M3 Manual Transmission Hard Shifting Problem

[m3f_zhp43867]

Unfortunately I have already had the clutch bled several times. Also, the clutch slave cylinder has been replaced (along with the clutch and flywheel).



By all means it feels like that's the problem -- the clutch not fully disengaging. The car shifts fine when the engine is off.



Car is completely stock, no short shifter

Do the three things everyone has mentioned first- then keep looking for causes if the problem isn't fixed. I have a very good feeling that they will fix your issue.

[m3f_BleedsBlue]

You should delete your CDV

[m3f_das borgen]

From here:



http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...13&hg=25&fg=05



You only need parts 2,4,7,8,10,14. Nothing more. Weight your selector rod while you're in there with some soldier too. This will help reduce the needed effort for throw since the added weight works with you....



http://www.understeer.com/cheapwsr.shtml

can 14 be replaced without pulling the tranny?

[m3f_runindawg]

Yes, it can.

But, I did mine when I did the flex disc, so the exhaust and driveshaft were out of the way. With those still in place it would likely be a chance to practice your profanity.

[m3f_chowfunstudios]

Rebuild your shifter like others have mentioned.



I had a very similar problem that you had and it ended up being the master cylinder. It would happen randomly and only on hot summer days. Lower gears were hard to engage especially at stoplights making me look like an idiot.



The master cylinders can leak internally overtime and let hydraulic fluid flow back into the reservoir especially when the fluid thins out. I found that pumping the pedal a few times before putting it in gear lessens the effort a bit.



Does this happen primarily when the temps rise?



What tranny fluid are you using?

[m3f_clytle]

Rebuild your shifter like others have mentioned.



I had a very similar problem that you had and it ended up being the master cylinder. It would happen randomly and only on hot summer days. Lower gears were hard to engage especially at stoplights making me look like an idiot.



The master cylinders can leak internally overtime and let hydraulic fluid flow back into the reservoir especially when the fluid thins out. I found that pumping the pedal a few times before putting it in gear lessens the effort a bit.



Does this happen primarily when the temps rise?



What tranny fluid are you using?

Just so I have all my info right, and at the risk of being laughed out of this thread, the clutch shares the same master as the brakes correct?

[m3f_Bimmerman325i]

When you pull the shifter out of reverse, does it spring back to neutral or just chill on the far left side of its range of motion?


I ask because there's a TSB out from BMW on this exact issue, and it's exactly what happened to my transmission. Fix is a selector rod shaft seal and a bushing or two.


FWIW, that sounds like your problem from the hard to shift part. Does it try to grind or clunk into reverse?

[m3f_SteveTVM3]

Get under the car and check if it's rubbing against the drive shaft. You should see a shiny ring around the drive shaft where the selector rod is rubbing. My car had the exact same problem (visibly shaking back and forth in 2nd gear and hard engaging of 1st and 2nd) Ended up ordering new bushings for the shifter and its fixed.

[m3f_roadmax05]

From here:



http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...13&hg=25&fg=05



You only need parts 2,4,7,8,10,14. Nothing more. Weight your selector rod while you're in there with some soldier too. This will help reduce the needed effort for throw since the added weight works with you....



http://www.understeer.com/cheapwsr.shtml

Can all these linkage soft parts be replaced without dropping the tranny??

[m3f_WRXEATR]

Yes.



Removing the shift knob, boot and foam inlay will also simplify things further.

[m3f_roadmax05]

Yes.



Removing the shift knob, boot and foam inlay will also simplify things further.

So all the work can be performed from inside the car or from both inside and under the car?

[m3f_OahuMPower]

So all the work can be performed from inside the car or from both inside and under the car?

its not fun, but yes.... It can be done without removing everything.



(as I head out to garage to remove my shifter, and put in new AKG short shifter, without removing anything)

[m3f_egebhardt]

My reverse is kinda difficult.

1st is nicer when it's warm or when rolling 1mph.

2nd is fine.



What I'm saying is mine is not quite as bad as yours.

I replaced all the Pelican bushings. I did the whole kit because the rubber stuff falls apart. Its over $30 for sure, so I just bought the Pelican kit.



I put in new Redline tranny fluid. I put on new tranny mounts.

I put in a new guibo and RMFDd driveshaft.

Reverse and 1st and 2nd are still kinda difficult. No improvment with all that work.

Mine isn't bad enough to pull the tranny and replace the shift-pins seen here.



http://webspace.ringling.edu/~dplass...hift_pins.html

[m3f_cmcon98]

My wild guess would be the clutch is dragging (not fully disengaging). If the shifter moves into the gears OK when the engine is off, this is likely the problem. The cause could be either a bad slave or clutch master cylinder, a clutch hydraulic system in need of bleeding, or a bad clutch, throwout fork, throwout pivot, or flywheel.



The clutch ledal on these cars is made of plastic, and if it was really distorted, it could be hitting the floor before the clutch fully disengages, but I think this is less likely than the above. The other guys on here include racers and track guys, and they'd be more knowledgeable than I, but this is my guess.

[m3f_mmm98m3]

Awesome insight WRXEATR, i have the same problems. Been researching for the last month on what to do. You mentioned everything I have found out.