5 Speed Repair

[oldbugr]

Just picked up a 5 speed for my 73. I am in Reno and don't mind shipping. Looking for recommendations for someone who can open it up and make sure it's all good or can do any repair needed. Thanks for the input. 

[tech71]

If it were only that simple. Still, first thing to know is which 5 speed you have?

G245 or G240?

 

[Cabbage Fumes]

 

A bit of advice- Parts are getting very hard to come by for the 245 (even worse for the 235), so instead of expecting a trans shop to look for problems, which aren't always obvious, it's better to install the trans and try it first. If you find that everything works to your liking, run it. If something is either noisy or a synchro catches while upshifting or downshifting, this is the information a shop will need to know. A shop can't tell you if anything is wrong with a trans unless they go through it piece by piece and find something physically broken, which is a costly endeavor if it isn't necessary in the first place. Also, whatever shop you find has to be familiar with the early Getrags, because it takes specialized tools and knowledge, plus they need to know of sources of hard to find parts are found.

[OldRoller]

And drain the oil before installation, catch it in a clear container. That may give you some indication of the condition... shiny bits, silver/brass paste, etc would indicate issues. 

[oldbugr]

All sounds like great advice. The four speed in the car feels so sloppy. It’s impossible to know if you’re in first or third. Is there anyway to improve that with five speed? 

[Mike G]

14 minutes ago, oldbugr said:

All sounds like great advice. The four speed in the car feels so sloppy. It’s impossible to know if you’re in first or third. Is there anyway to improve that with five speed? 

That’s more likely to be your shifter linkage than the transmission. Blunttech sells a very nice shifter package for the 5 speed swap 

[Son of Marty]

You can also repair the shift platform and linkage to tighten up the shift gates.

[Motorrod]

24 minutes ago, oldbugr said:

All sounds like great advice. The four speed in the car feels so sloppy. It’s impossible to know if you’re in first or third. Is there anyway to improve that with five speed? 

The biggest issue with sloppy shifters is linkage bushings and assorted shifter hardware.  Many of the loose shifter problems can be traced to the "top hat" bushings and the other nylon bits in the shifter mechanism.  Most are still available at the dealer for a few bucks.  I redid mine for less than $12.  Huge improvement.  BTW, the 4 speed and the 245 5-speed share most of those components.

[oldbugr]

21 hours ago, tech71 said:

If it were only that simple. Still, first thing to know is which 5 speed you have?

G245 or G240?

 

It is a 245. 

[tech71]

31 minutes ago, oldbugr said:

It is a 245. 

As stated above, many parts for the 245 have become impossible to obtain ( countershaft bearings, bearing cages, gears, ect). It is also not an easy gearbox to disassemble, requires some specialized tooling ect.

The countershaft bearings are a particular problem. Add this to the high demand and you end up with a lot of unserviceable gearboxes floating around for sale, it's a crap shoot buying one in many cases.

So there is merit in the "install it and see if its good" approach, cheaper  than  a teardown and overhaul from say..

Metric Mechanic Inc – BMW Performance Engines, Transmissions, Differentials & Custom Parts - Metric Mechanic

METRICMECHANIC.COM

Tuning up your shift linkage will most likely tighten up your 4 speed a lot.

Edited May 16 by tech71

[oldbugr]

Hope I got a good one. I have no time in the drivers seat of this car or any 2002. And yet I love this car. I can’t learn enough about it and really appreciate the knowledge everyone on this site shares. 

[OldRoller]

Check this post for good info on your shift platform. Once you get the shifter sorted you will likely leave the 4 slinger in there for a while (depending on its internals). Bird in the hand and all that.

 

 

[mike472]

If you do end up having to do a rebuild Metric Mechanic is a good place to go.  They may be a little pricey but they will build you a good box. 

If want to go for the gusto and you have a spare 4 speed laying around they can take that and your 5 speed and make the 5 speed's gearing shorter by 5% in 1st through 4th gears and still give you the nice OD 5th gear.  Plus other improvements they make to the box in general. Or, just do a stock rebuild of the 5 speed.

[2002#3]

     I agree with tech71: install it and drive it.  It might work well and you're done.  If not, send it somewhere.  If there is a problem, you will have noticed it and you'll be able to give the repair shop some info. 

     I did as I preach.  Installed.  No go.  Bad 2nd gear synchro.  Shipped ($) to Apex Vintage (vintage rebuilding and racing specialists), new synchro and complete inner inspection ($$$).  Overall, excellent service. 

     However, your shipping expenses to and from this NC shop might be a deal breaker for you.  Closer might be better.

 

Apex Vintage
3417 Old US 1 Hwy
New Hill, NC 27562
Phone: 919-303-7317
Email: info@apexvintage.com
Website: http://apexvintage.com

[Dudeland]

I have beaten the bushes all over the place and Metric Mechanic seems to be the only place to get work done on them.  I have a 5-speed in the car, and another one which I am sure is in a bad way. 

 

A couple of us are trying to get a RX8 6-speed to work in place.  Concentricity of the input shaft and the driveshaft seem to be the topics with question marks around them, but I feel that they will get solved shortly.   I want to think that it could be a "kit," but the fact that these cars are 40+ years old, pre-building a driveshaft may be a problem.  Perhaps something could be pre-built for the rear transmission mount, spacers for the diff and engine to make sure that the geometry works (if necessary).  

 

It is May, the guts are still out of the car, and my summer is already jammed.   I am teetering on the edge of yanking the transmission and seeing if I can stuff the 6-speed in.  I kinda want to drive it, but knowing I have to take the guts out to do the change makes me scratch my head. 

 

From what I can derive from multiple conversations, to truly fix the transmission, it needs to be disassembled, clamped back together, and then the layshaft bearing surfaces re-bored to a size that will accommodate an off-the-shelf bearing.  Then, the layshafts brought back into specification.    This is assuming that the gears and other bits are still serviceable.   To get this done to a transmission by a boutique shop is easily $10-15k, assuming you can find one.  I could only find one that would attempt it, and they worked on nothing but vintage Ferrari's and Lambo's so you could add a year and 5-10K on top of that.