Cant Find 1st or 2nd

[Bullhead]

I just installed a slave cylinder in a car I bought last night. He said it drove fine then the clutch pedal just went to the floor. The slave had blown out the piston side and looked as though he was truthful. I got everything in and force bled it through the bottom and then did it the old fashion pedal pump way as well. I can't get it to even except 1st or 2nd gear. It goes in all other gears fine (3rd is touchy but it goes right in) and reverse goes in good too. The car also changes gears smoothly from 3rd to 5th, no grinds or anything. My experience with other cars tells me if the gears are bad they will just grind, but I cant even get them that far it's like there's a shift stop preventing me from going into 1st or 2nd. Thanks in advance, I sure hope I can figure this out b4 work tomorrow with your all's help.

[Bullhead]

I also want to add the transmission will go into all gears but 1st and 2nd with the car turned off as well. Could it be the slave cylinder isn't pushing enough or is my linkage kinked up?

[dewme5]

Is the engine running when you are trying to shift? Just curious if it's off, the teeth may be perfectly clashing, preventing it from fully shifting. Other wise, probably a bent shift fork in there.

[Liquidity]

If the car goes in gear with the engine off, the problem isn't with the transmission. Number of things it could be - including a bad bleed.

[Bullhead]

Yeah I have done it both ways running and not. It feels like there is a wall preventing the shifter from going in. I have heard there are some linkage issues but idk this is my 1st Bimmer lol. I am going to take a peek under the boot and above the trans and see what it looks like if anyone can tell me what to look for it would be sweet. I have been searching through google and the like.

[Liquidity]

You posted while I was reading and typing my own response. When you try to put the car into 1st or 2nd with the engine off, allow the car to roll a little bit while you're pushing on the shifter. If the clutch won't disengage, it's very difficult to get the car in gear if the synchros aren't lined up.

[Liquidity]

It's also very likely you simply got scammed by this guy and there are some real problems here. That's why you should never buy a car you can't test drive.

[Bullhead]

You posted while I was reading and typing my own response. When you try to put the car into 1st or 2nd with the engine off, allow the car to roll a little bit while you're pushing on the shifter. If the clutch won't disengage, it's very difficult to get the car in gear if the synchros aren't lined up.

I will go try that now. Thanks for the help.

[Bullhead]

That didn't help, idk it feels like it should go with all the other gears going in.

[Bullhead]

Here's an update tried everything suggested and nothing worked. I did notice that I had to cram the shifter all the way to the left and against the plastic trim to get it into reverse but it goes into the gear easily. I also noticed that 3rd and reverse seemed to ne bottomed out by the plastic trim, like they could go a little further but the shifter handle itself is hitting the plastic. I still don't understand why I cant shift into 1st or 2nd though. If its a bad tranny what years can I look for at Pull a Part?

[jlevie]

With the engine off try engaging all gears from 5th down. I doesn't matter if the clutch is engaged or not. If it still won't go into 1st or 2nd (or perhaps reverse) the cause may be the shifter. If a rebuild of the shifter doesn't help and only 1st & 2nd are a problem, the cause will be inside the transmission.

[Bullhead]

With the engine off try engaging all gears from 5th down. I doesn't matter if the clutch is engaged or not. If it still won't go into 1st or 2nd (or perhaps reverse) the cause may be the shifter. If a rebuild of the shifter doesn't help and only 1st & 2nd are a problem, the cause will be inside the transmission.

Completed: it will go into 5th 4th 3rd and reverse easily without force. But to me 5th looks like it should be 3rd its right in the middle of the boot. I am going to order the rebuild kit for it. I am also heading to the pulla part this weekend and I'm going to try and nab a shifter off of a Z3. I am told they are factory short throws.

[Bullhead]

Can anyone tell me if I can operate or get the tranny to take gears by hand once I remove the shifter? Looking at the shifter more leverage than I have under the car may be needed. I thought I might be able to find the gears this way to determine it is the shifter. My local shop said if you can move or roll the car and it grinds running it's the syncro's if the clutch is good, and he went on to say if the car isn't running it will fall into the gear after the trans lines up internally if the syncro's are bad (usually). They also said if it just won't flat take a gear it's either the shifter or a very badly bent shift fork.

[jlevie]

Completed: it will go into 5th 4th 3rd and reverse easily without force. But to me 5th looks like it should be 3rd its right in the middle of the boot. I am going to order the rebuild kit for it. I am also heading to the pulla part this weekend and I'm going to try and nab a shifter off of a Z3. I am told they are factory short throws.

The shift lever position says that something is definitely wrong with the shifter. It could be just worn out bushings, or something could be damaged. Start there.

[HennaE30]

Completed: it will go into 5th 4th 3rd and reverse easily without force. But to me 5th looks like it should be 3rd its right in the middle of the boot. I am going to order the rebuild kit for it. I am also heading to the pulla part this weekend and I'm going to try and nab a shifter off of a Z3. I am told they are factory short throws.

What year is your car? mine had a similar issue with the shifter positioning, and it needed a complete shifter rebuild, because one of the bushings that holds the carrier in place in the back was missing, allowing the carrier to move around.