e9 2nd gear problem

richrfd

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1973 bmw 3.0cs stock 4 speed wont go into 2nd gear when cold works fine after 10 minutes of driving . put in red line oil it did not help is there a shift rod adjustment or should i just live with it
 
They don't go into second when cold mate, I've got a getrag dogleg 5 speed in my 72 cs and I always go from 1st to 3 otherwise Itl blow up. The old Ferraris and maseratis were the same. Go from 1st to 3rd until it's warm then 2nd comes easy. Plus, use fully synthetic oil in the box, that's helps an awful lot.
 
They don't go into second when cold mate, I've got a getrag dogleg 5 speed in my 72 cs and I always go from 1st to 3 otherwise Itl blow up. The old Ferraris and maseratis were the same. Go from 1st to 3rd until it's warm then 2nd comes easy. Plus, use fully synthetic oil in the box, that's helps an awful lot.
???
 
1973 bmw 3.0cs stock 4 speed wont go into 2nd gear when cold works fine after 10 minutes of driving . put in red line oil it did not help is there a shift rod adjustment or should i just live with it

obviously i no not have a clue of what is wrong with your gear box,
but my car is a stock 3.0 cs and second gear works perfect in cold or hot condition
oil is only oil
 
obviously i no not have a clue of what is wrong with your gear box,
but my car is a stock 3.0 cs and second gear works perfect in cold or hot condition
oil is only oil

Are you talking Bilbao cold with an average December low of 13 celsius, or Connecticut cold with an average December low of -5? That is 18 Fahrenheit for imbeciles like me.

Do you have a heated garage OP?
 
I had a Porsche 928S4 manual 5 speed - same 'balky' 2nd gear in cold weather. I changed the lubricant in my '74 e9 with a 265/6 five speed OD to 50% Redline MTL and 50% top grade GL-4 (Amsoil in my case). Seems to be much better, but then I don't drive the car unless it is at least 35 degrees F (and that would be very rarely, did it just to see if this lubricant mixture recommended by sfdon made any difference, and it did).

Gary
 
Hi Guys,

Since I have my CS with standard Getrag this is something I noticed as well.

Mine will go in second, no problem, but when cold the shift isn't smooth. You clearly feel a little resistance going from first to second.

Once warm this disappears for the most part but if you know the gearbox you will still feel it a little bit.
 
Google gearbox problems with the ferrari Daytona, many a 2nd gear stiffness when cold, the cs manual box is no different dequincy


Dequincy, do you read your pm’s?
 
Google gearbox problems with the ferrari Daytona, many a 2nd gear stiffness when cold, the cs manual box is no different dequincy


Dequincy, do you read your pm’s?

Cold second gear issues are common in tons of transmissions.
 
My 246 gt had the same problem as does my csi.
Coupe King did my transplant to 5 sp and as I remember they used 50/50
gear oil and redline but it’s still tough when cold. After 5 minutes all’s well.
 
1973 bmw 3.0cs stock 4 speed wont go into 2nd gear when cold works fine after 10 minutes of driving . put in red line oil it did not help is there a shift rod adjustment or should i just live with it
I think your second gear synchro or sleeve/slide is much weared (maybe from inside sliding area, maybe outside teeth are weared out), that's why you have such problem. So, if you are not planning to make any part replacing - you probably have to live with that.

After some driving, under the heat, the synchro ring or sleeve/slide expands, and probably slightly changes its angle in sliding area, and probably locks & sleeve can't go further to fully change the gear.
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I’ve had three E3’s (old 4spd), three 2002’s and an e21 and Five of them had worn second gear synchros. They were always a bit balky in cold weather (below 32f).

Back then (35 years ago?) Redline MTL helped and I think because it didn’t thicken as much when cold as conventional gearbox oil. This meant worn synchros had less resistance to overcome. Once warm I recall relatively little diff between MTL and the conventional stuff.

I agree with Wladek that the best solution it to drop the box and have the synchronizer rings replaced.

I have no idea why a worn out Bav would not have shifting issues in a Montreal winter. Maybe a skillful driver?
 
My worn out Bavaria never had a problem going in 2nd in Montreal cold. We are talking Cold.

Very simple, in normal weather the synchro ring needs to warm up and expand before it shifts into 2nd.
In Montreal weather the whole transmission contracts towards the synchro ring :).
 
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