E30 3rd gear loud rattle

[mattxwill]

This is actually my first post, and hope to dedicate a lot more time and energy into this car. I was evaluating a purchase and my first question is that the 3rd gear has a loud rattle that is very noticeable (in other words neesd an obvious fix). The cause of this on any other car could be multiple things, but i understand it is supposedly common on the E30 so I am wondering what is the most common culprit here? It rattles and buzzes around 4K RPMs. It otherwise shifts smoothly.

Second would be how easy a fix is it (aka $$$) and are we starting to get low on parts for this?

Thanks!

[Panici]

This is actually my first post, and hope to dedicate a lot more time and energy into this car. I was evaluating a purchase and my first question is that the 3rd gear has a loud rattle that is very noticeable (in other words neesd an obvious fix). The cause of this on any other car could be multiple things, but i understand it is supposedly common on the E30 so I am wondering what is the most common culprit here? It rattles and buzzes around 4K RPMs. It otherwise shifts smoothly.

Second would be how easy a fix is it (aka $$$) and are we starting to get low on parts for this?

Thanks!

What's the model of your E30?
There were multiple transmission options depending on the year & engine installed.

[mattxwill]

What's the model of your E30?
There were multiple transmission options depending on the year & engine installed.

E30 M3, so a Getrag five-speed. The other point i learned is that a previous owner had its gear ration changed to include 4.45:1 gears to while not indicative of the issue, does show it was tinkered with previously at some point in its very long life.

Possible causes in a standard car, so which one of more of these is likely?

• Worn Shifter Bushings: Over time, the rubber or plastic bushings in the shifter assembly degrade, causing excessive play and vibration. Replacing the bushings with new or upgraded components can resolve this.
• Transmission Mounts: Worn or degraded transmission mounts can allow excessive movement of the drivetrain, which can transmit vibrations to the shifter.
• Driveshaft or Guibo Issues: A worn driveshaft or guibo (flex disc) can create vibrations that resonate through the shifter, especially under load in specific gears.
• Shift Rod Joint Wear: The shift rod joint (or selector rod) may develop play due to wear, leading to rattling and a loose feel.
• Clutch or Flywheel Issues: If the clutch or flywheel is out of balance or has issues, it can cause vibrations that travel through the drivetrain.

What do you guys think? Am I looking at an expensive fix or something common and routine?

[TobyB]

I think you'll have to crawl underneath and rule out all sorts of things.

From the exhaust hitting something to a hole in the side of the gearbox...

t

[82eye]

Second would be how easy a fix is it (aka $$$) and are we starting to get low on parts for this?

it's a getrag 265 which is on the rare side of e30 transmissions. not near as common as the regular 260 found in 6cyl e30's.
it's gonna be m3 money. everything you touch on those cars is m3x more expensive lol ..