Gearbox maintenance while out - detent springs etc

[the Nefyn cat]

If you've got some spare bell-housing bolts around, cut the heads off the longest two, put a hacksaw slot in the ends for a screwdriver, and use them for guide pins. Slot lets you undo them once the box is in. And put the box into gear before refitting it, useful to be able to turn the primary shaft a bit as it goes in to help align the splines. Or maybe you already know this sort of stuff and I've just wasted a couple of minutes of my life. Bu88er.

 

[mrscalex]

If you've got some spare bell-housing bolts around, cut the heads off the longest two, put a hacksaw slot in the ends for a screwdriver, and use them for guide pins. Slot lets you undo them once the box is in. And put the box into gear before refitting it, useful to be able to turn the primary shaft a bit as it goes in to help align the splines. Or maybe you already know this sort of stuff and I've just wasted a couple of minutes of my life. Bu88er.

I tell you what that’s a fantastic idea. One of my concerns is getting it lined-up properly and risk of knackering the input shaft. That ought to sort me out Thank you.

 

[the Nefyn cat]

That's what we're here for. And a small smear of grease (not copperslip type stuff) on the input splines, and I'll say "small" again.

 

[handsomejackuk]

quick update had a brief look today at my gearbox 2.8 and @colb took the car out for a quick spin and agrees with me there is a bit of resistance between the 5th and 3rd gate it doesnt spring back to the 3rd 4th gate needs a small amount of persuasion.. suspect its the detent springs i did give the plastic ball a good dowsing with gt85 while under the car but no real difference gearbox oil has also been recently changed. i did note a small amount of slop in the linkage on the bottom of the gearbox lever so thinking on replacing the lever for something else...

Dare i say it chinese short shifter...!!!!!

has anyone tried these ebay special short shifters and comment on them being any good...?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Short-Sh...en:E36&hash=item2cf3fca9b8:g:OgkAAOSwXKRdZj3h

@Nodzed if you need a hand on the gearbox give me a shout up for giving you a hand on the weekend if you need it..

let me know

maybe even get a few other zedshed members to pop up and help

 

[Cyruskint]

Hi. Sorry to resurrect this thread, but.......

Before I bought my 2002 Z3 3.0 it had lain idle for around a year.
I noticed soon after getting it that it was reluctant to return to neutral between 4th & 5th. I guessed at the time that this was the detent/bias/return springs in the gearbox, but that was a way down the list of "things" that bothered me at that time. I was doing little mileage so just lived with it (like the backlash in the final drive).
During the lockdown I have used it a lot more and, pleasantly, the poor return action seems only to be an issue when the car is cold. Clearly it has improved with use!
Has anyone else had this experience and are there any thoughts regarding whether this will continue or is it likely to deteriorate and spoil my smile?

 

[t-tony]

Unlikely that continued use will have a detrimental effect on the gear change, more likely as you have found it will improve. If you don't have a record of a recent gear oil change that too would likely be beneficial.

Tony

 

[Cyruskint]

Unlikely that continued use will have a detrimental effect on the gear change, more likely as you have found it will improve. If you don't have a record of a recent gear oil change that too would likely be beneficial.

Tony

Cheers Tony
I am having the backlash looked-at this month, so will ask for a change of gearbox & final drive oil.

 

[Rudyrov]

With my car, the gearshift tends to "flop" towards the right, not maintaining the centered alignment of the shir=fter being in the 3rd and 4th gear as the center. THis makes finding 3rd very difficult at times especially when spirited shifting out of 2nd. I had read that this was cause by the detent springs and was a Z3 issue that could be fixed.

 

[Pingu]

Item 12 and Item 14 are the SHIFT pins - these are the parts that become seized in the casing and fail to assist Item 5 from being forced back to the gearlever's natural position (between 3 and 4). This leads to the sloppy gearlever.


Item 27 and Item 28 are the DETENT pins - these are pins that lock the forks (Items 20, 21 & 22) in the appropriate position. If the Item 26 spring fails, or the detent pins seize, the fork will be loose and the gearlever will jump out of gear.

 

[Pingu]

That's what we're here for. And a small smear of grease (not copperslip type stuff) on the input splines, and I'll say "small" again.

I apply coppergrease with a small paintbrush, but I wipe it off afterwards. All that is left is the smooth slip, but no visible residue.

 

[Lee]

As Pingu says the liners in the 5th & reverse wear causing it to grab the pin this in turn stops the pin centralising.

 

[Cyruskint]

Thank you guys for the clarification