shift lever hits center console when going into reverse

[Rob]

88 325seta, z3-1.9 lever, all new shift linkage and bushings. Every time I go into reverse, the lever hits the side of the lever opening in the center console, really starting to wear the shift boot and annoying me. Any thoughts as to the cause? I might go back to a stock lever and see if that helps.

[KenC]

My guess is worn trans or engine mounts.

[Rob]

That's what I'm starting to suspect....

[Jean]

Possibly the lever needs to be flipped around??

[yesmkay]

I have an 87 325e with a recently rebuilt stock shifter, and mine seems to rub the console, or almost, in reverse. It is less so now that it has been rebuilt but still a little farther left than I'd like.

[idanity]

check HARMONIC BALANCER.
its a huge round metal piece of junk around the guibo

delete that, and your shifter will not rub on anything.
or.
bend the crap out of your selector rod.

h.b.delete is best, as it will be in the way eventually, is a pita to work around, weighs about 5lbs, and is not necessary for smooth driving exp.


to check it out.
drive in reverse, and feel "grinding" to speed/ rpms.
leave in gear, raise car, and look around guibo area, you may see your selector rod way too close to this round metal sheath around your guibo, (to remove, just drop the driveline, and hammer it out, reinstall, and use locktite on the d.s.nuts)

[DJB]

The vibration damper will not cause this problem. The problem it causes is slight rubbing during shifting if you replace the shift lever with a substantially different one.

Shift boot wear almost always caused by loose bushings, but an incorrect or reversed shift lever can also cause the problem. Do you have any side-to-side looseness in gear? Any other replaced parts of the shifter besides the bushings?

[ZM Blue Devil]

Possibly the lever needs to be flipped around??

This, dont ask me why I know...:-D