M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS

DISCUSSION => Engine + Driveline => Topic started by: SoupieMelody on May 29, 2009, 03:00:32 AM

Title: Gearstick Feels loose
Post by: SoupieMelody on May 29, 2009, 03:00:32 AM

All of a sudden my gearstick feels very loose. When the stick is in gear for instance, it can rock from left to right as if it is in neutral position. Does anyone knows what the problem is or how to fix it?

Title: Gearstick Feels loose
Post by: Wizard on May 29, 2009, 07:58:31 AM

Bad bushings or broken selector rod possibly...Is it hard to shift or just sloppy?
Parts diagram is here:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=AF93&mospid=47305&btnr=25_0026&hg=25&fg=05

Title: Gearstick Feels loose
Post by: SoupieMelody on May 29, 2009, 09:12:25 AM

it shifts good, it is not hard to shift, it is just sloppy. I can hardly tell what gear i am in. like when i am in 2nd it is difficult to find third. the stick can wobble left and right just when in gear just as in neutral. thanks for the help wizard

Title: Gearstick Feels loose
Post by: HATER-PROOF on May 29, 2009, 09:27:24 AM

Check inside of your shifter housing and make sure that plastic center piece at the bottom hasn't cracked.

Title: Gearstick Feels loose
Post by: JP 91iS on May 29, 2009, 02:29:21 PM

Yeah sounds like the ball-cup bearing (thats #7 in the diagram Wizard posted).  You might as well replace all your bushings since they are most likely worn out.  Improving shifter feel is a big plus.

Title: Gearstick Feels loose
Post by: SoupieMelody on May 29, 2009, 08:29:23 PM

yea thanks guys, tomorrow ill try and get to it. How difficult of a job is it if anyone did it themselves and will i have to go under the car?

Title: Gearstick Feels loose
Post by: SoupieMelody on May 29, 2009, 08:36:11 PM

oh and one more thing, are these covered in the Bentley e30 manual?

Title: Gearstick Feels loose
Post by: Jimmy Lewis on May 29, 2009, 10:11:33 PM

Yes you have to come from underneath. Jack the car up enough to be able to crawl under the tranny, find where the shift carrier is connected to the tranny, pull the clip off the dowel pin, disconnect the selector rod from the shifter arm, pull the shift carrier with the selector connected at the ball cup in one piece, install new parts, reinstall assembly. Its simple, but the clip that holds the carrier to the tranny is known as the "bitch clip" because it can be a total bitch to pop off, you have little room for tools and it can be hard to do with your fingers. Also, be careful installing the new cup bushing, if you damage it, there really is no point in reinstalling, because it is going to be sloppy again. I can imagine that it the procedure is in the bentley, but I'm not sure because mine is in my trunk. Good luck, anything can be done if you just do it.

Title: Gearstick Feels loose
Post by: SoupieMelody on May 30, 2009, 07:24:34 AM

thanks Jimmy. well explained