Should I swap out the tranny?

[Bimminator]

Well my intermitent tranny issue seems pretty constant now. I posted a while back inquiring for information as to why my tranny would sometimes stay in 2nd gear way to long and then finally shift hard into third and then sometimes into 4th and sometimes not. Weeks would pass before the problem would arise again. Well the problem has been constant for about four days now. The new symptom is that reverse is also slipping now pretty regularly. the tranny shops told me to expect to spend at least $2500 Can. to open it up to address any seal issues etc. I've located a used tranny that came out of a car with less miles on it than mine (from Bruno) I was going to buy it in case mine was toast, but now I think it would be a whole lot cheaper to just swap and stop dickin around with mine. Bruno says the tranny he has was shifting fine before he parted the car though it did down shift "slightly hard". Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks, Shawn

[stx133]

swap to a manual and be done with it, i know i will it my tranny ever goes.

[imnprsd]

I would clean the gear selector switch before condemming your tranny. It's easy to do and you would be surprised how many problems this solves. If you tranny still does not shift correctly then check your fluid level... and when was the last time you changed it anyway? These trannys are very sensitive to fluid levels.

[gtopaul]

Usually on the first or 2nd shift of the day mine will stay in 2nd gear too long, usually 2800-3100 rpm, before shifting into 3rd (which it stays in for about a second or two). The rest of the day it seems to shift fine. I did a trans flush which seemed to help with the frequency this happens and I was getting a Trans Program Light which translated into something going on with the speed sensor. Since the flush the Trans light hasn't occured again.

I don't think I'd chance a used transmission unless you know the car, the owner, and it's maintenance history. R&R on a trans is pretty steep unless you can do it yourself and it's a major pain to do more than once. I've seen these rebuilt transmissions offered on ebay and I'll probably go that route if things get worse.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-4L30E-Automatic-Transmission-318i-325i-525i-528i-Z3_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33727QQitemZ79940930 59QQrdZ1

Hears hoping they don't get worse. ;-)

Paul

[Randell]

Well my intermitent tranny issue seems pretty constant now. I posted a while back inquiring for information as to why my tranny would sometimes stay in 2nd gear way to long and then finally shift hard into third and then sometimes into 4th and sometimes not. Weeks would pass before the problem would arise again. Well the problem has been constant for about four days now.

I had a similar problem a year ago... at first intermittent, then almost constant.. mine didn't completely stick in 2nd, it would feel like it was getting 3rd but the revs would remain consistent as though it was in 2nd, and when i lifted the throttle the revs would drop (slipping clutch). it was the 3-4 clutch pack, which everyone tells me isn't usually the one that burns out first... in my case however it was, after 265000km something was bound to crap itself! i killed it completely one day when i figured it would shift to 3rd if i held it to redline... it did (with a very scary thump, i thought i'd left the whole tranny on the road!), and then decided 3rd gear was where it wanted to stay forever...

i always said i would replace it with a manual if it died.. but when it came round to it the effort was just too great... 4 days and it was rebuilt better than new, though 3 months later it was dead again (stuck torque converter)

so you have a risk in the rebuild (humans make mistakes), and you have risk putting in the second hand one... i would go for the rebuild, at least you get fresh parts etc and usually get a warranty (mine was 2 years, the second rebuild was free but it took a LOT of convincing to get them to do it!)

[632 Regal]

pop the used one in there and go through the old one and figure out what the problem is, this will at the least buy you time where you wont have to throw out immense amounts of money in a despirate attempt to cure the problem.

I think that makes sence...re-read yep good to go.

[Bimminator]

pop the used one in there and go through the old one and figure out what the problem is, this will at the least buy you time where you wont have to throw out immense amounts of money in a despirate attempt to cure the problem.

I think that makes sence...re-read yep good to go.
Thanks for all the advice all but right now I really can't spend a ton of cash on this tranny as a few other repairs are necessary at the same time. Such as, the rear shocks sound like metal hitting metal every time I hit a bump. I'm also in desperate need of thrust arms and control arms in the front. And I just discovered that my gas tank is leaking at the filler tube. I only noticed it now because I 've only been putting in $20 in the tank at a time all summer because it was around .90 cents per. litre. So on Tuesday when "They" predicted that gas may go up by as much as .30 cents, I filled it at .98 per. Sure enough the next morning it was 1.25 per. Its been pretty steady at 1.35 for the last 3 days. So needless to say at these prices the gas tank has to be fixed right away.($600 approx.) Not a good month for my wallet, and I have just started teachers college so I'm not working full-time for another 10 months. Even if the smart thing to do is use a rebuilt tranny, I have to make my cash last as long as possible.

[632 Regal]

my trans shifts at 2500+ before its warmed up.

[stx133]

how much for the 2nd hand tranny, would you do the work yourself, how much time do you have and how long can you live without your car.... all important questions the answers to which will guide your path to happiness.....

[Bimminator]

how much for the 2nd hand tranny, would you do the work yourself, how much time do you have and how long can you live without your car.... all important questions the answers to which will guide your path to happiness.....
The used tranny is $500 and I will be doing none of the work and I need the work to be done within a week. I figure I will get my indy to do the tranny swap while the gas tank is sent out for refurbishing which will take three days. I don't mind doing minor mechanical stuff etc. but I'll leave tranny work to the pros. I really want to try my own valve adjustment this fall, starting to read up on it now. My indy keeps adusting them too tight, and Bruno tells me that they actually need to be a little looser than spec. So I will see if I can get rid of the clacking. Like I said, just bad timing. If I wasn't in school the expense wouldn't be an issue, but with everything hitting me all in the same month!!!!????? If the reverse is slipping is this a clutch pack on it's way out? Until now I have been assuming that the issue has been leaking seals.

[stx133]

$500 for a 2nd hand tranny v 2500 for a rebuild. even if it buys a couple of years, keep the old tranny and set it up at home to strip and service, what have you got to loose. if it works money saved. if if dosent then get the 2nd hand tranny rebuilt.
just my 2c

[Bimminator]

$500 for a 2nd hand tranny v 2500 for a rebuild. even if it buys a couple of years, keep the old tranny and set it up at home to strip and service, what have you got to loose. if it works money saved. if if dosent then get the 2nd hand tranny rebuilt.
just my 2c
I agree, If it will buy me two years I would be extremely happy. Maybe I could ues this opportunity to learn how to tear down and re-build mine over the next year? I'll have to start reading up and collecting more tools. Hey did I just say more tools? Sweet, morrrrrrrrrre toooooooools!

[632 Regal]

http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?postid=4170#poststop

[uscharalph]

$500 for a 2nd hand tranny v 2500 for a rebuild. even if it buys a couple of years, keep the old tranny and set it up at home to strip and service, what have you got to loose. if it works money saved. if if dosent then get the 2nd hand tranny rebuilt.
just my 2c
Sounds like pretty sound advice.