Transmission takes a while to shift into 3rd

[jmonaco]

I have a 1991 BMW 325i. It’s an automatic (I know, I’m a bad person :) ) and has about 170k on it. I have owned it for just over 9 months and have probably driven it only 4000 miles. Just recently I’ve noticed that the car has been shifting a bit different than normal, and so I’m wondering if you guys could help me determine whether or not the car may be developing a transmission problem.

I have absolutely no mechanical/technical experience, so I apologize for not being able to describe my problem in the correct technical terms. However, I’ll do the best I can!

Over the past month or so, I’ve started noticing that the car takes just a little bit longer to shift from 2nd to 3rd. The “delay time” varies from around 1 - 2 seconds, depending on how hard I’m pressing on the accelerator and how long I’ve already been driving. It doesn’t seem to do this from 1st to 2nd or from 3rd to 4th either.

The engine doesn’t appear to overheat, and the revs don’t seem to jump up while it’s trying to shift. To be honest, it sort of feels like the car is momentarily stuck between gears and the car is gliding along for a second before it actually shifts. The delay seems happens every time the car shifts from 2nd to 3rd, as opposed to being just an occasional occurrence.

I’m not sure if its worth mentioning, but the car’s idle is a bit rough, sometimes the exhaust smells like coolant, and occasionally the car has a rough time starting up after it has been driven for a long time. Again, I have absolutely no car experience, so I’m not sure if these are even remotely related to the transmission problem, but I thought they may be worth bringing up. Other than that, the car has had no problems at all during the time that I’ve owned it.

Anyways, sorry for the wall of text. Any input at all is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[jlevie]

How long has it been since the transmission fluid & filter have been changed? If you don't know, do that now.

A smell of coolant from the exhaust is worrisome as that may mean a leaking head gasket. That might also explain the problem starting after car has been parked for a while. For the rough idle, work your way through what follows, not skipping any steps.


Idle or hard starting problems are most commonly caused by intake leaks and/or
a sticky or defective Idle Control Valve (ICV). The only reliable method of
locating intake leaks is to have a smoke test run on the intake and crank case
and to test the brake booster with a gage and vacuum pump. The complete list
of possible causes of an intake leak is:

Intake boot
Throttle body gasket
ICV hoses & connections
Brake booster, hoses, and connections
Crank case breather hose
Evaporative control hoses, valve, and expansion tank
Fuel pressure regulator & hose
Injector seals
Valve cover gaskets & bungs
Oil filler cap
Dip stick o-rings
Oil return tube o-rings

While leaks in some of those can be found by inspection or by spraying carb
cleaner on suspect areas, not finding leaks that way doesn't eliminate the
possibility. Only a smoke test will really work.

Once the possibility of intake leaks is eliminated, the ICV needs to be
removed and cleaned with carb cleaner until the vane inside moves freely. When
the ignition is switched on you should be able to feel vibration from the
ICV. If no vibration the ICV is bad, there's a problem with its wiring or
connector, there's a problem with the TPS, or the DME (or Idle Control Module
(ICM) on an ETA car) is faulty.

For the DME (or ICM) to control idle, the idle switch in the TPS must work
correctly. The switch should close when the throttle stop is 0.030-0.060" off
the idle stop screw.

The fuel system should be tested via the suite of tests in the Bentley manual
as invalid rail pressure can be a contributor to idle and starting problems. A
simple injector check is to pull the injectors, jumper the fuel relay to run
the pump, and see if the injectors are leaking. You can also point the
injectors into a towel, remove the coil wire, and crank the engine to see if
all of the injectors appear to be spraying in a similar fashion. The best
approach to possible injector problems is to have the injectors cleaned and
flow tested. Since raw fuel can or will be released in these tests, have a
fire extinguisher handy.

While a bad check valve in the high pressure pump can result in longer than
normal cranking, if the fuel system is working as it is supposed to the rail
will reach normal pressure in a few turns of the engine. A weak pump, clogged
filter or leaking FPR in conjunction with a failed check valve can result in
longer cranking.

The O2 sensor can be a contributor to idle problems. The O2 sensor is a
scheduled maintenance item with a useful life of no more than 100k. If the
sensor has that mileage or more (or is of unknown age), replace it.

The AFM can be a contributor. If the vane doesn't move freely or the
resistance track is worn the DME may be receiving invalid data from the
AFM. And if someone has fiddled with the bypass air adjustment the DME may be
unable to stabilize idle. The bypass air adjustment should only be adjusted
per the procedure in the Bentley and with an exhaust gas analyzer. And even
then everything else associated with engine management has to first be
operating properly. If the AFM becomes a suspect, replacement with a good used
unit is the best approach.

Improperly adjusted or malfunctioning valves will affect idle and starting. As
can compression issues from ring or cylinder wear. A valve adjustment is
called for every 15k. A useful diagnostic is to run compression (dry and wet)
and leak down tests on the engine. Aged ignition wires, plugs, distributor
cap, or rotor can cause problems. Insulation does break down with time and
heat. And since the youngest E30 is going on 20 years old, if the ignition
system is original or the plugs are old replacement is indicated.

Although not usually a problem, a bad DME temp sensor is a possibility. That
generally won't cause an unstable idle, but can cause hard cold or hard hot
starts and/or a rough idle. As can problems with the timing reference
sensors. Although not commonly encountered, a bad harmonic balancer on an
M20B25 or M30 engine will cause problems.

When all other possibilities have been eliminated and idle or starting
problems persist, replacement of the DME, or if applicable the ICM, is
indicated.