The shifter arm on the left has the standard part number, 25111221201, for a 1986 - 1992 e30 325i. The shifter arm on the right has a part number of 25111220522 and when I search this part on Google it cross references to part number 25111221201. Based on the pictures you can clearly see that ends that connects to the transmission is different. Can anyone explain to me why the shapes are different and the part with the bend on the end would be better suited for shifting?
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The shifter arm on the left has the standard part number, 25111221201, for a 1986 - 1992 e30 325i. The shifter arm on the right has a part number of 25111220522 and when I search this part on Google it cross references to part number 25111221201. Based on the pictures you can clearly see that ends that connects to the transmission is different. Can anyone explain to me why the shapes are different and the part with the bend on the end would be better suited for shifting? -
Yes, the lengths are the same. I was thinking the straight one puts the gearshift in a slightly different position when shifting. One of my cars has the gears moved left and puts reverse into the console. I haven't gotten under the car to see which shift arm it has but am curious to see if this is related.Comment
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Not just the lengths. Lay them on top of each other and you'll see what I mean. The rod sticking out the back is centered on both carriers, and the offset is only in the center. Your shifter will be in the same place on both of those.
It sounds like you might have the wrong shifter lever, or it's installed backwards.
The reason you can't find info on the old part number, is because it was superseded, so you will always get the new part number when ordering the old one.
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I appreciate your response. I might go ahead and use the older shift arm since it's in better shape.Comment
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straight is for the ETA/SETA transmissions, to accommodate for the deeper bell housing.
325i transmission had the shallower bell housing, so it's got the kink in the shift arm to put the shift lever in the appropriate spot.
use whatever one matches your transmission.'72 2002 | '88 M5 | '89 330is | '89 M3 | '95 911 | '02 M5 | '04 RR HSE
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I don't believe that's the case. Maybe to clear the larger giubo, BMW had two linkages as well. One has a flat spot to clear the giubo.Originally posted by e30austin View Post
The eta gearbox has the longer bell housing (I only found them in the 528e) ,but uses the same exact back housing on the gearbox itself, which the shifter carrier is attached to. BMW tends to drop parts/numbers that the later model part are retro-fit. That's why all the m20 t-stat housings now come with four threaded bosses, to cover the early and late styles (same with the early bushed alternators that required a ground strap). AKA backwards compatible. I wouldn't be surprised when they made the next batch of shifter carriers, they just made them all the same, and superseded part numbers.
I've personally done hundreds of manual swaps, engine swaps, engine/gearbox swaps. Pretty much mated all the common gearboxes to all the common engines in e30's(<2006), g260 on m42, g240 on m20, g240 on 24v, g260 on 24v, zf on s54, 6sp on s54, g250 on m52, zf on m50....many mis-matches where I had to modify the shifter setups from re-welding the carriers, to making DSSR's, fabricating sector rods from scratch, bending selector rods etc etc. E30's have been my source of income for almost 15yr.
EDIT: There are actually two back housings for the g260. The very early ones did not have the two tabs sticking up to catch the carrier pin, instead used the two holes on the back to attach the plate style shifter. My first e30 was a 9/85 build, and came with the plate carrier, but had the two tabs on the back case of the gearbox, so I changed it to the late style. I built a 7/84 car for a fellow, and his box did not have the two tabs sticking up, so using an idea from a thread here (or maybe e30tech?) and cut/bent the gall plate from a spare flywheel to make brackets to adapt the late style shifter. The early plate ones tended to have a ton of slop.Last edited by ForcedFirebird; 07-23-2022, 12:07 PM.Comment
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The above is the info I have found as well. The ETA carrier (straight) is ~7mm shorter than the I linkage, and only came on the mid year ETA cars that had a deeper bellhousing that also had the alloy dog ears on the back of the transmissions (aka, eta but non sheet metal shifter). The difference can be seen by measuring from the bellhousing to the dog ears for the alloy shift carrier mount.Originally posted by e30austin View Post
The bellhousing depth difference is 6 7/8" depth on ETA g260s with dog ears for alloy shift carrier, and 6 1/2" depth on late model g260s.
I have successfully used the shorter linkage (straight) on a late model (6 1/2") bellhousing depth trans with success when that was all I had.
The selector rod for the "straight" carrier is also 7mm shorter, FYI.
Edit: Had both next to each other in the garage!
Deep bellhousing eta trans with dog ears for straight alloy carrier:
Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr
Late model shallow bellhousing g260:
Untitled by Bobbie Morrone, on Flickr
Last edited by AWDBOB; 07-23-2022, 07:17 PM.Comment
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I thought the difference was in the depth of the bell housing where the slave resides. If there were different length boxes, one would think there would be different drive shafts to match.
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