Grinding Feel in 5th and 4th gear.

Wed Jul 13, 2005 6:08 pm

picked up an e28 535i. i belive it use the similar tranny as our M20's Getrag 260/5. when you engage 5th there's a weird grinding feel to the RIGHT of the stick (ie not grinding engaging the gear, but almost feels like it's rubbing on some rotating shaft (gilbo) if you get my description... like there's a spinning gear I'm pushing the stick against). does anyone knows wat it could be? ill be takin a look under there this saturday if anyone can tell me if i should get some parts to replace under there.

I had the same problem with my 84 318i. it turned out to be a loose screw holdin the shiter plate. lookin @ my m20 tranny it doesnt look lke it have plate.

thanx for readin

Wed Jul 13, 2005 7:33 pm

It sounds like there is a bit play inside the gearbox mate. I'll ask my mate tomorrow who owns his own transmission business.

Wed Jul 13, 2005 7:40 pm

hmm have you checked the oil? the filler plug is on the side (big allen key) the oil should fill up to it.

might be worth draining the oil to see if there are any metal deposits (drain plug is on the the bottom)

Transmission oil is pretty cheap so it worth doing if its a new car anyway, and not hard. GET NEW FILLER/DRAIN KEYS(PLUGS) AS THEY ARE DIFICULT TO UNDO WHEN THEY GET ROUNDED OFF

I used to have similar sounds in 5th, was like it for about 4years. I couldn't undo the drain plug key (it had rounded off) so i just got a spare gearbox :lol:

When my gearbox did finally die (lots of crunching noises on the m1... Completely lost fith gear!

Oh well new gearbox in now and rather quit!

Moral of the story, change the oil.....

Wed Jul 13, 2005 7:43 pm

likewise, I have posted a query to my old man, he's a gearbox man and usually pretty good on a diagnosis. Mind you, it'll take the old bugger ages to reply to the email so don't hold out on me :lol:

Wed Jul 13, 2005 8:26 pm

reply from my old man, or rather a couple of questions..

"sounds a bit odd, if it only happens in 5th, is it under heavy load or just all the time. does it go off under deceleration funny prob matey"

Wed Jul 13, 2005 8:35 pm

No chance the external linkage can foul the output/propshaft with these boxes?

(I'm not familiar with them.)

Wed Jul 13, 2005 8:47 pm

My old one only ever made noise in fith, I assuemd that it had been run on the motoway low on oil, wearing the "fith gear".

Fri Jul 15, 2005 9:02 am

thanx for all the great replys. ill be changin the oil this comin saturday.i jst hope the syncros of 5ths its not worn

and it only happing in 5th over 120KM u hear hard grinding. i took it to 160 and i heard somethin that was very pleasant.

Ohh men i love the m30 engine its soo torqey. i can imagin how it will perform in the e30 chasis.

Fri Jul 15, 2005 7:06 pm

ZiMMie wrote: I had the same problem with my 84 318i. it turned out to be a loose screw holdin the sh*t plate. lookin @ my m20 tranny it doesnt look lke it have plate.

Mate I think im having a similar issue with my 85 318i. You mind if I PM you and pick your brain about it?

Sat Jul 16, 2005 4:25 am

there is 2 hex bolts the holds the shiter plate to the the tranny over time they get loose if u shit hard lke me. jst screw them back in.

Sat Jul 16, 2005 9:51 am

Ive got a problem where the plate is sliding left and right. Assuming its held in place at the front and the back, Im guessing the front or back loose would mean it would slide to the left and right as it pivoted on the remaining screw, while it doesnt slide forward or backward due to the remaining screw.

Where are these screws located? and are they easy to get to? Can you give me a description of how you get at them? Ive noticed that looking from the top (with the boot and rubber boot removed) there are two holes forward of the lever on mine, in the carpet, that have no screws in them at current. There is a single bolt behind the lever that is still in place, but it appears to be holding the centre console in place, not the plate.

I could really use some help lol.