Automatic slipping

[Denasti]

I want to give thanks in advance to the poster. I have saved a ton of cash working on my own 525 for years. Now to the new problem..

A couple of weeks ago I was out of town and my son was driving the 525 around and said it was acting funny. When I got home the transmission had gone from strong to limp in just 2 days of short driving. All I can tell you is it is acting just like a slipping clutch in a 5 speed, But its a automatic?

I read up from some previous posters and I changed the filter and fluid. There wasn't many particles in the pan at all, but the fluid was nasty brown but not burnt. I do not know a ton about transmissions but the next thing I would guess is the Torque converter is bad. The only thing that makes me leary of that is the fact I can drive about 30 mph in reverse with plenty of torque. In drive It will only creep along at idle. When I accelerate at all is when it does nothing. It progressed this far within a day or two and slight slippage at full acceleration to total slipping above idle.

Any advice would be helpfull. I have already been searching for a used tranny but I would think 134k on this one is a bit premature.

[DaveVoorhis]

How old is your son? Is he a teenager, and likely to have been revving it in neutral and slapping it into gear, doing brakestands, etc.?

Once upon a time, a buddy of mine borrowed my '81 Z28 4spd while I was away for a couple of weeks. It was okay when I drove it home (though getting into 2nd seemed a bit rougher than usual), but a few days later the tranny disassembled itself. He'd spent the two weeks in my car teaching himself to power shift, of course... :( I replaced it with a Muncie "Rock Crusher" tranny and then blew the engine. But that's another story...

[Alexlind123]

How old is your son? Is he a teenager, and likely to have been revving it in neutral and slapping it into gear, doing brakestands, etc.?

Once upon a time, a buddy of mine borrowed my '81 Z28 4spd while I was away for a couple of weeks. It was okay when I drove it home (though getting into 2nd seemed a bit rougher than usual), but a few days later the tranny disassembled itself. He'd spent the two weeks in my car teaching himself to power shift, of course... :( I replaced it with a Muncie "Rock Crusher" tranny and then blew the engine. But that's another story...

Anyone under 30 is an irresponsible moron. He obviously purposely runined the transmission by performing rowdy and harmful manuevers.

The point here is, it doesnt matter how it happened.

[DaveVoorhis]

Anyone under 30 is an irresponsible moron. He obviously purposely runined the transmission by performing rowdy and harmful manuevers.

Absolutely. The little **** should be grounded until he's fifty, and then only allowed to drive a Morris Minor running on three cylinders. Teenagers shouldn't be allowed to drive cars until they're twenty-five, and then they should be limited to bright pink 900cc Diahatsu Charades until they can demonstrate vehicular responsibility.


The point here is, it doesnt matter how it happened.

Actually, it does.

First of all, it's a good lesson to never loan a car to anyone unless you want to get it back in pieces. Because I'm a condescending ass, I feel it entirely appropriate to use someone else's misery as an opportunity to make an obvious point.

Second, a 4HP22 ain't exactly a Powerglide competition tranny. If the offspring is going to drive it again, it might be worth advising him that this is definitely not the car in which to do brakestands and rev in neutral.

[Denasti]

Well I did not find a pair of pannies plugging up the filter and that was surprising. Does that answer your question?


He is 17 and a jock. I am almost positive he screwed it up but how bad is my question. I found a few used trannies for $650 but to take the time with no lift and crawl under that car will push me to killing him so for his sake this better be a light repair.

Its kinda like the movie with Tony Danza and the Jaguar. He has respect for the car but lets the kid drive it in the race to gain alittle insight and bonding with the kid. Well the car gets destroyed in the end, so I should have heeded that warning.

[DaveVoorhis]

The forward clutch is probably roasted. See http://member.rivernet.com.au/btaylor/BMWText/technical/AutoGearboxZF4HP22.html

I would recommend this as an excellent opportunity for a lesson and father/son bonding time, in which Junior gets to do all the heavy lifting...

[Alexlind123]

20 lashes at the town hall!

[Denasti]

Any suggestion on where to shop a rebuild kit? I say his punishment is waiting for me to bench the tranny and learn what makes it tick :D

Or about a month with no car this summer.


I found a kit for $160 with clutches and seals but Bav auto's kit is somewhere near $340. Hardly worth it if you ask me, better off getting a good used one.

http://www.dialaclutch.com/DAC-DEMO/dotsearch.asp

Not sure on this one but its a start.

[Spasso]

The little **** should be grounded until he's fifty, and then only allowed to drive a Morris Minor running on three cylinders.
l.

Or a Trabant 601.

[Denasti]

I found a salvage tranny with converter in Dallas for 425 shipped so I jumped on it. They claim the tranny only had 74k on it and it should be a easy fit.

Anything I should go buy first before I get into this project? New mounts etc..

[Denasti]

Well the used tranny is trashed now too. I still have the old one so I think I will rebuild it myself per Winfred's documentary on tranny rebuilds. It should be fun. :p

Anyone have a vendor that may sell the rebuild kits? BMA couldn't help me.

[saj3n]

Well the used tranny is trashed now too. I still have the old one so I think I will rebuild it myself per Winfred's documentary on tranny rebuilds. It should be fun. :p

Anyone have a vendor that may sell the rebuild kits? BMA couldn't help me.

How'd the used tranny die?

[Denasti]

In the same manner. It is starting to slip in 1st gear like it is losing the clutch in a 5speed manual. I am going to rebuild the old one then switch it and rebuild the used one and sell it. Nothing like getting some money out of it. I just cant get a listing for a reputable shop to sell me a banner rebuild kit.

[Montreal525]

Hmmmm... Sounds like deja vue all over again...

http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=23639&highlight=toast

Jeff

[Alexlind123]

In the same manner. It is starting to slip in 1st gear like it is losing the clutch in a 5speed manual. I am going to rebuild the old one then switch it and rebuild the used one and sell it. Nothing like getting some money out of it. I just cant get a listing for a reputable shop to sell me a banner rebuild kit.

Has your son been driving it?

[Denasti]

Yup, he is driving it daily. I would like to get it set for a month and sell it and give him a truck or a maxima. Very reliable and I would have my weekends back :D

My daughter drives a 97 maxima and the thing is bullet proof but I would assume that is related to her foot weight.

In hindsight, I made a mistake when I was bolting on the tranny and the splines werent right on the torque converter and I think it damaged the seals on the output shaft? Is this possible?

[slupregime]

well the seals and the clutch pack is about $230 bones but the pain in the ass is dropping it i just did it on my 90535i ..as for your milage that is about when they start then trans progran pops up and only reverse ..its not all your kids fault but any way the steel seals fail and bmw made an update on it to use teflon seals instead it will take you an hour max to do the nesisary modifications the time consumer is the trans if you dont have a lift get some good jack stands and get the car up as high as you cani would not get a new trans (used) just go thru the one you have beacuse 1st and 2nd clutch packs are smoked and those seals and questions just message me i can guide you thru it

[slupregime]

you can email me too Tilewithstyle@sbcglobal.net i can give you a guy here in green bay wi you pay he mails to you easy

[Denasti]

Thanks for the tips, I have switched the trannies already once. I want to rebuild the original one but I am curious if I should get the full overhaul set with all the discs or just the front seals and the forward discs?


I also went with the company Winfred spoke of. They have a site it is www.Axiom.com

I set up a account and now can shop online.