New boy

[Chris Hunter]

Hi All.
Just saying hello. My name is chris and I am looking forward to my membership of your Forum. I have a 2001 Topaz Blue 3.0i which I have owned since 2011. It has a fairly low mileage of 37,000 ish, and apart from a stone chip or two it is in good condition. Since obtaining it I have fitted a but strut with fore and aft stays, a front strut brace, a larger under body splash guard which covers the front underside from bumper to the X frame. I have also fitted modified shift pins into the ZF. gearbox resulting in a much nicer gear change. Those then are my sins, I enjoy the car immensely, with only one gripe, it would be better with an overdrive sixth gear for motorways. I wonder if a Z4 six speed box would fit? My other interests are my 47 year old Lotus Elan, and flying.

 

[andyglym]

to the forum from West Cumbria.

 

[Ian&Sue]

Hi Chris from North Yorkshire.

Sue & Ian.

 

[Chris Hunter]

Thanks for the welcome Andy. I am also a Cumbrian, not quite a "marra" I am in Cumwhitton, south east of Carlisle. Nice to hear from another Local boy.
cheers Chris

 

[Nodzed]

 

[Mazza]

Hi and welcome to the forum from Bognor Regis

 

[Nodzed]

It seems you can fit the Z4 6 speed.......apparently........ I found this on another site



1) With the car on ramps remove the exhaust, heat shield and driveshaft.
2) Make a cradle for trolley jack to enable raising lowering of the gearboxes safely.
3) Unbolted the gearbox rear mount. You can then get at the splined bolts that hold the gearbox onto the engine.
4) Removed the old gearbox.
5) Removed the clutch.
6) Up to this point I planned on replacing the Z3 flywheel with the Z4 flywheel as the input shaft on the Z4 gearbox is shorter and the Z4 flywheel has the shaft bearing within it. However the new dual mass flywheels are not as well made as the one in my M52TU so instead I made a bearing housing adapter to take the Z4 shaft. To fit this bearing adapter you need to pull out the old bearing from the crankshaft.
7) Fitted a new clutch disk. The splines on the Z4 gearbox are different. I used a clutch from a 330i as its 240mm. The Z4 disk is only 228mm.
8) Fitted the new gearbox. I say new in fact it's secondhand -I had to repair it as it came from a smashed up Z4 but that's another essay in itself.
9) Made and fitted some adapters to take the new gearbox mounts. I spent a long time messing about here (2-3 hrs) to get the height right.
10) Cut down the Z4 control arm for the shifter (29mm)
11) Fitted the new shifter. - The Z4 shifter is real short - nice

12) Cut down the old driveshaft by 105mm. Had to make a steady for the lathe to do this. Again I spent a couple hours making sure I got the shaft tru before tacking and welding.
13) Fitted the driveshaft and heat shield.
14) Fitted the exhaust. This bit came as a surprise as it runs very close to the new gearbox mounts, but it doesn't seem to get too hot.

The whole job took around 2 weeks working Weekends and some evenings when I felt like it.

Why would I do this.....Well I like this type of thing and I am really pleased with the results. Gear shifting is much improved. The new ZF transmissions are certainly a lot slicker than the original one in my car.

 

[Chris Hunter]

It seems you can fit the Z4 6 speed.......apparently........ I found this on another site



1) With the car on ramps remove the exhaust, heat shield and driveshaft.
2) Make a cradle for trolley jack to enable raising lowering of the gearboxes safely.
3) Unbolted the gearbox rear mount. You can then get at the splined bolts that hold the gearbox onto the engine.
4) Removed the old gearbox.
5) Removed the clutch.
6) Up to this point I planned on replacing the Z3 flywheel with the Z4 flywheel as the input shaft on the Z4 gearbox is shorter and the Z4 flywheel has the shaft bearing within it. However the new dual mass flywheels are not as well made as the one in my M52TU so instead I made a bearing housing adapter to take the Z4 shaft. To fit this bearing adapter you need to pull out the old bearing from the crankshaft.
7) Fitted a new clutch disk. The splines on the Z4 gearbox are different. I used a clutch from a 330i as its 240mm. The Z4 disk is only 228mm.
8) Fitted the new gearbox. I say new in fact it's secondhand -I had to repair it as it came from a smashed up Z4 but that's another essay in itself.
9) Made and fitted some adapters to take the new gearbox mounts. I spent a long time messing about here (2-3 hrs) to get the height right.
10) Cut down the Z4 control arm for the shifter (29mm)
11) Fitted the new shifter. - The Z4 shifter is real short - nice

12) Cut down the old driveshaft by 105mm. Had to make a steady for the lathe to do this. Again I spent a couple hours making sure I got the shaft tru before tacking and welding.
13) Fitted the driveshaft and heat shield.
14) Fitted the exhaust. This bit came as a surprise as it runs very close to the new gearbox mounts, but it doesn't seem to get too hot.

The whole job took around 2 weeks working Weekends and some evenings when I felt like it.

Why would I do this.....Well I like this type of thing and I am really pleased with the results. Gear shifting is much improved. The new ZF transmissions are certainly a lot slicker than the original one in my car.

 

[Chris Hunter]

Thank you for your interesting report on the Z4 gearbox swap. sounds like a winter job if I can find a gear box/
Cheers
Chris

 

[andyglym]

Thanks for the welcome Andy. I am also a Cumbrian, not quite a "marra" I am in Cumwhitton, south east of Carlisle. Nice to hear from another Local boy.
cheers Chris

Hi Chris

Take a look at this link for a local run out next year mate.

https://zroadster.org/threads/the-lakes-tour-april-2021.39343/

Local Have lived on the outskirts of Whitehaven for 9 years so only 50 to go Nice County to live in though. The first time I heard 'Bait time' I thought we all went fishing over lunch

 

[Keet]

Hello and welcome to the forum

 

[Stevo7682]

Hi and welcome from me in Scotland .

 

[Shelly]

 

[Chris Hunter]

Thank you all for your messages of welcome and advice. Your lakes run is appealing Andy, I can not commit to go yet, but I can try later when
my path is a bit clearer, next year.
Blue Skies
Chris

 

[Mint]

Hi @Chris Hunter, to the forum from me too in Staffordshire.

 

[Chris Hunter]

Hi Mint.
Thanks for the welcome. Love the car. Funny how removing the top appears to lengthen it.
My Z is at present having the outer sills repainted for stone chips will post some pictures when the sills
are returned
blueskies
Chris