Quick Shifts

[Mikey_Boy]

Hello all,

Any advice on what quick shift to fit to a 5 speed box on a 1989 325i Sport? Current g/shift is like stirring wet custard and would like to get that sorted out before giving it a hard time on track....

Heard that a Z3 stick is the way to go - how tricky are these and/or normal quick shift kits to fit??

Cheers,
Mikey_Boy

[Elecblondie]

Wet custard shift sounds like the bushes in the linkage are all shot so that's where you want to poke, while you're there a short shift is nice and the way forwards is to post in the Genuine Parts section and zimmerbimmer will give you a quote for a new z3 shifter with bushes (definitely the way to go) which is not too expensive at all. Alternatively he'll probably be along here quite soon.

If you do feel like throwing money at it, I have the UUC motorwerks one, here, and it's very nice indeed. Realistically there's no point throwing silly money at it as the z3 shifter is good and no point skimping on ebay tat as they aren't much cheaper than the real thing.

[Brianmoooore]

Z3 1.9 lever is the one to go for - see zimmerbimmer's parts forum. You will probably find that you need to replace the joint on the end of the gearbox selector shaft and the bar that connects it to the gearlever as well, to properly firm up the gearchange.
Change the small oil seal on the selector shaft as well, while the joint is off.
Should be a straight swap, but check the clearance on the propshaft. If it's close or touching, the bar can be bent slightly, or if your car still has a propshaft damper fitted around the rubber coupling at the front of the propshaft, you can take this off and bin it.

[garyn]

id to remove the vibration damper when fitting mine as it does foul ,what a difference though in gear change .

[zimmerbimmer1]

see this link

My short shift kit consists of item No's 6 (z3 1.9 version), 7, 13 x2 and 15 x2
item number 12 is not needed as modified bush in bottom of number 6 compensates for them.

If you want to go the whole hog I would suggest replacing item 14 as per brian mooore as well as item 2 and 4.

hope this helps

[town325i]

if you want to make the gear change reaqly short go for the z4m shifter thats what i use and that is shoooort

[Brianmoooore]

The shorter you go, the stiffer and notchier the change becomes, and if it leads you to shifting too fast, there's a good chance you will bu**er up the synchro in the gearbox.
The consensus on this site is that the Z3 1.9 is the one to go for.

[Mikey_Boy]

Nice - thanks all for your help!!

Cheers,
Mikey_Boy

[daimlerman]

I have the E-bay short shift that Georgan posted a link for a few weeks back,been fitted two years now,it effectively extends the stick below the piviot point,making the throw much shorter.Replacing parts 2,4 and 14 in the link is essential IMO at the same time toreduce the wear inthe system.Only down side is the stiffer 'change, Calamity Jane moaned about it every time she drove the car,I improved this by using ATF instead of gear oil. She does not grumble as much now...falls on deaf ears anyway...