Shifter problem

[Lucid Moments]

I picked up a cheap E30.

Okay, well I knew from the get go that it wouldn't necessarily end up cheap, but I wanted a project. It is a 1984 325es. I'm planning to get it running reliably and then sell it to my brother for his soon to be 16 year old son to drive. The kid is a speed demon by nature so he needs something that isn't particularly fast.

I got the car running, stopping, and turning okay so it isn't in too bad shape, but there is a ton of slop in the shifter. I picked up the bushing kit from Pelican parts and proceeded to take things apart so that I could install it and discovered what I suspect is the main problem. The bolts that hold the shifter mechanism to the car have a ton of slop in them. They were tight, but the entire mechanism was moving around. So I suspect that these are not the correct bolts. Does anybody know the correct fasteners to use?

I should add that the car was originally an automatic car, and that at some point in its history it was converted to a manual transmission. At the same time they swapped in a 1987 motor and used the 1987 transmission that came with it.

I appreciate any help anyone can give me.

[99em1]

Which bolts are you talking about? The ends on the selector rod that attach to the rod joint and shifter itself with circlips? If those are what you mean, then the slop is likely from a worn internal bushing in the joint, and a worn internal bushing in the shifter itself. Both are not serviceable and require new units.

That's if you're talking about the two ends of item #10
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...74&hg=25&fg=05

Item #2 also likes to suck shit over time so replace 13 and get a short shifter with delrin bushings instead of the oem replacement for #2.

[Vince30]

I think he is talking about the plate the shifter goes into that bolts to the bottom of the car. should have 2 bolts going vertically and 2 alen key bolts going horizontally, i had this problem and it was because the alen head bolts were lose.

[99em1]

My bad I spaced and forgot he was rockin the sheet metal console

[Lucid Moments]

I think he is talking about the plate the shifter goes into that bolts to the bottom of the car. should have 2 bolts going vertically and 2 alen key bolts going horizontally, i had this problem and it was because the alen head bolts were lose.

That is exactly what I am talking about, thank you. But I'm going to have to get back underneath the car, because I can't remember any allan key bolts going horizontally. The car is at a friends house because he has more room, but I'll get by there tonight. This may be my problem.