How's your gearbox?

[NPVPositive]

Hi gents,

My car is now just over 3 years old and has only 23,000 km on the clock. In the last few months I've noticed that shifting gears has become a little more notchy than it used to be. Nothing terrible, but definitely not the knife through hot butter that I used to get.

Wondered how other gearboxes were performing after a few years and if anyone else has experienced this? On an old gearbox I would wonder if the rubber bushes needed replacement, but there's probably no such thing these days!

Thanks

[Dackelone]

Change your trans fluid!

[rapter]

Originally Posted by NPVPositive

Hi gents,

My car is now just over 3 years old and has only 23,000 km on the clock. In the last few months I've noticed that shifting gears has become a little more notchy than it used to be. Nothing terrible, but definitely not the knife through hot butter that I used to get.

Wondered how other gearboxes were performing after a few years and if anyone else has experienced this? On an old gearbox I would wonder if the rubber bushes needed replacement, but there's probably no such thing these days!

Thanks

This happens when the fluid in the gearbox breaks down a bit, totally "normal" experience... if you can call it normal.

Having the dealer changing the fluid (or doing it yourself) will instantly improve the "feel" through the stick.

The problem with this car is that so many things "feel" sooooooo good. And when something starts to wear just a bit (fluid, brakes, tires, steering alignment and steering feel) the user can pick up on it right away - thus psychologically putting them in a ill state of mind.

I would hazard a guess that nothing is wrong, but fix it so that you can start enjoying your car again!

[NPVPositive]

Thanks guys . . . will get the fluid changed ASAP and see what we see.

[MDORPHN]

BMW "Lifetime Fluids" are marketing and warranty-driven BS.

I'd suggest changing all fluids annually.

Neil

[nachob]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Change your trans fluid!

+1

[CP 1///M]

Hmm... I'm nearing there and I just had my "free" service 2 weeks ago w/o fluid change (life-time fluid, hahaha) - almost 21K KM and the first few gears is getting more notchy

[1'M Blue]

28K kms and 3years+ along with mods .. so far so good

[MightyMouseTech]

Well, my 135 has the same gearbox as the 1M, and I found switching to Redline MTL made the trans shift SOOOO much smoother than even when the car was new.

[arvinz]

What brand do you guys recommend for trans fluid? Redline MTL GL-4?

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by arvinz

What brand do you guys recommend for trans fluid?

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=620282

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by arvinz

What brand do you guys recommend for trans fluid? Redline MTL GL-4?

So far I have tried replacing with the stock MTF-LT-5, Redline D4 and Redline MTL. I like the MTL the best.

[trinity_2200]

Smoothness is a hard feeling to describe, everyone may have different expectation. To me,
the gearbox of the 1M never seems to be very smooth compare to other manual car that i have driven before. I'm always wondering if it's its character or something not well. It's hard to judge.

[k_o_m]

I just had my 25K service last week and one of the issues I brought up was the transmission seeming less smooth than normal. I always like to take what my dealer tells me with a grain of salt, but they said BMW is now recommending a new transmission fluid that they "had to order in from Germany". It will take another 2 weeks or so to get in (and apparently costs over $300 - sounds like a lot, but to be honest I have no clue how much transmission fluid should cost!) I'm hoping that brings me back to buttery shifting!

[Dackelone]

@NPVPositive

Originally Posted by CP 1///M

Hmm... I'm nearing there and I just had my "free" service 2 weeks ago w/o fluid change (life-time fluid, hahaha) - almost 21K KM and the first few gears is getting more notchy

On the 1M, I believe the trans and diff fluid should be changed out every third oil change service. Even for non M car like a 135i, I would at least follow this recommendation. Remember the best oil is fresh oil!

As for what fluid to use in your 1M's manual gear box... I would say either Redline MTL or Redline's D4 ATF. You will need two liters.

Dackel

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

@NPVPositive



On the 1M, I believe the trans and diff fluid should be changed out every third oil change service. Even for non M car like a 135i, I would at least follow this recommendation. Remember the best oil is fresh oil!

As for what fluid to use in your 1M's manual gear box... I would say either Redline MTL or Redline's D4 ATF. You will need two liters.

Dackel

Redline's website recommends D6 ATF for the 1M but D4 ATF for the n55 135i. They both have the same transmission...does anyone know what's up with that?

[SixBanger]

Originally Posted by NPVPositive

Hi gents,

My car is now just over 3 years old and has only 23,000 km on the clock. In the last few months I've noticed that shifting gears has become a little more notchy than it used to be. Nothing terrible, but definitely not the knife through hot butter that I used to get.

Wondered how other gearboxes were performing after a few years and if anyone else has experienced this? On an old gearbox I would wonder if the rubber bushes needed replacement, but there's probably no such thing these days!

Thanks

I hear ya! I've done everything and anything you could possibly do to the shifter and box to make it feel nice, but that has become an impossible endeavor. I changed my oil last year this time of the year, but I'm thinking I may need new to rebuild it (syncros gone).

[dcaron9999]

I track my car every week, and change my manual trans fluid about every two months during lapping season, or when the shifter starts fealing notchy again (fluid breakdown).

[Jay-K]

maybe just a psychology affect..
cos i believe we have a lot of friends 1M here with more KM than that.

try changing the oil