Tranny is toast.......$*@#^%#@!! me!

[JD525IA]

Well,

I finally got my car into the indy to look at it after waiting a week.

Some of your guys might recall on my post two weeks ago. I was getting the TRANS PROG message once in a while, especially when coming to a stop.:(
1992 E34 525IA M50 (~155k miles)

I decided to try a tranny filter/flush. Whilst in the midst of the R&R of the filter, I broke the connector on the solenoid that sits on the rear of the tranny.

My indy put the car thru a test that showed it slipping a lot. Verdict - the tranny is on the way out. He said he could fix it but it would soon leave me stranded somewhere. He is honest and I trust what he says. I decided to bite the bullet and have a factory rebuilt transmission (4L30E) put in for $2200 installed.

Also, I had to get an idler arm, all belts, one punctured tire, and one trans mount done/fixed.

My total bill should be around $2600 for the visit today. He is rebalancing all four tires for free, since I complained about the 55 mph shimmy.

Does this sound like a decent price for all that work? Yes/No/Hell no?

He said my front shocks are leaking, but I decided to wait a bit to replace the inserts. Does $650 installed seem like a reasonable price for those? By the way, the Sachs kit at BMA is no longer $640 as advertised on BMWE34.NET. It is now $720. Still, I think that for four matched inserts and springs for that price is decent.

One last stupid question from the officially clueless: Will the idler arm help with the shimmy a bit and will it help get rid of a clunk that I have been hearing when pulling into my garage (sharp right turn)?

Thanks in advance,

JD

[JD525IA]

;)

[BigTed00]

if your going to put all that money into it, why not swap in a 5spd? A tranny swap costs about $1500 for the kit, I would say go for it. They are much more reliable and fun to drive

[632 Regal]

the clunk could be the sway bar links or the top collar nut on the struts, the shimmy will get better by anything you can do with tightening it up.

Usually the 55mph shimmy is because of the upper thrust arms being toast.

Another cause for a clunk is the ball joints which can be checked while going very slow and jabbing the brakes, forward and reverse.

think I covered it all.

[RobPatt]

- yeah go for the 5 speed, it's lighter too, and more fun.
- check the upper and lower control arms (like already said) they big contributor to vibratoin, but could well be something else... but ur mileages, etc won't make things worse... idler arm , etc will also help if renewed, ditto for everything .....
- 650 bones to buy and install front shocks is nuts... but i say that 'cause once you learn how to do it you learn how much $$ you can save yourself...
- keep at it and it will get better. !



Well,

I finally got my car into the indy to look at it after waiting a week.

Some of your guys might recall on my post two weeks ago. I was getting the TRANS PROG message once in a while, especially when coming to a stop.:(
1992 E34 525IA M50 (~155k miles)

I decided to try a tranny filter/flush. Whilst in the midst of the R&R of the filter, I broke the connector on the solenoid that sits on the rear of the tranny.

My indy put the car thru a test that showed it slipping a lot. Verdict - the tranny is on the way out. He said he could fix it but it would soon leave me stranded somewhere. He is honest and I trust what he says. I decided to bite the bullet and have a factory rebuilt transmission (4L30E) put in for $2200 installed.

Also, I had to get an idler arm, all belts, one punctured tire, and one trans mount done/fixed.

My total bill should be around $2600 for the visit today. He is rebalancing all four tires for free, since I complained about the 55 mph shimmy.

Does this sound like a decent price for all that work? Yes/No/Hell no?

He said my front shocks are leaking, but I decided to wait a bit to replace the inserts. Does $650 installed seem like a reasonable price for those? By the way, the Sachs kit at BMA is no longer $640 as advertised on BMWE34.NET. It is now $720. Still, I think that for four matched inserts and springs for that price is decent.

One last stupid question from the officially clueless: Will the idler arm help with the shimmy a bit and will it help get rid of a clunk that I have been hearing when pulling into my garage (sharp right turn)?

Thanks in advance,

JD

[athflying79]

Any good way to see if the idler arm needs changing?? I have a new one sitting on the bench, but the bushing on my old one looked ok visually. Didn't see any cracks or dry rot, but I assume after so many years the rubber hardens up. I figured just leave it.

[632 Regal]

get under it and grab it, push it up and down, have someone turn the wheel both ways and look for slop.
Any good way to see if the idler arm needs changing?? I have a new one sitting on the bench, but the bushing on my old one looked ok visually. Didn't see any cracks or dry rot, but I assume after so many years the rubber hardens up. I figured just leave it.

[Misha]

I have a tranny from '91 525. If you are in LosAngeles let me know, you can get all the job done for half the price.

Mike

[diamond777]

it think 2200 for that tranny is a good deal. would ;like to hear more about 5- speed swap 206k on original 91 535i

[Jon K]

For $2200 i'd have converted to 5 spd. Hell, you could do that for <$1000 if you know where to look.

[F4Phantom]

I just got my tranny rebuilt, cost $2200 + 160 for exhaust bolts which broke onthe way out. $160 is a lot for 2 bolts but still the total price $2260 for the lot, I would say this is a faitly stock price. I am in Australia so things like this sometimes cost a bit more.

[athflying79]

If my tranny went, I would probably get a 5-speed. Then again, I like having a car that I can just get in and go. The 535i is my DD and eventually I would like to get a E30 with a 5 speed. The 535i has at least another years worth of "restoration" then I'll start looking for a 3 series. My commute to work consists of lots of stop and go and not many fun roads, hence the reason I like the auto. The E30 would be more for when I want to have fun.

[Jjcarr]

Well,
My total bill should be around $2600 for the visit today. He is rebalancing all four tires for free, since I complained about the 55 mph shimmy.

Does this sound like a decent price for all that work? Yes/No/Hell no?

JD

Just for comparison, the auto tranny on my VW bug went out at 55k miles, and VW wanted $6500 for a reubuilt tranny, without installation...while not very meaningfull in evaluating whether you're paying too much or not, it does help put that cost into perspective...and explains why I'm driving the 525it...which only cost $6k for the whole #$(*&#$@ car....:) I was a loyal VW guy for a long time, not anymore...

J