engine and drivetrain Grinding when going into reverse... makes me cringe!

[josh72ooh2]

When it comes to drive line and engine work, i am at a complete loss.... but i figured asking here will at least help get a possible solution when talking to an 'expert'.

When the car is started up from being off, i can get into reverse no problem.

When i am driving the car forward, then stop the car and attempt to put it in reverse, 9 out of 10 times i am greeted with some serious grinding.

I have tried double clutching, waiting 10 or 20 seconds, and either way, it is a crap shoot... and most times, I lose and the grind wins.

Is it the clutch not disengaging enough?

or maybe something with the hydraulics?

thanks.

-josh

[Guest Anonymous]

Sounds like a shaft is spinning and the grinding is the gears acting as syncros. Try putting it in second gear then into reverse. A liitle foggy on it but that seems to be what I did was to use the syncros in second to slow down the shaft then slip it into reverse.

Have fun and for more fun get a 5 speed.

John

[Guest Anonymous]

If the clutch pedal feels normal then you could have a sticky pilot bearing which is not allowing your transmission shaft to stop completely before you select reverse. That's my 02 cents.

[jgerry2002]

At a stop... with the clutch in, put it in 4th.. then reverse.

I'd bet it won't grind anymore.

[josh72ooh2]

Aaah... the 4th or 2nd to reverse trick. I will definitely try it next time.

FWIW, it has a 5 speed in there already.

Thanks.

-josh

[jgerry2002]

Also.. the E21 manual tells you to wait before engaging reverse gear (not kidding):

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,328295/

[Mike Self]

have you checked the metalastic joints that fasten the shift linkage bracket to the tranny? When they wear out it allows too much shifter movement and you'll have trouble engaging one or more gears 'till you replace 'em. Or they may just be loose...worth checking.

Could your clutch slave or M/C be leaking so that the clutch doesn't fully disengage?

mike

[Arshloch]

It takes roughly 5 seconds for the shaft to stop in order to shift into reverse.

When was the last time you bled the clutch?

I would check the pedal box and your clutch slave/master. You may wanna adjust the clutch pedal travel a little to give it more room and make sure that everything moves freely in there and is properly lubed.

The second: once a small amount of air gets into the slave cylinder in virtually allows for the clutch not to be disengaged fully,thus, spinning the disc. So you may not even notice it in first gear, because of the %99 of torque is taken off the input shaft.

[josh72ooh2]

No idea when the clutch was bled. I have only had the car for 3 months.

Today I tried shifting to 2nd or 4th before reverse. The first time, i got the grind. The second time, i let the clutch out just a wee bit in 4th gear, then put the clutch in and shifted into reverse. everything was OK then.

This were both times where i also waited about 5 seconds before going into reverse.

i think some adjusting is a good place to start... then maybe take it to somebody to do the bleeding (i hate brake bleeding... due to improper tools to do so).

thanks.

-Josh

[TobyB]

Yeah, you have a clutch problem. COULD be the pilot,

but I think you should carefully bleed it to start.

A little air really does kill your throwout bearing travel.

You could also have bent, worn, broken or worn- out componentry.

Or even the wrong parts in there.

But I bet you just have a bubble of air in the hydraulics.

t