Z3 1.9 Short Shift Kit issues

[Freude am Fahren]

Hey Folks,

I just installed a Z3 short shift kit on my 1991 318i and now I'm having problem getting into second gear. First of all, the shifter knob position is leaning towards the front in the home/neutral position. Second and more importantly, when I put the car in second gear it grinds as if it's not completely in gear. What could be going wrong? Did I install something wrong? I didn't bend anything. Please let me know if you know anything. Thanks.

[Todd Black 88]

Sounds like you installed the shifter out 180 degree.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BB13&mospid=47326&btnr=25_0027&hg=25&fg=05

#6 facing the wrong way?

[Freude am Fahren]

Fuck me, let me check!

[Freude am Fahren]

So now I turned the shift lever 180 degrees and the knob is centered at home and all is good. But still whne put in second, it hits something, I'm guessing it's the guibo. Do I need to bend anything to clear the guibo?

[Todd Black 88]

Nothing needs to be bent on z3 1.9 swap.
Crawl under and see what its hitting.

[Freude am Fahren]

Nothing needs to be bent on z3 1.9 swap.
Crawl under and see what its hitting.

What about the harmonic balancer? It seems as though it hits something on the way into second, but when in second, it won't hit anything. So when I push the lever into second and let go of the clutch I feel something hitting against the shifter, it's a timed rub that's why i thought the bolts on the harmonic balancer or guibo.

[jrobie79]

no balancer on the m42 powered cars

[Freude am Fahren]

no balancer on the m42 powered cars

So I just crawled under there, there is nothing hitting the selector rod. It turns out, I'm still having problem shifting into 2nd and 4th gear. When I do, it makes the grinding sound. I't ok in first, third and five. Any idea what's wrong?

[jrobie79]

maybe crappy fluid? try redline MTL, or the d4 ATF

[Freude am Fahren]

maybe crappy fluid? try redline MTL, or the d4 ATF

No I just flushed the system with redline MTL and no difference. When you put the gear into second or fourth and let go of the clutch it grinds like it's not in the gear. I'm convinced the shifter motion is just too short for the transmission to get into gear and I don't know why. I suspect a longer selector rod would solve this problem but at this point I'm done fiddling with it. The SSK is coming out, I'm going with stock shifter. Project miserably failed!

[Bearmw]

So you never had any 2nd gear shifting problem until you modified the stock system?

[801coppertop]

IIRC the shifter on the 1.9 z3 is longer on the bottom, meaning most likely the selector rod or the shift rod itself must be hitting something... If the car is not rolling and you put it into 2nd or 4th is there any resistance? When you say "timed" do you mean it has rhythm if so does it vary depending on speed? I would maybe have someone get In the car and than lift it, watch the mechanism while he is shifting to see if you can pinpoint where the contact point is.

[Freude am Fahren]

So you never had any 2nd gear shifting problem until you modified the stock system?

No 2nd or 4th gear shifting issue prior to the swap. One possibility is that I have a straight selector rod (M42 cars with air conditioning came with straight rod as opposed to a bent selector rod) and maybe I need a bent rod to make up for the difference. The car will shift into second gear if you press the shift lever really hard, hold it so it doesn't pop out and suffer thru a great amount of grind but that's not how its supposed to be. Now in regards to the timed rubbing issue, I had installed the shift lever in reverse and it was hitting the guibo but now that I turned it, it comes close to the guibo but it won't hit it.