Shudder during reverse

[Ken in Australia]

Hi Bimmer nuts
this is my first post, but I check out the site at least once a day - I'm hooked bad. For the last year I have been the proud owner of a graphite grey 1993 540i auto, with 175,00 (about 110,00 miles) kilometres on the clock, with fake throwing star wheels - I am the fourth owner and the car is terrific and practically rockets down the road.
Every thing is fine and I read and use all your great tips and terrific suggestions - from Shogun's reset, Winfred's sober insights and Javier's electrical wizardry through to choice of Mobil 1, which I change evert 3 months.
Here's my problem: just recently, when the car was cold or cool and I selected reverse it would shudder and lack power. This is especially prominent when reversing up a slope. When warmed up it seems fine and reverse has no shudders and it has power - other than that, all forward gears seem to act as they should.
Is this the early sign of something grim? Will a change of oil fix it, as I don't think that its every been changed. Is it a connection or linkage problem?
I really would appreciate your help and advice over here in far away Australia.

[mattyb]

hey ken, you should post more mate. theres heaps of us over here. I think we have the same car down to the colour. Does reverse take a second or two to engage?

[grave77]

u seem to have transmission problem ... old transmissions does this, usually as mattyb said, your tranny should engage after 1 sec approximately and the car should lift up a bit from behind, now if ur tranny is not working proparly then they transmission fluid pressure is not making the clutches shift the torque proparly causing the clutches to slip and engage frequently. as a results u will feel the shuddering. I don't know much about the fluid change for your tranny. maybe some other guys would reply and tell you. also you can search in the forum for tranny problems on M60 engines.

good luck

[632 Regal]

I would try by changing the trans filter and the fluid that comes out with that job only and see if that fixes the problem, the longer you wait the more damage you are causing. That trans takes specific fluid too.

[grave77]

thats true ... by the way ... this tranny rarly needs the fluid changed, right? but how rarly is it? 130K ? whats the oil type? I know its synth. oil but what type??

[632 Regal]

takes the special shell or esso trans juice that costs like 20 bux a quart, thats why people are experimenting with generic stuff.

[mzarifkar]

If you figure out what it is or how to fix it, let me know. mine does it too (more when engine is warm tho)

[Ken in Australia]

hey ken, you should post more mate. theres heaps of us over here. I think we have the same car down to the colour. Does reverse take a second or two to engage?

Thanks Mattyb
you got it - one to two seconds to engage reverse. It a great car and I want to keep it in tip top condition and don't want to fork out too much money if it's not needed.
Any advice will be great.

[Ken in Australia]

If you figure out what it is or how to fix it, let me know. mine does it too (more when engine is warm tho)

Thanks go to all you guys
I am having it checked over tomorrow and will let you know - I think that I will start with the oil and filter change as you all suggest.

[GJPinAU]

Thanks go to all you guys
I am having it checked over tomorrow and will let you know - I think that I will start with the oil and filter change as you all suggest.
Ken,
it might also be your rear brakes binding a little after being left at night with the handbrake on.
cheers,
Greg

[Ken in Australia]

Ken,
it might also be your rear brakes binding a little after being left at night with the handbrake on.
cheers,
Greg

Thanks GP
I'll test it out by leaving the handbrake off all night and see what happens.
Cheers from Melbourne

[Ken in Australia]

u seem to have transmission problem ... old transmissions does this, usually as mattyb said, your tranny should engage after 1 sec approximately and the car should lift up a bit from behind, now if ur tranny is not working proparly then they transmission fluid pressure is not making the clutches shift the torque proparly causing the clutches to slip and engage frequently. as a results u will feel the shuddering. I don't know much about the fluid change for your tranny. maybe some other guys would reply and tell you. also you can search in the forum for tranny problems on M60 engines.

good luck

Thanks Grave 77
will do - am checking it all tomorrow - fingers crossed

[grave77]

good luck ... hope am not bringingbad news ... but to chear u up ... my dads car 735i had this problem since we bought it 1.5 years back ... he changed the fluid and it got better ... I dont tell u that the tranny is 100% good but it's working fine ... 70% Ok ...

so dont worry :)

[tlyons]

How did the check turn out. I have what sounds ot be the same problem with new 1990 535i.

Car is cold, start it up, engage reverse, you can feel it engage, but it almost seems to be fighting itself as you reverse.

Switch to drive, back to reverse, sometimes goes away. Once the car warms up, it has no problem at all.

Sounds like the same problem, but any input would be appreciated.

By the way, this is my first BMW, I love the style of the E34 535i. Hoping to have a lot of fun with it.

[Ken in Australia]

How did the check turn out. I have what sounds ot be the same problem with new 1990 535i.

Car is cold, start it up, engage reverse, you can feel it engage, but it almost seems to be fighting itself as you reverse.

Switch to drive, back to reverse, sometimes goes away. Once the car warms up, it has no problem at all.

Sounds like the same problem, but any input would be appreciated.

By the way, this is my first BMW, I love the style of the E34 535i. Hoping to have a lot of fun with it.

Hi tlyon
check out my post today - I hope that you have the good luck that I had