engine and drivetrain Leaky Transmission Help/Advice?

[fuzzynormal]

Looked around the FAQ search function but haven't found much directly useful info for a newbie like me.

So the oil is seeping out of the transmission. Changing the transmission oil seems do-able for my skill level, but beyond that task, not sure what steps to take to attempt to actually make the leak stop.

If it's a gasket problem I don't know if I have the wherewithal to replace that, but perhaps it's worth giving it a try?

If so, any URL's that might help?

If the advice here discourages an amateur attempt, figure I'll call the BMW mechanic and schedule some garage time with him.

[BLUNT]

email me and I will walk you through it and send you the 3 seals you need Its fairly easy once the tranny is out But if its not leaking at the input seal Id just do the output and selector shaft seal and call it good

[cheaptoads]

do you feel like the leak is at the bell house end of the gearbox, or the drive shaft end?

my mechanics told me that the rear seal is easier (and cheaper) to replace- you don't have to remove the transmission from the engine.

sorry- not a direct answer to your question, but i myself am a total amateur, never worked on a car until i got the 2002. BUT i was able to pull off the 5 speed swap- it took me 5 weeks, i only dropped the car once, but was totally doable. if you can take your time, and can get your hands on a good manual, why not go for it?

hopefully someone else with respond with why not and school both of us...

[fuzzynormal]

do you feel like the leak is at the bell house end of the gearbox, or the drive shaft end?

Bell house.

[fuzzynormal]

i myself am a total amateur, never worked on a car until i got the 2002.

That's pretty much the same situation we're in with the 2002. My partner and I were well aware of this though and willing...if not self-assured.

[fuzzynormal]

email me and I will walk you through it and send you the 3 seals you need Its fairly easy once the tranny is out

Transmission removal is necessary to accomplish this job? If so, help is appreciated.

Taking pictures and documenting the process would reveal the obvious and old-hat for more skilled mechanics, but I think it would be cool to do so for the less advanced.

[cheaptoads]

really the only thing you must be absolutely confident about is that the car isn't going to fall on you- your head is really one of the only things you can't pay someone to fix for you if you fuck up. i bought some cheap 2 ton jack stands, dropped the car the first time i was trying to put it up on the stands, packed up, went home shuddering with the fear of god, and made a trip to sears to buy some hefty 4 ton suv overkill stands to hold the car, and still found a use for the smaller ones (holding the exhaust, transmission etc).

what we need are anti gravity chambers- they would help with diy car repairs, stop motion animation, the dishes... is this not 2013?!? hurry up future!

r

i

[BLUNT]

email me and I will walk you through it and send you the 3 seals you need Its fairly easy once the tranny is out

Transmission removal is necessary to accomplish this job? If so, help is appreciated.

Taking pictures and documenting the process would reveal the obvious and old-hat for more skilled mechanics, but I think it would be cool to do so for the less advanced.

Yes If Im reading correctly that the leak is coming from the bellhousing .. Removal is needed in that case.

[cheaptoads]

also- you should try to get your hands on the blue bmw workshop manual. i think someone posted a pdf at some point, but i personally find it vastly more helpful with its comprehensive photos than the haynes. the haynes reads like it was written for the initiated, the blue manual is cover to cover german attention to detail. you can read it by the fireplace and have a decent understanding of what to expect.

[fuzzynormal]

2 ton jack stands, dropped the car the first time i was trying to put it up

Yeesh. I have it on four 2-ton jack stands right now. I figured it would be okay for a smaller lightweight car like this.

Did the latch slip on one of them or something?

[fuzzynormal]

the leak is coming from the bellhousing .. Removal is needed in that case.

Figures. Might as well give it a shot and see if the car and the beginner can survive the process.

[fuzzynormal]

what we need are anti gravity chambers- they would help with diy car repairs, stop motion animation, the dishes... is this not 2013?!? hurry up future!

I think an anti-gravity chamber might actually cost less than a 2002 restoration.

Regardless, I'll try wearing my futuristic silver jumpsuit while working on the car, maybe that will help.

[PaulTWinterton]

Kindof a big job for a newbie, I think. Many hours of trial and error to remove, repair, and replace. We all know the unknowns that raise their ugly heads just when we thing everything is going well.

If you need the car for transportation it may be unavailable. You'll need a bunch of tools.

I would recommend:

1. Find an experienced 02 buddy who'll lay under the car with you and mentor you during the process.

2. Take it to a recommended mechanic and have your clutch, flywheel, rear engine seal inspected at the same time.

3. Start your 02 mechanical education with a lesser task.

note: 2ton jackstands are fine. Place correctly.

[PaulTWinterton]

One more thing.

Find a way to determine if it's transmission fluid or engine oil that is dripping at the bellhousing.

If it's engine oil then it is the rear seal on the engine. Transmission fluid, then it's the input shaft seal.

Either way, each is fixable. Just lots of labor to get in there, fix, and re-assemble.

Find a buddy! Or spend some dough on an expert.

[cheaptoads]

Yeesh. I have it on four 2-ton jack stands right now. I figured it would be okay for a smaller lightweight car like this.

Did the latch slip on one of them or something?

no... i was doing something "stupid." i'm far too embarrassed to admit it here, but needless to say, in movies or urban centers when people steal wheels and leave the car on cinder blocks, they don't care if it falls or not...

but, doning your silver space suit, which will absolutely help, try as hard as you can to push the car off of the stands after verifying that nothing soft and crushable is underneath (your partner for example). then you can always prop other things that are thicker than you are wide underneath the sides- your wheels etc. perhaps have your jack in place, making contact but not bearing weight, as another slice of insurance.

anyhow- the safety piece of keeping the 2000 pound car in the air was a theme for me when i did the transmission- i had nothing else go slightly spine tinglingly wrong, but you are going to be pulling and hammering on bolts, heaving heavy things around, and the thought will occur to you- "how much harder can i push on this damn thing before i...."

but you are also absolutely right- pull it off and you'll drive around with an augmented cool, as in totally dope! as you casually smile at modern bmw drivers, thinking, "sorry dude, i know you paid some money for that car, but it's nowhere near as cool as mine, and oh, yeah, nearly forgot- i also fixed my transmission by myself!"