getting the gearchange bushes out on very early e30s

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xavier
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Thu Aug 01, 2013 12:59 am

Does anyone Know a site which shows how to get the gearshift bushes out on an early e30 323i?
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Brianmoooore
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Thu Aug 01, 2013 9:20 am

Only two bushes that I can think off - gearshift rod joint and bottom of the gearlever.
Neither is intended to be replaceable on its own - the whole part is replaced, although it shouldn't be beyond the means of a decent machine shop to rebuild them.
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xavier
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Thu Aug 01, 2013 1:05 pm

Sorry I did not explain myself well enough. Most of the guides on how to remove the gear shift linkage parts in order to remove and replace the various bushes are for the later version of the E30. I have the early version which has a large flat plate rather than the linkage rod seen in later e30s. I was wondering how to get the parts out in the early type. Do I need to remove the carpet to get at the large plate? Do I even need to take the plate out?
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Brianmoooore
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Thu Aug 01, 2013 1:33 pm

Can't think of any reason to remove the plate.
Remove the selector rod first, and then the joint can be removed (both the same method as later versions).
A long time since I've seen one of these, but IIRC, there's a circlip or similar that holds the gear lever in that is accessed from inside the car.
hennabm
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Thu Aug 01, 2013 2:00 pm

Looking at realoem you have the following setup;

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

All accessibble below the car.

To change the linkage with the joints, the only bit I needed to take out was the rubber support (No 7). The linkage rod is held by circlips.
It's tight but doable.

it is probably worth changing No 7 while you're in there.



HTH
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xavier
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Thu Aug 01, 2013 11:54 pm

thanks Guys
poolnoodle
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Wed Aug 07, 2013 6:30 am

Sorry to hijack but is the Z3 short shift possible on this early set up (I have an '83 323)?
'83 Bronzit 323i (mmmm, chrome)
'74 Polaris 2002 (mmmm, retro)
'89 Delphin 535i (mmmm, waft waft)
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Shaheenk
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Wed Aug 07, 2013 11:44 am

Yes, i did it on mine . The writeup is on the Wiki.

Be prepared so swear a fair amount.
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