Desperate HELP Please

[msportr430]

Today i took the Z3 short shifter off of my old 1987 325i and put it on my 1990 325is and the linkage was hitting the driveshaft. My coworked decided that grinding it down was an easy solution to the problem but now a bigger one has occured. When i try to shift into reverse or 5th the linkage starts bending and the shifter will be touching either sides of the boot. Now i cant get it into reverse or 5th. is the linkage differrent between the two and who can i get the part from. Any help would be great

[ZM Blue Devil]

did you put it on backwards?

[99em1]

Did you use the shifter rod from the '87 or the '90?

[StereoInstaller1]

Let me understand this: you ground down the shift selector rod?

If so, replace the fucking thing first.

[lateracer]

Did you use the old selector rod knuckle on your new(er) transmission? Doing so would create the problems you describe (interior gears engage OK, exterior gears aren't right)

The knuckle that attaches the end of the shift linkage to the transmission's selector rod is different from early to late models...pretty sure your 87 is an early.

Late selector knuckle (centered):


Early selector knuckle (offset to one side):

[crazyman]

Today i took the Z3 short shifter off of my old 1987 325i and put it on my 1990 325is and the linkage was hitting the driveshaft. My coworked decided that grinding it down was an easy solution to the problem but now a bigger one has occured. When i try to shift into reverse or 5th the linkage starts bending and the shifter will be touching either sides of the boot. Now i cant get it into reverse or 5th. is the linkage differrent between the two and who can i get the part from. Any help would be great

Hey buddy first thing is, your coworker is a DUMB ASS for grinding it. second put the old shifter back in it. If there is something wrong with the one you took out I would by an oem replacement cus it sounds like to me you have no idea on what your doing.

[Cloudbase]

Did you use the old selector rod knuckle on your new(er) transmission? Doing so would create the problems you describe (interior gears engage OK, exterior gears aren't right)

The knuckle that attaches the end of the shift linkage to the transmission's selector rod is different from early to late models...pretty sure your 87 is an early.

Late selector knuckle (centered):


Early selector knuckle (offset to one side):

Is this right? I have an 89 and it had the off center knuckle when I took it apart. I'm installing a Z3 1.9 shifter and a centered knuckle came in the kit. I have an unused off center too?

[lateracer]

Is this right? I have an 89 and it had the off center knuckle when I took it apart. I'm installing a Z3 1.9 shifter and a centered knuckle came in the kit. I have an unused off center too?

I recently switched my early model car's shifter to this setup - just finished 3 hard days on the track actually - and I've read about other people running in to the same problem having it solved with this piece. That's all I've got for supporting my idea about the knuckle being a problem. YMMV

[mkcman17]

Hey buddy first thing is, your coworker is a DUMB ASS for grinding it. second put the old shifter back in it. If there is something wrong with the one you took out I would by an oem replacement cus it sounds like to me you have no idea on what your doing.

no need to be a dick. I have a late model, but I ground mine and I have no problems in 3k miles. It's not really complicated or something you need to know what you're doing to accomplish. I wasn't comfortable bending my selector rod as much as needed, so I shaved off just enough to clear after a slight bend.