FYI: Troubleshooting SMG Relocation Problems

[eacmen]

Just want to follow up. I have had these sounds coming from trans tunnel that sounded like cavitation. Bleeding the system and running the adaptations would fix it for a bit. Even though I read op's post 4 or 5 times I still didn't realize that my reservoir wasn't seated all the way in! I went to go bleed it again and voila pushed it in one more "click", bled the system a couple times and the noise is gone.

So tl;dr if you're getting noise from the trans tunnel even when car is sitting there. Check the push fitting where the reservoir meets the pump (exactly like op said in the first post!). Needless to say I feel like an idiot.

Update on this: bleeding it helped the issue for a while but it would always return. The past week getting ready for a track event it was getting worse. I had a shop look at it and they replaced the actuator and the sound went away for a day and returned.

Second track session the SMG failed. No matter what I tried the unit would no longer bleed. Even though it was a unit rebuilt with MLR seals it seems to have failed. I swapped in the original SMG pump that came with the car and it started working as normal.

So TLR if you hear buzzing vibration sounds that happen even if the engine isn't running while shifting gears or holding it in neutral. Its the SMG pump on its way out.

[eacmen]

Just wanted to see if anyone still has the Buzzing sound after relocating and bleeding multiple times. No matter which way It still comes back but has never dropped out of gear or have any any cog lights. Did anyone solve this issue completely? Please share

I can get rid of the buzz after bleeding a few times but it always comes back. Car shifts fine and no cog light. I suspect air leaking in one of the seals on the actuator. Im having a specialty shop look at it now, but even if they can't fix it I'm not worried as its a track car and I just bleed it a few times before each event.

[oceansize]

I get the occasional buzz. Zero issues.

[humarahumara]

Just wanted to see if anyone still has the Buzzing sound after relocating and bleeding multiple times. No matter which way It still comes back but has never dropped out of gear or have any any cog lights. Did anyone solve this issue completely? Please share

[MacCube]

I just wanted to bump this thread back to the top for my own convenance and for the those that may be interested in relocating their SMG pump. It has a world of knowledge from experience that is very valuable. Thanks to all that have contributed.

[eacmen]

Just want to follow up. I have had these sounds coming from trans tunnel that sounded like cavitation. Bleeding the system and running the adaptations would fix it for a bit. Even though I read op's post 4 or 5 times I still didn't realize that my reservoir wasn't seated all the way in! I went to go bleed it again and voila pushed it in one more "click", bled the system a couple times and the noise is gone.

So tl;dr if you're getting noise from the trans tunnel even when car is sitting there. Check the push fitting where the reservoir meets the pump (exactly like op said in the first post!). Needless to say I feel like an idiot.

[YulCmr]

Link to video below, around 12s mark is high pitch noise. Happens in the middle and toward the end of the actuator bleed procedure.

On the finish line of this relocation and cannot get this high pitch noise to go away while bleeding actuator. Any ideas? Normal?

SMG seems to adapt okay. But haven’t driven it yet to test.

https://youtu.be/s8cd_0s_nDc

I've heard this sound in the past. No issue on my side so far (and a lot of mode 5 driving.) I've replaced my clutch slave cylinder since (while searching WHY my SMG kept throwing me out of gear) but I don't remember if it still does this sound.

Just to clarify my situation regarding the Burkhart bracket and the pump orientation...
To this day, I still run my pump horizontally, held by some old clothing, old shoes and cardboard. (Ghetto setup did you say ?) I haven't faced a single issue since. A lot of hard driving, mode 5, mode 6, high Gs curves on poor country roads. I assume my group is now properly bled and I may end up reinstalling it on its burkhart bracket.
Like I assumed few weeks ago, I'm pretty sure that my system was just completely messed up with air to a point where "10 to 15 bleed" won't help (Always bled horizontally). I needed to get the system working "long term" in its original orientation to 100% get rid of this air.
To add some inputs, 2 friends of mine did the mod at the same period (I even helped to complete one) and none of them are experiencing bleeding issue. However, one of them does hear the "First gear" sound like me and like some other guys here:
- N to 1 & 1 to N
- 2 to 1 (at a complete stop, not if I engage 1st myself before stopping the car)
- Maybe doing it on reverse too but I don't remember ...

Not really related but I may have one more input regarding SMG behavior on aging components. I've had clutch slur issues for 6+ months in 2021. Slur did occur on mid-rpm gear shift, loaded engine. 0.5s to 1.5s slur.
Did a lot of bleed, adaptations etc ... SMG oil level. Slur..
Clutch & flywheel changed. Slur.
I ended up replacing my clutch slave cylinder with a rebuilt unit from SMG Society. Slur disappeared !

[oceansize]

Haven’t had to yet.

[eacmen]

Has anyone successfully replaced the seals on the gear actuator? MLR sells a kit with the seals:

https://mlreng.com/products/smg-ii-gear-actuator-seal-kit

[oceansize]

Not something I’ve heard before. If changing gears do u hear it? Or strictly during the bleed? Probably just during bleed. If everything is good row the gears a bit, watch your pressure and then take for a short drive

[eacmen]

Link to video below, around 12s mark is high pitch noise. Happens in the middle and toward the end of the actuator bleed procedure.

On the finish line of this relocation and cannot get this high pitch noise to go away while bleeding actuator. Any ideas? Normal?

SMG seems to adapt okay. But haven’t driven it yet to test.

https://youtu.be/s8cd_0s_nDc

[eacmen]

I did a one time bleed at install time (which I laid out in my original post in this thread). None since.

Yeah once system is bled it should remain bled. If you need to keep bleeding then air is getting past a seal somewhere in the system.

[0-60motorsports]

Ejaz
I think that this forum was created in order for us to cooperate and share problems and solutions.
But it varies from person to person and You have the right to choose,Most know where to find and get the the bracket, but unfortunately it is not the required one. and that what me and @YulCmr was talk about.
The job is not impossible or secret, but as I said it takes time and several attempts to obtain the desired design.

Thank you Ejaz very much, and I hope yours prototype remains secret forever.

Here you go:

https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/main-forum/e46-2001-2006/172094-vince-s-smg-relocation-bracket-information-and-feeler

Got a hold of VinceSE2 and he gave the go ahead to post pics. Your welcome Ahmed

[oceansize]

So thats exactly what i thought but were you successful in bleeding it that way or did you have to position it horizontally before bleeding?

I did a one time bleed at install time (which I laid out in my original post in this thread). None since.

[0-60motorsports]

There shouldn't be an assumption that pump orientation causes problems for everyone. I've been running my relocated pump with the motor facing towards the sky and accumulator down for close to two year with zero issues. Zero.

So thats exactly what i thought but were you successful in bleeding it that way or did you have to position it horizontally before bleeding?