question on transmission removal.

[m3boost]

I'll be putting in a turbo soon on my e30/s50 m3. Is it possible to remove the tranny without taking out the whole engine/trans combo? Also, what short shifter is everyone using?

[MR 325]

Of course it's possible.

I am using the Z4 3.0 SSK.

[325Projectz]

I am using the Z4 3.0 SSK.

that a boy... oops, i mean't albino.

[grib]

I'll be putting in a turbo soon on my e30/s50 m3. Is it possible to remove the tranny without taking out the whole engine/trans combo? Also, what short shifter is everyone using?

It's possible, but a total PITA. Depending on what your turbo install covers, you might want to consider pulling the engine.

I am currently having my second bad ZF repaired/rebuilt. The first time the engine was not put together/wired up yet so I just yanked the whole thing back out. This time it was all together and running - so I pulled just the exhaust/driveline/tranny. I also pulled the intake manifold so I could clean up some wiring and get at the starter bolts more easily.

This is my least favorite job on the car, comparable only to the rear sub-frame bushings.

Couple of tips:
-A proper tranny jack really helps.
-Take two M12 bolts (I believe this is the size used), cut the heads off and slot them so they can be used with a screw driver. After all of the bolts are removed, use these to keep the tranny aligned during removal/re installation to keep from tweaking your pilot bearing.
-Check out this article at Pelican parts:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/E36-Clutch_Replace/E36-Clutch_Replace.htm

-If you decide to remove your intake manifold, you can get at the top two bolts from the top side with an 11mm box wrench (use a pipe on the end as a breaker bar, then turn them freely).
-Consider replacing your rear main seal if you have not already. It's an easy/cheap job once the tranny is out and you'll be oh-so-sorry when it starts leaking later on...


Check understeer.com for the shifter. They have several different options, and include the shifter in a "kit" with other parts you'll probably need when replacing. I am running the "ZM" shifter and am reasonably happy with it. I tried it with the UUC DSSR, which helped but did rub on the guibo.

Good luck!

[m3boost]

Thanks,,It does sound like alot of trouble... I'll just end up removing the whole set up once I have everything I need... Might as well lower the compression while I'm at it..

I'll check on the shifter...although, I can see where the driveline is very close to the stock shifter as it is...

the more I drive this car, the more I love it... I just want to make it faster than my e36 turbo m3...:D

It's possible, but a total PITA. Depending on what your turbo install covers, you might want to consider pulling the engine.

I am currently having my second bad ZF repaired/rebuilt. The first time the engine was not put together/wired up yet so I just yanked the whole thing back out. This time it was all together and running - so I pulled just the exhaust/driveline/tranny. I also pulled the intake manifold so I could clean up some wiring and get at the starter bolts more easily.

This is my least favorite job on the car, comparable only to the rear sub-frame bushings.

Couple of tips:
-A proper tranny jack really helps.
-Take two M12 bolts (I believe this is the size used), cut the heads off and slot them so they can be used with a screw driver. After all of the bolts are removed, use these to keep the tranny aligned during removal/re installation to keep from tweaking your pilot bearing.
-Check out this article at Pelican parts:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/E36-Clutch_Replace/E36-Clutch_Replace.htm

-If you decide to remove your intake manifold, you can get at the top two bolts from the top side with an 11mm box wrench (use a pipe on the end as a breaker bar, then turn them freely).
-Consider replacing your rear main seal if you have not already. It's an easy/cheap job once the tranny is out and you'll be oh-so-sorry when it starts leaking later on...


Check understeer.com for the shifter. They have several different options, and include the shifter in a "kit" with other parts you'll probably need when replacing. I am running the "ZM" shifter and am reasonably happy with it. I tried it with the UUC DSSR, which helped but did rub on the guibo.

Good luck!

[Tree18is]

WAnna fight!

[flyboyx]

you can get the trans out without taking off the intake manifold. i pulled mine out a week ago only working from the bottom of the car.
jack the car and put it on jackstands as high as you can so you have as much space to work as possible. i actually purchased 8 cinder blocks from the big box store and stacked them two high behind the front wheels and two high in front of the rears. this way the car's frame rested firmly on top. be careful not to screw up your fuel filter as it is at the rear driver side.


1) remove exhaust because it will be in your way.
2) remove exhaust heat shield behind trans.
3) remove bolts from center support bearing and also the bolts between the guibo and the front of the driveshaft and then move the driveshaft out of the way to one side. i mostly worked from the driver side of the car.
4)remove the two bolts that hold the trans bracket to the chasis and let the trans/engine drop down in the back as far as it will go.
5) for the torx bolts that connect the tranny to the engine, you can use good quality 3/8" drive sae 6 point sockets on these instead of going out to buy specialty torx sockets for this job. i cant remember the two sizes you need, but they will be a tight fit. remove all the bolts that you can easily get to from the bottom of the car.
6) the key to getting to the upper two transmission bolts and the starter bolts is a combination of droppiing down the rear of the trans engine assembly as far as you can so you can snake your hand/arm up there to get a 3/8 drive 6 point socket on them. there are other very important tools that you will need to get the job done. you will need enough 3/8" extensions to get you back to or past the tailstock of the trans. I have snap on tools and they have a 3/8" flexible adapter that is kind of like a cv joint. this needs to go between the socket and the extensions. I also have a 1/2" ratcheting breaker bar. put a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter between the 3/8" extension and the breaker. these come from the factory tight as hell. you will need to get some guerrilla torqe on these to break them free.

the starter: you can get the 2 starter bolts loose the same way but for e30 m20, they unfortunately have a nut on the side facing forward instead of going into a blind tapped hole. i have a southern car with no rust issues, so once i had them loose, i was able to reach up there with my left hand using my pinky finger to hold the nut while using my index finger and thumb to unscrew the bolt. if it is rusty, i suppose you will need a helper to hold a wrench from the top while you unscrew the starter bolts from the bottom.

after that, the only thing left to do is slide the tranny jack underneath and pry your getrag/zf rearward until the tranny input shaft is free.

i had mine out in about 90 mins, but that will depend on the tools you have and the wrenching skills you posess. good luck

[jahnaboi]

What I did was unbolt the motor mounts and tranny mounts and lifted the front of my engine to tilt the motor and drop the tranny. I had a lot of working room. Typical working room with a m20b25/getrag260.