Loose clutch?

[astro76]

I have a slight problem shifting from 1st gear to 2nd and sometimes from 2nd to 3rd.
This problem usually occurs in high speeds or fast acceleration.
Should i be concerned about my clutch or gearbox?
Anyone else had the problem, please do help me.
I really wouldn't want to take the bimmer to a workshop for finding the problem.
It costs a load of bucks.

I also have this "diesel-engine-like" sound sometimes from the engine.
One told me it could be the piston rings worn too much.
Again, it's an engine with 100k's on it...
Any help according to this will also be helpful.

Thanks again!

 

[mikev]

whats the problem?? does it grind, can't shift into gear?? check the master and slave clutch cylinder and hoses. when was the last time you had the gearbox fluid flushed??

 

[astro76]

whats the problem?? does it grind, can't shift into gear?? check the master and slave clutch cylinder and hoses. when was the last time you had the gearbox fluid flushed??

As I try to shift the gear up it doesn't go into the gear easily.
It like hits the gear with a terrible sound (dunno the right words right now)...
Most usually this happens only when shifting from 1st gear to 2nd with high speed acceleration.

It might be so that the liquids should be changed.
I'll also check the cyl's.
Thanks!

 

[frolf]

synchro's is what comes to mind.

 

[bmw4life13]

how much does it cost to repair/replace the synchros?

 

[frolf]

well, before we price things out lets check other solutions. cause new synchro's is a hair inside a complete tranny rebuild (as far i know). it would be synchro's if he's grinding into the gear. i hope someone else comments, cause i'm not a tranny guru.

 

[tablet]

Is this a new problem? Does it happen all the time or does shifting gets smoother as the car warms up?

Keep in mind that BMW shifting is bit notchy anyways (compared to my old Honda).

 

[astro76]

Is this a new problem? Does it happen all the time or does shifting gets smoother as the car warms up?

Keep in mind that BMW shifting is bit notchy anyways (compared to my old Honda).

The problem occurs all the time...
There's no matter if the car is "warmed up" or not.

 

[jrt67ss350]

If it's grinding, then it's worn synchros. If your syncros are shot, you'd need a complete tranny rebuild or a replacement tranny to fix it. What the syncros do is match the speeds of the gears so that they will engage smoothly without grinding when you shift. When they wear out, the gears no longer smoothly engage and they grind.

If the gears aren't grinding, and the gearbox is just resisting you pushing the shifter into a particular gear, it would most likely be the result of the clutch not disengaging all the way, but it could also be an internal tranny problem.

I'm leaning more towards syncros since it only happens under hard acceleration - that's when the syncros get the most strain placed on them - shifting at high RPM, and you have a tendency to want to jam the shifter quickly into gear when you are accelerating fast.

You need to tell us more about this sound that the tranny makes when you shift. Does it do it when downshifting into second or third?

 

[astro76]

You need to tell us more about this sound that the tranny makes when you shift. Does it do it when downshifting into second or third?

It does this "drilling" noise only as I shift the gear up when accelerating fast.
Is the tranny replacement expensive?
What about the synchro's - costs like a 1k bucks?

 

[eyedoll325is]

how do i check fluids?

is there a way i can check for any transmision fluids? 1995 325is manaul...
i hear some weird noise when i press the clutch, but everything works fine, maybe i need some lubrication, dunno

 

[jrt67ss350]

It does this "drilling" noise only as I shift the gear up when accelerating fast.
Is the tranny replacement expensive?
What about the synchro's - costs like a 1k bucks?

The "drilling" noise is probably the gears grinding. When it happens, do you feel it in the shifter? Sounds to me like your second and third gear syncros are worn. That will require a professional transmission rebuild to fix. I have no idea what that will cost on a BMW tranny, but it won't be cheap.

 

[frolf]

if its synchro's you'll feel it, and you'll want to cry.

 

[jrt67ss350]

if its synchro's you'll feel it, and you'll want to cry.

Exactly. Do you feel it in the shifter when it happens?

 

[astro76]

Exactly. Do you feel it in the shifter when it happens?

I don't feel any "vibration" or what so ever...
The gear just won't easily go on.
Eventually it just goes on the 2nd gear after shifting again (from neutral).
The drilling noise comes out only when accelerating hard IN high speeds with a lower gear (like 2nd) and shifting up (to 3rd).

I checked the problem last weekend with an professional.
He said that changing fluids might help a bit.
Also checking the clutch and "tightening the loose off" will do some good.
He tested the clutch and said it's slightly loose.
So i'll the the baby to the pro and let him do all this.
I'll post here what happened after i've done that.

Thanks all you guys!
You've been most helpful.

 

[jrt67ss350]

Your car has a hydraulic clutch - you can't adjust it. I don't know quite what he means by the clutch being "slightly loose." Does he mean it's worn? If so, then the clutch would slip - a slipping, clutch won't cause problems engaging a gear that I know of.

 

[Wadula]

another possible cause could be that the linkage is not exact enough, though it should appear always and not only under hard accel.
another possible thing is that the pinion itself is worn. that was the case with a friends older porsche. the synchros were alright, but the gear pinion not. so the box got in gear harder and with mechanical noises. as far as solution is concerned, it is the same as the synchros and if you got that tranny open already, change it all!

 

[mjbst111]

New fluid could help. I would recommend getting some RedLine. I was having trouble getting form 1st to second without a grind or hard to push in. Redline has cured my problem. I would try that before you do anything major.

Call their toolfree number and they will tell you what to purchase. They told me MTL but it depends on the tag on your tranny.

 

[frolf]

how loud is the drilling noise? i guess it'd have to be pretty loud if you are hearing it while your engine is screaming along at near 6k. but at idle i can sometimes hear my synchro's actuate. but its not sounding like synchro's anymore, the pinion thing wadula was talking about sounds good.

 

[astro76]

how loud is the drilling noise? i guess it'd have to be pretty loud if you are hearing it while your engine is screaming along at near 6k.

It's not that loud... If you think about someone drilling a concrete wall, that's what it sounds like but A LOT more quiet.

I'll go with the fluid change first and see if it does any good.
After that i'll go for the tranny and all to see what is problem.

What I ment about the pro saying that the clutch might bee "a little loose" he ment just that the hydraulics needed to be adjusted - nothing more or less...
So I'll let him do all the work needed IF the fluids won't help.

I will post here the first thing, what happened after changing the fluids, if it did any good or not.
It might get some time now before I'm able to take it to the workshop.
I'll have to run all the way to the neighbour city (the town i live in doesn't have a authorized workhop and I REALLY prefer to take her to one of those).