DIY: ZF320 Transmission Disassembly and Assembly

[Panici]

Via Corey Ellis on Boosted E36 World Facebook group. Posted with permission.

See posts below for additional pictures & manuals.
Had to split based on forum file size limits.

Here is a brief run down of disassembly and assembly of a ZF 5 speed. Use the service manuals. Make some tools and it’s pretty straight forward

ZF disassembly/assembly

Pictures give you an idea. If you can’t figure it out. Don’t try. Label your shift fork “bearings” even though there are only 2 styles.
Organize how you take things apart.

Hardest part is coming up with the tools. And pulling the input shaft back into the bearing. As well as stringing up the 5/r shift fork.

Manuals
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17HIlJAPUKeY8Tkr2GmT5fWrnefV5pZ5Q?usp=sharing
(Also attached to this thread below if this link breaks)

Input shaft pusher tool home brew
Input shaft puller tool home brew
Something to hold the shift rod in neutral home brew
String
E11
T50
17mm
Snap ring pliers

- [ ] Remove input shaft tube
- [ ] Remove input shaft seal
- [ ] Remove counter shaft seal
- [ ] Remove output flange
- [ ] Remove shifter universal joint
- [ ] Remove reverse sensor
- [ ] Remove 3 t50s on the front half of the case
- [ ] Remove e11 from front reverse shaft
- [ ] Remove input shaft c clip and spacer
- [ ] Remove shift rod detent
- [ ] Remove top Detents
- [ ] Remove all of the e11s
- [ ] Install puller and pull case halves apart
- [ ] Remove rest of the T50s in case sides for the Z bar and other shift forks
- [ ] Remove reverse idler shaft e11 and remove reverse gear
- [ ] Remove counter shaft bolt. Reverse threads
- [ ] Press gear stack out of case
- [ ] Do what you need to do
- [ ] Assemble 1/2 and 3/4 shift forks on gear stack
- [ ] Press gear stack back into case
- [ ] Heat counter shaft inner race and slide back on
- [ ] Install countershaft bolt
- [ ] Install z bar
- [ ] Install t50s on back half of trans
- [ ] Install reverse gear idler shaft and gear use rtv on holder and bolt
- [ ] Install shift rod and shift rod lock
- [ ] Install 1/2 and 3/4 detents and make sure the shift forks are in neutral
- [ ] Install 5/R shift fork and tie it up with string
- [ ] Rtv case halves
- [ ] Heat input shaft bearing with heat gun and press case halves almost together
- [ ] Install t50s for 5/r shift fork and Z bar
- [ ] Pull string out
- [ ] Press case the rest of the way
- [ ] Install e11s
- [ ] Install reverse shaft e11 with rtv
- [ ] Install input shaft puller and pull input shaft the rest of the way
- [ ] Install spacer and c clip
- [ ] Install shift rod detent
- [ ] Install 5/r detent
- [ ] Remove shift lock
- [ ] Install seals

[Panici]

Photos (2)

[Panici]

Photos (3)

[Panici]

Photos (4)

[Panici]

Photos (5)

[Panici]

Manuals from Google Drive link.

Files over 1MB split into parts to fit forum file size limits...

[Panici]

Manual from google drives link.

[4tDX]

Hawt!

[Northern]

Beautiful, thank you for transferring this over.
I have this archived separately as well if this ever goes down for any reason.

Also here's a link to the original post:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/693212894120847/posts/4889553194486775/

OP mentioned he had success ordering ZF internals from Cobra Transmission, as ZF is not responsive.

[Torkey]

Panici great post! Can you share the 3D model of the shift selector rod holding tool?

[Panici]

Panici great post! Can you share the 3D model of the shift selector rod holding tool?

Unfortunately this is not my first-hand information, I just cross-posted from facebook.
The original poster was Corey Ellis on Boosted E36 World Facebook group. You can try to contact him for more info.

[Tom Galloway]

You guys are genius. I gott two busted 265s cant even get started.

Tom

[jack10685]

Panici great post! Can you share the 3D model of the shift selector rod holding tool?

I messaged the OP on the facebook post and he sent me these

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tvRKFxmE-WyoFIkQAdU4h6a56ZF3T9z0?usp=drive_link

[Panici]

I messaged the OP on the facebook post and he sent me these

Backed up on Archive.org just in case that link dies.

https://archive.org/details/shift-rod-neutral-holder-20240308-t-163441-z-001