1985 318i: problems shifting with manual transmission

I just acquired a BMW 318i. I am sure that the clutch is working well.
When I first drove the car, I had no problems shifting. Then, after a
few days, I began having problems shifting into 1st gear. Not every
time, but on a regular basis, the stick will not go smoothly into the
first gear position. It will go partially into that position. When
the stick is partially in the first gear position, and I let out the
clutch to put the car into gear, if I take my hand off the stick, the
stick will be thrown automatically out of gear into neutral, but if I
continue pushing the stick into position while letting out the clutch,
depending on how skillful I am with it, it will either pop hard into
first gear or grind into it. Other times, without letting out the
clutch, I can put the stick into what appears to be the first gear
position and then push it very forcefully against some added resistance
to get into the actual first gear position, but this doesn't always
work. There are also other times when it shifts completely normally.
The other gears appear to shift completely normally although I think
that second might have been jammed a few times. What are the possible
problems that I am having. Is this expensive to repair?

Sometimes when the car is not moving at all the synchro splines may not
align well enough to allow you to just push them into engagement. This
condition is aggravated when the transmission lubricant is cold. When this
happens it's best to return the shift lever to the neutral position; let out
the clutch for a second; and then depress the clutch and quickly but gently
try engaging the gear again. The quickly is because you want to engage the
gears while they are still spinning and they will stop if you wait too long
especially if the lubricant is cold. You should never let out the clutch
while you are trying to force the shift lever into gear. This will damage
the alignment ramps on the synchros and will shorten the life of your
transmission significantly.

There is another possible cause for the difficulty you mention. Sometimes
the clutch plate tends to get stuck on the splined shaft so that it still
drags a little on the flywheel even though you have depressed the clutch.
Then the transmission synchros will present a large resistance to being put
in gear because the gears are still moving relative to each other.
This is most likely to happen after the car has been sitting for a while in
humid conditions. The best thing to do is to turn off the engine; put the
transmission in gear while the engine is stopped; depress the clutch and
restart the engine. This should break the clutch disc loose and solve the
problem until the next time the car is left sitting for an extended period.

Of course it's possible that your transmission is failing but I wouldn't be
too quick to decide that. It always takes a little while to get to know any
"new" car.


> wrote in message
oups.com...
>I just acquired a BMW 318i. I am sure that the clutch is working well.
> When I first drove the car, I had no problems shifting. Then, after a
> few days, I began having problems shifting into 1st gear. Not every
> time, but on a regular basis, the stick will not go smoothly into the
> first gear position. It will go partially into that position. When
> the stick is partially in the first gear position, and I let out the
> clutch to put the car into gear, if I take my hand off the stick, the
> stick will be thrown automatically out of gear into neutral, but if I
> continue pushing the stick into position while letting out the clutch,
> depending on how skillful I am with it, it will either pop hard into
> first gear or grind into it. Other times, without letting out the
> clutch, I can put the stick into what appears to be the first gear
> position and then push it very forcefully against some added resistance
> to get into the actual first gear position, but this doesn't always
> work. There are also other times when it shifts completely normally.
> The other gears appear to shift completely normally although I think
> that second might have been jammed a few times. What are the possible
> problems that I am having. Is this expensive to repair?
>

The situation is getting worse, and I'm hearing a fast but gentle
metal against metal rub when the car is in certain gears that sounds
like it is coming from under the stick. This problem is serious?
This problem occurs while the car is driving and warm not after it has
been sitting for a while. What can I do I don't have $80 extra to get
it checked by a mechanic? You mentioned the fly wheel. If I keep
driving it, is there a chance that I would need to get thatreplaced? I
am really worried that something has broke and is getting worse.

On 24 Feb 2006 00:54:06 -0800, "
> wrote:

>The situation is getting worse, and I'm hearing a fast but gentle
>metal against metal rub when the car is in certain gears that sounds
>like it is coming from under the stick. This problem is serious?
>This problem occurs while the car is driving and warm not after it has
>been sitting for a while. What can I do I don't have $80 extra to get
>it checked by a mechanic? You mentioned the fly wheel. If I keep
>driving it, is there a chance that I would need to get thatreplaced? I
>am really worried that something has broke and is getting worse.

Just out of curiousity, is the shifter really loose and wobbles
around real bad? If so, the bushings are shot in the shift linkage and
that may be part of the problem. When these bushings wear out, things
don't line up right anymore. My son's 87 325i wouldn't shift into
first or reverse at all until I jammed it too hard (then it wouldn't
come back out). After replacing the tranny and a complete rebuild of
the shifter, it shifts like new...