber reading that a z4 one would damage the box and too harsh for it

if a z4 one works fine i would prefer one when i come round to doing mine

[f4stjay]

Z3 shifters are so good that something like that should have been standard!

Well worth it IMO, and do everything you can to the entire linkage at the same time. Tight and precise gear changing on a 20 y.o. car... love it!

I really want to do the steering rack mod as well, but haven't been able to locate the rack I want (Z3)...

...all in good time, I just have to be patient... lol

How much more involved is the rest of the linkage to change (replace)?

[Nay]

a Z3 one is short enough... but if its identical work and no extra cost then I suppose its a choice of preference...

[Felix79]

NayC the z3 rack is sublime. Gives a much heavier feel and just gives more confidence at high speed. Take a little while to get use to at first but when you drive a none converted one it feels so twitchy and light.

If I was not so anal about orginality on my Alpina I would have done it.

[Nay]

Z3 shifters are so good that something like that should have been standard!

Well worth it IMO, and do everything you can to the entire linkage at the same time. Tight and precise gear changing on a 20 y.o. car... love it!

I really want to do the steering rack mod as well, but haven't been able to locate the rack I want (Z3)...

...all in good time, I just have to be patient... lol

How much more involved is the rest of the linkage to change (replace)?

Not much mate. All that was mentioned in the Wiki E30BeemerLad posted above. Click that link and jott down the parts, get a quote. If you can get the whole linkage off then its quite a simple job of pulling apart and rebuilding, and possibly use a bit of grease or whatever was stated above to help keep the wear down and make it smooth.

Check this out:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=25&fg=05

a little diagram. Rebuild that, put back in, and you have shortshift. Never actually done it myself as my 325 came with it, but I'm gonna do the whole recondition to it as my project goes on. Seems simple enough and from what I've heard backs me up. As long you dont start undoing stuff that doesn't need to be taken off, you'll be fine. The vibration dampner may have to be removed (most often the case with a 325i, 320i etc, not sure about other models).

If you cant do it though, I'm sure a local garage could do it within an hour.

[Nay]

NayC the z3 rack is sublime. Gives a much heavier feel and just gives more confidence at high speed. Take a little while to get use to at first but when you drive a none converted one it feels so twitchy and light.

If I was not so anal about orginality on my Alpina I would have done it.

I've heard... I've heard...

It would be sooo ideal for Jersey roads too. As in my sig, I have to get hold of a rack, which is impossible for me atm. I just cannot find one. Saw one on ebay a while back, but didn't trust the description/seller. Seemed very vague about what was being sold and looked very, very used... other than that nothing.

Dave_M3 said he'd have a look for me a while back, but haven't heard anything back from him, so I assume he never came across one. It may have even been a gesture so I'm not going to go pester someone into doing something for me.

I imagine them to be something like the Focus ST I test drove. tight and precise. Just without the nasty FWD LSD twitching!

[Felix79]

Why not try from a dealership? It's the 2.8 one you need?