[redfox]

So let me start this sad story by saying that I had the car now for 4 weeks. She has roughly 2000 km on it. In the other words, she is still a virgin.

A week after I took delivery of the car, on a cold start, going from 1st to 2nd, when I shift fluidly from 1st to 2nd, the syncro will always grind and make a very unpleasant noise. This only happens on the first shift. Afterwards, everything is fine. I can prevent this by holding the clutch down for a second and slowly shifting into 2nd. However, sometimes I forget and it grinds. I had a e46 before. I never experienced such problems.

Anyway, this happened for a couple of weeks. I wanted to see if the problem would go away once the car/transmission is broken in.

Once I went past the 2k break in period. I opened her up more. Mind you, the cold start problem still happened. Once, drive it for about 30 minutes on the high way(plenty warm), parked it for 2 hrs at a outdoor parking lot with ambient temperature sitting around 5C. Then, I got back in the car, drove it out of the parking lot and gunned it. On the 1st-2nd shift, BAM! the same shit happens! This time, it happened at 5000 rpm, and made a loud enough noise that everyone walking on the street looked. F&%*K!!!!

I got fed up and took it into the dealership. I left the car overnight there so that the problem can be reproduced. next day, I did not hear much from the dealership until the afternoon when the SA called me back and said that the shop foreman took the car for a drive, did some examinations and filed a report with BMW Head Office. He wasn't able to provide more info than that.

The following day, I get another call. This time, the SA says that BMW is replacing my transmission. Ok...

WTF? Anyone experience this? How big of a repair job is this? The car only has 2k on it! Advice/comments/suggestions anyone?

[redfox]

Oh, I have been driving standards for about 12 years. Standard BMWs for about 6 years.

[Plats]

My car does the same thing, only on cold starts, and only for the first time I shift from 1st to second.

I haven't done it at 5k rpms cause I know that'll mess it up.
I don'thave warranty either so if you find out how much the repair is can you reply? Thanks...

On realoem.com they say brand new MT is about 4500, an 3800 on tischer...so repair would be somewhere north of there if its out of warranty I assume..

[vase330]

Tischer just about the cheapest you will find OEM parts. But yeah had an E46 M3 that was jerky as hell and couldn't seem to shift smoothly. 9000 miles I traded it for a E46 330ci steptronic that went on to have its first AT failure with just 90 miles on it, 2 days after delivery. They put in a new one and at 118K miles, it died on me. I had no choice this time, shelled out $6K out of pocket!!! At 128K miles pre-failure symptoms came back, and I just sold the damn car to a body shop owner who knows a ton about BMWs. He didn't care, he said he can get cheap replacements. I already had my AT E92, so I went bought a Toyota RAV4. My E46 M3 was the last non-AT BMW I will ever have. But as you can see, it happened to my first AT BMW too, so its neither here nor there. They are mechanical things and will fail occasionally is all I can say.

[redfox]

Originally Posted by maxnix

Unfortunately double clutching is something lost on the younger generation, as is the concept of operating temperature.

Observe both and you will have less trouble on initial 1>2 shifts.

I learned how to drive standard on a 1984 Ford Ranger. I am perfectly familiar with double clutching. However, I am paying close to 70k (canadian dollar) for a car with a transmission that is designed for quick shifts (aka, no double clutching) and it should work as such. End of story.

Operating temp? I had a 1991 Acura Integra back in 2003. In -30C weather, cold start, transmission is stiff, but still shifted smoothly. Same goes for the 2000 Civic, or the 03 350Z or the 04 325Ci. These cars are cold weather tested. Op temp means you don't beat on it until the engine is warmed up. However, we are talking about shifting at 2k RPM slowly, but fluidly, not me driving the car like it's stolen 3 seconds after I press the Engine Start button.

[DJKhan85]

Originally Posted by maxnix

Unfortunately double clutching is something lost on the younger generation, as is the concept of operating temperature.

Observe both and you will have less trouble on initial 1>2 shifts.

I completely understand double clutching while DOWNSHIFTING. What purpose does double clutching while UPSHIFTING serve?

[Mr. 5]

I agree with you redfox. Double clutching should not be a necessity if you have syncros. It's kind of like complaining to a delaer that your car stalls every time you pull to a stop and then someone says, "that's what the starter is for."

I had the same issue in the beginning but it did get better.
I changed out the fluid to Royal Purple Syncromax and everything was fine until 50k miles later when I started grinding like crazy at the track. It was then when I tried Redline fluids. I changed out the fluid to D4 ATF and it was a little better in the beginning.
You have to understand though that I was having the oposite issues as you after all of the miles. I was having fine cold shifting but then very bad hot shifting. So, I ended going with the Redline MTL which has a thicker viscosity and the shifting is tons better hot now. The cold shifting would be a PITA with the MTL but it doesn't get that cold around here.

I'm working on trying to get a new trans as well but it's kind of hard with all of the mods on my car.

If i were you, I would try the D6 ATF or D4 ATF if you are willing to try some thing different. This will help tremendously with cold shifting.

[mycoupe]

Originally Posted by redfox

I learned how to drive standard on a 1984 Ford Ranger. I am perfectly familiar with double clutching. However, I am paying close to 70k (canadian dollar) for a car with a transmission that is designed for quick shifts (aka, no double clutching) and it should work as such. End of story.

Operating temp? I had a 1991 Acura Integra back in 2003. In -30C weather, cold start, transmission is stiff, but still shifted smoothly. Same goes for the 2000 Civic, or the 03 350Z or the 04 325Ci. These cars are cold weather tested. Op temp means you don't beat on it until the engine is warmed up. However, we are talking about shifting at 2k RPM slowly, but fluidly, not me driving the car like it's stolen 3 seconds after I press the Engine Start button.

Wanna talk real end of story? You HAVE warranty! Quit your bitchin'.

[335iCoupe1382]

Just had my transmission replaced at around 25K miles...1 to 2nd shift would grind once in a while and a few times wouldn't go into third at higher rmps. Third gear would vibrate while engaged...took it to the dealership and had the transmission replace.
Be happy you have the warranty because without one it can get costly.

[redfox]

Originally Posted by Mr. 5

I agree with you redfox. Double clutching should not be a necessity if you have syncros. It's kind of like complaining to a delaer that your car stalls every time you pull to a stop and then someone says, "that's what the starter is for."

I had the same issue in the beginning but it did get better.
I changed out the fluid to Royal Purple Syncromax and everything was fine until 50k miles later when I started grinding like crazy at the track. It was then when I tried Redline fluids. I changed out the fluid to D4 ATF and it was a little better in the beginning.
You have to understand though that I was having the oposite issues as you after all of the miles. I was having fine cold shifting but then very bad hot shifting. So, I ended going with the Redline MTL which has a thicker viscosity and the shifting is tons better hot now. The cold shifting would be a PITA with the MTL but it doesn't get that cold around here.

I'm working on trying to get a new trans as well but it's kind of hard with all of the mods on my car.

If i were you, I would try the D6 ATF or D4 ATF if you are willing to try some thing different. This will help tremendously with cold shifting.

Thanks for the tip! Once I get my car back, I'll report back and consider switching the tranny fluid.

[redfox]

Originally Posted by mycoupe

Wanna talk real end of story? You HAVE warranty! Quit your bitchin'.

Oh it's definitely bitching, but I'm allowed.

But this is more for learning, figuring out if it's an isolated incident, how big of a repair job this is (ie, routine or not) and if I should be expecting any loss of factory built quality.

[shifterboy45]

take a look at this SIB
23 01 09 dated may 2009 for more details on this tranny / issues

also they may pitch this one over to Dinan for coverage since it is a powertrain item... but you never know ....

[Ironring Racing]

Maxnix, wow, tard comment of the day.

Red, yes, I've had the same problem since day one, but unfortunately it's intermittent, about twice a week. Happens mostly on the first shift of the day, but it's in a heated garage both at home and work, and happens in the summer, so not temp related. It also get it when racing, track, etc, that first shift. Was out on the track yesterday and happened twice leaving the pits (track in this case is the kind with turns, not that straight line kind).

Anyway, the service guys have never been able to reproduce the problem, so it's never been warrantied.

Just living with it.

And you're right, shouldn't happen, period.

[redfox]

Originally Posted by shifterboy45

take a look at this SIB
23 01 09 dated may 2009 for more details on this tranny / issues

also they may pitch this one over to Dinan for coverage since it is a powertrain item... but you never know ....

Yeah, got the SIB in hand and had it when I dropped the car off at the dealership. Good thing it's a replacement of the entire unit and the dealers won't be doing and tinkering of the actual unit.

BMW is warrantying it. They are replacing the tranny... It's just shitty on a 4 weeks old car. Is a tranny uninstall/install a routine job? ie., for clutch replacement?

[shifterboy45]

Originally Posted by redfox

Yeah, got the SIB in hand and had it when I dropped the car off at the dealership. Good thing it's a replacement of the entire unit and the dealers won't be doing and tinkering of the actual unit.

BMW is warrantying it. They are replacing the tranny... It's just shitty on a 4 weeks old car. Is a tranny uninstall/install a routine job? ie., for clutch replacement?

the only bad part about the whole issue is that they have to wait for PuMA authorization prior to replace it .. that drags the whole process out for the customer.... but i can remember the days of getting a tranny back from testing for "no problem found".. try reselling that to a parts buyer
NOT!!!

[redfox]

Forgot about this thread....

Transmission replaced under warranty and the issues never ever happened again. I brought the car in at night. The chief tech tested my car in the morning and felt the grind on the very first shift. Thank god it was reproducible.

Now, 10,000 km later, no issues whatsoever.

[themyst]

Originally Posted by redfox

I learned how to drive standard on a 1984 Ford Ranger. I am perfectly familiar with double clutching. However, I am paying close to 70k (canadian dollar) for a car with a transmission that is designed for quick shifts (aka, no double clutching) and it should work as such. End of story.

Operating temp? I had a 1991 Acura Integra back in 2003. In -30C weather, cold start, transmission is stiff, but still shifted smoothly. Same goes for the 2000 Civic, or the 03 350Z or the 04 325Ci. These cars are cold weather tested. Op temp means you don't beat on it until the engine is warmed up. However, we are talking about shifting at 2k RPM slowly, but fluidly, not me driving the car like it's stolen 3 seconds after I press the Engine Start button.

wow you had an 03 350z without a defective gearbox? That's news to me. I went through 3 in 12k miles (all 3rd gear syncro) along with a defective slave cylinder etc etc. Worst car I've ever owned

[themyst]

This is the first thread ever that I've read where anyone had issues with the 6MT gearbox on an N54. Mine has been perfect since day one.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

My 2nd gear is a little sloppy and I have gotten it to grind a few times.... (clutch pedal pressed in fully)

I was going to wait until the problem worsened but infact got better over-time.

We'll see...

[DefactoM6]

Yup, manufacturing isn't always perfect.

And just because a trans might be a bit sticky/finnicky doesn't mean that it isn't strong. The Getrag 6 speed paired up with the S62 is practically bulletproof, maybe even more so than the Supra's getrag...but that trans still has issues with a sticky 1-2 shift when cold, even with very few miles. Ask me how I know.

I will say that some redline did help basically eliminate it in all except the coldest (20 degrees) situations. And since I have only driven it a handful of times when it's been cooler than 35 out, it's not really worth mentioning.