320 Auto probs

[cecotto147]

I have a 320 touring auto that has suddenly decided to go everywhere in reverse.
None of the forward gears work but reverse works fine.
Amusing to be seen riving round the essex/suffolk picturesque villages this way but not too happy to dp this long term!
Any ideas what may have gone wrong?
There is oil in the box and it did it quite suddenly whilst travelling home today, car started to slow down despite increasing revs and after a mile there was nothing in forward gears. Got ot my parents - the last two miles in reverse!
Is my box knackered?

Part two - if the box is knackered - i have a box from another e30 auto tho this one is a switchable box - the touring one isn't - will this go straight into my touring and what would i need to transfer with it to keep it switchable? Obviously there is the loom to go with the swtchable part - will this plug straight in to my touring or can i leave the switchable box in one setting - say economy - and then install it in the touring without the switchable switches?

Should have stuck with the manual option!

Any help muchly appreciated.

[MONSPORT42]

I have had that happen twice on my E30s and both times they were 'knackered'. Had a rebuild on my switchable box last year which cost about Ԛ£700 fitted inc new torque converter.
I'm not absolutely sure if the EH box will work without fitting a complete auto loom - not just the extra ecu in the boot. I would expect the default mode would be 'E' economy.
I did try an apparently good second hand one off the zone (no complaints) but that only lasted about 5000, probably the extra torque of the 2.7 killed it.
Before I had the rebuild I thought long and hard about doing the changeover to manual. It does not look that difficult especially if you have a donor car, which does offer a wider choice of s/h boxes and is cheaper than an auto rebuild.

[cecotto147]

Thanks, the complete auto loom - that would surely just plug into the exisiting car loom?

Are the boxes completely different then - the switchable and non switchable boxes?

I have the complete car with the switchable box in it so looms etc not too much of an issue, tho having sold the estate already i wanted the least hassle in box changing!

[MONSPORT42]

Yep, the boxes have completely different internals although physically the EH will fit. I really am not good with electrics so I'll that to those who are but if you have the looms it should work.

[jonmsm]

hey guys,

i dont know anything ersonally about the differences but a good place to start may well be this web site. Basically it tells you list of every part of every BMW. It will mean you can find both boxes from the tourer and the donor, then see what looms they come with etc and it might give you an idea of what is needed.

the site is http://www.realoem.com/bmw/

hope this helps