z4 3.0 shifter hittin the console.

[dolphinblueE30]

how is it going fellow r3v members...

i just installed my z4 shifter and im really happy with it. my only problem is when putting it into reverse , it has to hit the center console pretty hard then move up into gear . is this how its suppose to be or did i do something wrong ?

anyway thanks in advance.

-art

[Spaz]

Is the stock linkage worn at all? more then likely it is, There is a little "T" piece in the shifter linkage that wears out commonly, and creates alot of slack, (assuming you have the aluminum control arm) But go through this page and it'll help describe a shifter rebuild, which it sounds like you need, beacause the z4 shifter does not solve shifter slop.


links:

http://www.bmwe30.net/cgi-bin/datacgi/database.cgi?file=articles&report=view&ID=00005&Section=11

[dolphinblueE30]

i dont see how thats going to fix my problem , the shifter is installed , i had to bend the selector rod and it works perfectly in any gear , it just hits the center console when its shifted into reverse .

[Spaz]

i dont see how thats going to fix my problem , the shifter is installed , i had to bend the selector rod and it works perfectly in any gear , it just hits the center console when its shifted into reverse .

well can you move the shifter side to side when its in gear?

[dolphinblueE30]

no , everything has be replaced.

[Spaz]

no , everything has be replaced.

in that case, either the console is out of alighment or possible internal transmission problems, i'm not to familiar with transmissions tho so don't take my word on that.

[ejs999]

See my thread below. I replaced everything and it still does it. It's prob. the selector rod joint plus a bunch of odd ends. Do an archive search for the parts.

[sticksdaman]

mine does it too i thought thats just how they were?

[Jak]

No thats not how they were. If you compare the original shifter with the new shifter youll see that the shaft inside the shifter, above the ball, is straight on the new one but bent on the old one. That bend is what positions the shifter once its mounted.

I'll do some searches and see if anyone has actually bent the shifter and not just the linkage. My shifter doesnt hit anything but it is unconforatably out of alignment. If I can't find anything Im going to do my own write up after I successfully bend and position mine.

[///M42 sport]

No thats not how they were. If you compare the original shifter with the new shifter youll see that the shaft inside the shifter, above the ball, is straight on the new one but bent on the old one. That bend is what positions the shifter once its mounted.

I'll do some searches and see if anyone has actually bent the shifter and not just the linkage. My shifter doesnt hit anything but it is unconforatably out of alignment. If I can't find anything Im going to do my own write up after I successfully bend and position mine.

looking forward to it. the z3 1.9 hits the console in r,1,3,5. Annoying to say the least.

[haso]

im having the same problem my shift boot has ripped because of this

[jlevie]

Might the lever be installed incorrectly? It rotated the wrong way, R/1/3/5 will be closer to the console than they should be.

[JGood]

My z4 lever is way to far forward as well, hits the console hard in reverse, and I can push it against the console in 1st, 3rd, and 5th. I did a five speed swap with ALL new parts when I put it in... it's just how it is. If you flip it the other way it is off by like 3 inches, it won't even go into gear, plus it's facing the passenger side of the car.

One thing to note... there are different length selector rods in e30's. So if you don't use the right one, that can effect it as well. No stock rod centers it up, but you can bend one and get it closer if it bothers you when it hits the console.