E30 Zone

So I had the gearshift linkage apart so I could change an oil seal on the gearbox, and then decided to replace a few of the bushes in the mechanism to improve the shift quality.

The final piece I needed was the "Shift Rod Joint" (part number 26 11 7501 309)

I'd been warned to get the proper BMW one and not the MTC pattern part (sadly making it a $74 part, instead of $15) so I ordered it from BMW, hoping it would look like this one that came off:


But what I got was this



Which on other websites looks a lot like the pattern part (though at full-fat BMW prices..)

And the damn hole in the middle is not even round! It's nearly as loose as the one that came off!



I'm assuming I've been ripped off with a badly made pattern part?

Anyone else struggled to get this piece? I think I'll be taking this one back..

Thanks,

Neil.

nah man! That'll work fine!! just a slightly different design to the old one!

The sponge should already be inside, and you just push the wire till it falls in the groove and holds the pin in.

I recently spent £100 on refreshing the gear linkage in mine, This was the most expensive part, and like you, when I compared it to the one that came off, I wasn't too pleased as i was expecting to see serious wear on the old one, but when replaced along with the other few bits that are needed, its now as good as new!

Thanks pierce, that makes me feel a bit better. So your new part too had this much slack in the central bush:



I'm not sure how to upload a video, but the rod part can move backwards and forwards and twist in this bush which was quite unexpected..

That looks wrong to me. Sure when i did mine it was a proper snug fit.

Thanks for the feedback, I didn't think it could be right. I called the dealership back and got them to order a replacement. Another weekend wasted, waiting for the part to come in...

Mind you, not really convertible weather here at the moment..

Thanks for the advice!

So I took the part back today - I thought they were going to have a replacement in, but they said it was on back order from Germany. It seems the dealer had been talking to someone higher up the supply chain and he intimated that they might have had a bad batch, and he wanted to take photos and follow up with them. So it looks like it will be weeks until I get a replacement part.

In the meantime I ordered an MTC pattern part (against all forum advice here in the US..) for about $15 delivered. It looks very, very similar to the BMW supplied part (increasing my suspicion that BMW now sources them from MTC..) but with a black inner bush as opposed to the yellow bush on the BMW part.

It's still pretty wobbly in the shaft of the rod..

I really want to get the car moving again, so I will probably fit the MTC part and see how bad it is in use. In theory I'll then swap to a good BMW one when that comes in. (But in truth I'll never dismantle everything again and it will be another expensive part that just sits on the shelf gathering dust..).

Would be intrigued to hear if anyone else has any problems getting a good part from BMW, it would reinforce the probability that they have had a bad batch from their supplier..

WillNZ wrote:
You could get a bush and o/s pin or sleeve made for your old one if the replacement turns out to be the same iffy quality..

Not sure quite what you meant (because I'm inept) but I am looking into whether I can buy some Delrin rod the right diameter and push / burn the old bush out, and drill the right size hole back through the Delrin.. At least I can mess around with the old part..

There seems to be someone on eBay doing the same for the other bush..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-E30-E34-E36 ... d6&vxp=mtr

In my many years of working on these turds, I can safely say that 95% of excessive movement is caused by wear in the knuckle and the white plastic bush at the base of the shifter. A new shifter rod id Ca £50 and I have never had to replace one due to its lower bush being worn oval. And yes, that new knuckle is poorly machined and needs backing.

Yes, mine was exactly the same. Just the way they are I guess.

Either way, my linkage is spot on now, and it goes into reverse without hitting the console!!