E36 325is - Is there a 6 Speed Transmission out there?

Hi,
As the subject says, is there a 6 speed manual transmission that is a
direct bolt on replacement for the factory 5 speed in the 1995 E36 325is?
Something just doesn't site right with me with the 5 speed. The engine is at
3500 -3700 RPMs when I'm doing 75 - 80 MPH. That just seems really high for
a "cruising" speed. My 2000 540i with 6 speed manual is no where CLOSE to
those RPMs at the same speeds. (Yes I realise it's a completely different
car.)

And who is this Getrag company who's name I keep seeing pop up with BMW
transmissions?

Thanks,
Wayne K

Here si one conversion:
http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/s...gory_Code=6SPC

It is way expensive! You may want to consider just installing a lower ratio
differential.

Bob

"Wayne K." > wrote in message
news:rGuBg.106172$IZ2.79525@dukeread07...
> Hi,
> As the subject says, is there a 6 speed manual transmission that is a
> direct bolt on replacement for the factory 5 speed in the 1995 E36 325is?
> Something just doesn't site right with me with the 5 speed. The engine is
> at 3500 -3700 RPMs when I'm doing 75 - 80 MPH. That just seems really high
> for a "cruising" speed. My 2000 540i with 6 speed manual is no where CLOSE
> to those RPMs at the same speeds. (Yes I realise it's a completely
> different car.)
>
> And who is this Getrag company who's name I keep seeing pop up with BMW
> transmissions?
>
> Thanks,
> Wayne K
>

Here si one conversion:
http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/s...gory_Code=6SPC

It is way expensive! You may want to consider just installing a lower ratio
differential.

Bob

"Wayne K." > wrote in message
news:rGuBg.106172$IZ2.79525@dukeread07...
> Hi,
> As the subject says, is there a 6 speed manual transmission that is a
> direct bolt on replacement for the factory 5 speed in the 1995 E36 325is?
> Something just doesn't site right with me with the 5 speed. The engine is
> at 3500 -3700 RPMs when I'm doing 75 - 80 MPH. That just seems really high
> for a "cruising" speed. My 2000 540i with 6 speed manual is no where CLOSE
> to those RPMs at the same speeds. (Yes I realise it's a completely
> different car.)
>
> And who is this Getrag company who's name I keep seeing pop up with BMW
> transmissions?
>
> Thanks,
> Wayne K
>

Here si one conversion:
http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/s...gory_Code=6SPC

It is way expensive! You may want to consider just installing a lower ratio
differential.

Bob

"Wayne K." > wrote in message
news:rGuBg.106172$IZ2.79525@dukeread07...
> Hi,
> As the subject says, is there a 6 speed manual transmission that is a
> direct bolt on replacement for the factory 5 speed in the 1995 E36 325is?
> Something just doesn't site right with me with the 5 speed. The engine is
> at 3500 -3700 RPMs when I'm doing 75 - 80 MPH. That just seems really high
> for a "cruising" speed. My 2000 540i with 6 speed manual is no where CLOSE
> to those RPMs at the same speeds. (Yes I realise it's a completely
> different car.)
>
> And who is this Getrag company who's name I keep seeing pop up with BMW
> transmissions?
>
> Thanks,
> Wayne K
>

In article <rGuBg.106172$IZ2.79525@dukeread07>,
Wayne K. > wrote:
> As the subject says, is there a 6 speed manual transmission that is a
> direct bolt on replacement for the factory 5 speed in the 1995 E36
> 325is? Something just doesn't site right with me with the 5 speed. The
> engine is at 3500 -3700 RPMs when I'm doing 75 - 80 MPH. That just
> seems really high for a "cruising" speed. My 2000 540i with 6 speed
> manual is no where CLOSE to those RPMs at the same speeds. (Yes I
> realise it's a completely different car.)

The sixth gear may not intrinsically be a lower ratio than fifth on a five
speed. But I'd agree - something like 21 mph/1000 rpm in fifth seems very
low for a BMW which are all designed for very high speed cruising. My old
525 auto from about the same time was something like 36mph/1000 in 5th
gear.
But the easiest way would be to change the final drive unit.

> And who is this Getrag company who's name I keep seeing pop up with BMW
> transmissions?

BMW buy in their transmissions and Getrag make the manual ones - ZF the
autos, although some US cars use GM.

--
*Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" > wrote in message

<SNIPPED>

> But the easiest way would be to change the final drive unit.

Dave,
Are you taking about the gears in the rear end? If so, who makes
different gear sets for the E36 3 series? Where can I purchase a different
"final drive unit" Will I find them on Bavauto.com and the like, or is it a
more specialized piece of kit?

Cheers,
Wayne K.

"Wayne K." > wrote:

> Are you taking about the gears in the rear end? If so, who makes
> different gear sets for the E36 3 series? Where can I purchase a different
> "final drive unit" Will I find them on Bavauto.com and the like, or is it
> a more specialized piece of kit?

Differential building is an art. You don't just install gears. That said,
here are 2 places I can recommend:

www.koalamotorsport.com
www.metricmechanic.com

Both have great reputations, and I have personally bought from
Jim Rowe at Metric Mechanic.

Bob

In article <clSBg.106584$IZ2.10443@dukeread07>,
Wayne K. > wrote:
> > But the easiest way would be to change the final drive unit.

> Dave, Are you taking about the gears in the rear end? If so, who makes
> different gear sets for the E36 3 series? Where can I purchase a
> different "final drive unit" Will I find them on Bavauto.com and the
> like, or is it a more specialized piece of kit?

To me the easy way would be a secondhand complete unit. Probably from a
328.

--
*When companies ship Styrofoam, what do they pack it in? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.