engine and drivetrain Good times with transmissions...

[achilles]

Hey Everyone,

I am enjoying the hell out of driving my newly safetied and fun as all get out ratty 73.

I am sorting through all of the general maintenance items that slipped through the rebuild of the suspension and the sorting of the electrical and making some great progress towards my goal of a fun driver. I am making sure everything is in good fettle before I think of changing or upgrading anything. (need a good baseline.)

I have ordered a shifter rebuild kit from Blunt (great service!) to take care of the wonky shifter and have read many posts making sure to get some Redline MTL for the gearbox. Here is my question.

It is hard to tell with the non existent shifter bushings but it seems hard to find and click into second gear and reverse. ( I am very cautious shifting and try to feel my way into the gear ) I was thinking that the syncros were worn out and I do have a second transmission.

The second transmission is on a 73 tii engine and shifts smoothly and cleanly into gear. snick ,snick snick..

I was thinking of just building the new bushings onto the tii transmission and swapping it in. Besides the obvious of replacing the clutch while I am in there ( pretty sure it has been a while but I will have a mechanic check ) what else should I be planning on?

Is swapping a transmission way more work than I realize right now? (This won't be a project for me to pull of myself-mechanic friend to help with the job.)

Cheers, Chris

Cheers,

[thehackmechanic]

While doing a trani, you typically do the clutch, throwout bearing, pilot bearing, and guibo. Obviously, as you say, it's a good time to do the shifter bushings as well. If the clutch slave cylinder looks like it's been in there since the Nixon administration, you have no one to blame but yourself if it fails and it strands you and you could've easily changed it while the trani's out.

Replacing a tranin in a 2002 isn't bad, certainly way easier than in later model BMWs. Getting the transmission shaft's splines aligned with the splines on the clutch upon reinstallation is enough to make you want to sacrifice a virgin to whatever god is monitoring the process, but then tilt it 1/2" in the right direction and it'll just slide and snock into place.

[Chamoix]

I did a trans swap and clutch replacement by myself from under the car a few years back! Wouldn't want to do it again! If I could do it, then 2 guys with proper tools and a few cold ones sure can!

[achilles]

I pulled the other trans off the spare engine today and it looks great.

The throwout arm is different than the one shown in the faq section on installing with your motor in. It has an open end and The throwout bearing clips onto it.

Anyone have any info on this. Maybe a later transmission?

The number stamped onto the top is 524037/4. Not sure where to find more but will search it.

Cheers, Chris

[achilles]

I pulled the other trans off the spare engine today and it looks great.

The throwout arm is different than the one shown in the faq section on installing with your motor in. It has an open end and The throwout bearing clips onto it.

Anyone have any info on this. Maybe a later transmission?

The number stamped onto the top is 524037/4. Not sure where to find more but will search it.

Cheers, Chris

[Guest_anonymous]

The tranny in the FAQ article you are referencing is a 320i tranny. The throw out arm and bearing you are describing is a stock 2002 setup and should match what you have in your car, currently. You can look under your car and see that the throw out arm protrudes the bell housing where the slave cylinder activates the throwout arm, like your spare.

[achilles]

Wicked. thanks Proslack.