E36 stiff gears - BMW Forum

Tontizzle · 10-20-2009, 07:49 AM

Hi Folks,
First post here, so how r ya's

Got myself a E36 316i 1997. Bought her a good bit battered up and been workin on fixin it up.
So far i got m-tech front bumper and meshed it.
Fixed the fog lights (rechromed the inside and fixed one that was smashed to pieces)
Got myself some 7000k CCFL angel eye rings and Osram 5000k heads + fogs
and got a few bits and pieces outa the scrap yard that were missing/ broken/ looked like they'd been in a war.

Just wonderin about my gear changes, they seem a bit rough, there's almost a bit of resistance ya gotta push through to get it into gear. Also on a cold morn ya'd have to be very carefull with 1st to 2nd and 2nd to third, only reving up to 3500 max and waiting nearly a second between the change.
Dont get me wrong, I dont hammer my way through a gear box, but this feels a little too slow. When the car heats up she drives like a dream, just a bit worried there might be a underline problem (i.e. gear box will blow up and ill spend the next 5 years picking pieces of cog's outa my face)

I've read on here it could just be the bushings, just wanna make sure b4 i got shoppin for bits

Cheers in advance

marti5 · 10-20-2009, 08:57 AM

If she changes like a dream when the box has heated up, sounds like it needs a gearbox oil change as when its cold its to thick....

CanadianWraith · 10-20-2009, 09:43 AM

standard shifter or short shift? i notice my gear changes are tougher with the ssk than with the regular one. not as hard as you're describing though

Tontizzle · 10-23-2009, 05:34 AM

Nah its the standard gear box alright. Its a hell of a lot worse on a cold freezin cold morn. Ill get on changin my box oil so. Cheers lads.

Torque · 10-23-2009, 06:35 AM

Changing the gear oil might help. That said, I had a Subaru that was taking all the strength I have in the right side of my body to pull into 2nd on a freezing morning.