Gear knob doesn’t centre

[rmoconnor41]

Hi

perhaps you can help with some details of the issues the gearbox is having when the gear stick doesn’t centre.

when driving I have to guide the gear stick between gears. Although I have almost mastered this it does result in the occasional wrong gear getting selected.

I believe it relates to pins but that is as far as my knowledge extends

Thanks

 

[DrWong]

Yep, worn detent pins in the gearbox. Fairly straightforward to replace the pins themselves, but the gearbox has to be removed first

 

[rmoconnor41]

Thanks.

 

[t-tony]

@Lee is well versed on this repair. Check out some of Zshed HQ rebuild threads.

Tony.

 

[Pingu]

It's not the detent pins - the role of the detent pins is keep the car in gear.

It is the sintered steel pistons and bushes that have become too tight for the springs.

There was a very good page on t'web (https://webspace.ringling.edu/~dplassma/bmw_diy/shift_pins/shift_pins.html), but it seems to have disappeared.

Recently, someone did a thread about this and the cost of some of the parts have gone up

 

[Lee]

@Lee is well versed on this repair. Check out some of Zshed HQ rebuild threads.

Tony.

Tony's on the money, the 5th gear indent pin liner breaks down causing the pin to stick inside. Normally with this once warm the gearbox feels fine unless yours is really worn.

I've dragged this photo out the zedshed section. The two shown here are 5th and reverse.

 

[t-tony]

Tony's on the money, the 5th gear indent pin liner breaks down causing the pin to stick inside. Normally with this once warm the gearbox feels fine unless yours is really worn.

I've dragged this photo out the zedshed section. The two shown here are 5th and reverse.
View attachment 208791

Cheers Lee.

Tony.

 

[DomiMik]

It's not the detent pins - the role of the detent pins is keep the car in gear.

It is the sintered steel pistons and bushes that have become too tight for the springs.

There was a very good page on t'web (https://webspace.ringling.edu/~dplassma/bmw_diy/shift_pins/shift_pins.html), but it seems to have disappeared.

Recently, someone did a thread about this and the cost of some of the parts have gone up

You can access the web page via wayback machine:

How to: Service your transmission shift pins.

web.archive.org

 

[Pingu]

You can access the web page via wayback machine:

How to: Service your transmission shift pins.

web.archive.org

Fig 04-02 shows the pins that need changed.
Figs 05-01 and 05-02 show the bushes that need to be changed.

If you need the tools, you can find the dimensions here (I don't make them any more). There's also a "how to" video.
http://www.porterbility.co.uk/shift_pins.htm

 

[Mike Fishwick]

An oil change to a synthetic 75-90 would be a good place to start, before ripping the gearbox apart.

 

[Nodzed]

New pins and bushes in mine courtesy of @Lee certainly cured mine, and if the box is out its worth a new clutch kit.

#ZedShed - Z3M Clutch and Gearbox Shift Pins

Over the next two days we’ve taken in @Nodzed stunning Z3M in primer. :D He was complaining of a noisy release bearing and the gearstick sitting to the right when cold both of which are quite common on all Z3’s. All the larger engine Z3’s use the same gearbox, even the M’s. So the first thing...

zroadster.org

 

[rmoconnor41]

Local garage will remove the gearbox and then re fit it