[DrivingPassion]

My 6MT 335i is around 350 miles.

I still feel the awkwardness of shifting from 1st to 2nd gear. Somehow, it just felt so overly tight to shift into the 2nd gear.

Any ideas to improve the technique of shifting from 1st to 2nd would be appreciated.

Do I have to lean the shifter more to the left when shifting?

Should I press on the clutch a little less deeply?

Am I shifting too slowly?

what's the optimal way to shift from 1-->2?

[Blk07335i]

CDV mod.

[cali_guy]

+1 CDV

Possibly a SSK (Short Shift Kit)

[Dan335i]

You only have 350 miles,give it a chance to break in and lossen up a little.Also try shifting at higher rpm,s that you are shifting out now.Your not going to any damage as far as the break in mode.

[pronacyk3]

2nd gear will always be notchy on this transmission. you'll just have to get used to it. however, I have heard that changing your transmission fluid to royal purple synchro max helps a bit.

[golfinz]

POWERSHIFT

[scalbert]

Originally Posted by Blk07335i

CDV mod.

CDV does not change the gear engagement, just the clutch engagement. Once the clutch is in, there is no difference if the CDV is in there or not.

OP: as mentioned, the 1 - 2 shift is always a bit notchy on this transmission but will loosed up with time.

[Tortfeasor 335xi]

1 to 2 is a bit notchy, but I have shifted through much worse. What bothers me is that my clutch can make a clunking noise durring disengagement 1 to 2. That pisses me off. Anyone else get this?

[shifterboy45]

i have an 09 6MT also, and the shift wasnt as smooth as my 328 6MT .. it'll loosen up in a lil bit -- mine took 1000mi to feel good .. but then again my 328had a couple of hundred miles on it when i got and my 335 only had like 2mi on it when i picked it up.

if the problem continues for a long time, ask your SA to look at SIB 23 01 09


cheers

[DrivingPassion]

Thanks guys.

[BavarianBullet]

Originally Posted by DrivingPassion

My 6MT 335i is around 350 miles.

I still feel the awkwardness of shifting from 1st to 2nd gear. Somehow, it just felt so overly tight to shift into the 2nd gear.

Any ideas to improve the technique of shifting from 1st to 2nd would be appreciated.

Do I have to lean the shifter more to the left when shifting?

Should I press on the clutch a little less deeply?

Am I shifting too slowly?

what's the optimal way to shift from 1-->2?

Here's what I've found:
1) obviously remove the CDV- it's a bad joke.
2) the shift into 2nd gear is always going to be notchy and my guess is that's it's an internal transmissions linkage issue because of the stupidity of putting reverse internal shift rail next to the 1-2 shift rail unlike most MTs
3) Short throw shifters like the BMW SSKs increase shift effort making this notchiness worse not better IME.
4) I've had good luck with the UUC shifter as, while it is a short throw shifter, it also has a special pivot cup that raises the shifter up and corrects the geometry to reduce effort. So you get the short shift and stock effort. This is good.
5) I've poured in royal purple in my trans and it helped a small amount. It's not expensive, easy to put in and I don't see a downside so it's worth doing IMO but don't expect a huge difference (it's slight).
6) Try this as it worked for me: stop the car, rev the engine to 4-5k rpm and rip the shifter fast from first into second and repeat (total 2 times). Then make a mild drag pass and see if it helps at all. This works wonders for me and instantly improves my 1-2 shift. I don't use it much but it was superb at the track. It also proves IMO that there's something wrong internally in the trans.

[XPO186]

Check this article out:

http://www.waycoolinc.com/z3/essenti...e/shifting.htm

Specifically, read the sections titled "GETTING INTO GEAR AT A STOP" and "SHIFTING UP WHILE ACCELERATING".

[Sniz]

Originally Posted by BavarianBullet

Here's what I've found:
1) obviously remove the CDV- it's a bad joke.
2) the shift into 2nd gear is always going to be notchy and my guess is that's it's an internal transmissions linkage issue because of the stupidity of putting reverse internal shift rail next to the 1-2 shift rail unlike most MTs
3) Short throw shifters like the BMW SSKs increase shift effort making this notchiness worse not better IME.
4) I've had good luck with the UUC shifter as, while it is a short throw shifter, it also has a special pivot cup that raises the shifter up and corrects the geometry to reduce effort. So you get the short shift and stock effort. This is good.
5) I've poured in royal purple in my trans and it helped a small amount. It's not expensive, easy to put in and I don't see a downside so it's worth doing IMO but don't expect a huge difference (it's slight).
6) Try this as it worked for me: stop the car, rev the engine to 4-5k rpm and rip the shifter fast from first into second and repeat (total 2 times). Then make a mild drag pass and see if it helps at all. This works wonders for me and instantly improves my 1-2 shift. I don't use it much but it was superb at the track. It also proves IMO that there's something wrong internally in the trans.

all very good info!!!

I can also recommend one of UUC's stainless weighted shift knobs.

big help in banging it into 2nd gear.

[2kaccordocoupe]

It will get better as the car breaks in, I encountered the same thing when I first got my car, I now have 4100km on it and it's fine.

[DrivingPassion]

Originally Posted by Sniz

all very good info!!!

I can also recommend one of UUC's stainless weighted shift knobs.

big help in banging it into 2nd gear.

Is the UUC shifter considered a mod by BMW? What does it do to the warranty?

[ianthegreat]

Originally Posted by Dan335i

You only have 350 miles,give it a chance to break in and lossen up a little.Also try shifting at higher rpm,s that you are shifting out now.Your not going to any damage as far as the break in mode.

21.5k miles and 1st to 2nd is a bitch. Trust me, the higher the rpm the smoother the shift (2.5k then shift is much nicer). I do not have the CDV mod.

[ianthegreat]

Originally Posted by Tortfeasor 335xi

1 to 2 is a bit notchy, but I have shifted through much worse. What bothers me is that my clutch can make a clunking noise durring disengagement 1 to 2. That pisses me off. Anyone else get this?

Yes, it makes me nervous for the long haul of this transmission/clutch.

[A418t81]

Originally Posted by ianthegreat

Yes, it makes me nervous for the long haul of this transmission/clutch.

It shouldn't, both the tranny and the clutch fairly beefy, the trans in particular. It'll take everything an upgraded turbo car will throw at it (with a clutch that'll hold it).

[DrivingPassion]

Originally Posted by XPO186

Check this article out:

http://www.waycoolinc.com/z3/essenti...e/shifting.htm

Specifically, read the sections titled "GETTING INTO GEAR AT A STOP" and "SHIFTING UP WHILE ACCELERATING".

Thanks, that's a nice piece of reading.

[bman8]

Originally Posted by Tortfeasor 335xi

1 to 2 is a bit notchy, but I have shifted through much worse. What bothers me is that my clutch can make a clunking noise durring disengagement 1 to 2. That pisses me off. Anyone else get this?

I get clunk noise when go from 1 to 2 on my 09 335i coupe. I feel the noise is from gearbox. It was smooth sometimes.

[cstavaru]

The gearbox is very tight (and hard to shift) in the break-in period. I liked that feeling though After about 2500km, it loosens up and you can shift quicker.

But you will truly shift quicker after you install a Short Shift Kit (I have the BMW Performance SSK). After the SSK install, I found out that the shift knob also plays a role in how well you shift. I now have a spherical leather wrapped knob (Momo Race) and the shift is definitely faster but still not ideal (I had the M Sport knob before and it's not a good match for the BMW SSK, in fact its not a good match for anything because it has steep edges). I can shift faster, but not smoother. I guess after removing the CDV things will further improve, but I for one am pleased for the time being.

[Slidewayz]

Shifting a 6MT 335i is crap.

SSK and fluid might help a little bit, but don't expect Japanese-style slickness or anything close.