What to do about G265 reverse gear hitting console?

[E9Wayne]

Hi all, I'm sorting out some odds and ends with my recent motor and 5 speed upgrade courtesy Don Lawrence. One thing that bugs me is how the reverse gear movement now hits to the 4 speed console trim panel and moves it to the left. I've searched the forum but haven't seen solutions to this. I assume the solution means taking some wood away (all the way top to bottom from the inner left side trim piece) with a dremel and redoing the vinyl?

I can't tell if the amount of wood you have to take away will get too close to the power window switch cut out.

Or do most folks just live with this?

Thanks for the advice.

 

[jmackro]

E9Wayne:

I asked the same question a week or so back, though I buried my question in a discussion about short shift kits. See: http://www.e9coupe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6237&page=2 Several people submitted some good ideas, though I haven't attempted to implement them yet.

I too thought about cutting the left side of the shifter hole, but I'd rather not do that for two reasons:

1) I doubt the boot would fit very well if the hole were oversize
2) There is quite a bit of clearence between my gear shift and the right side of the hole when the car is in 5th. So, it seems that the shift pattern needs to be moved right - the hole doesn't need to be moved left.

 

[x_atlas0]

Alternatively, there could be excessive lateral play due to worn bushings. I have seen as much as 2" of lateral play in BMW shifters due to worn bushings. Replacing them alone helped considerably, but I have also found a DSSR helps even more.

 

[echappe]

I found that by installing short throw shift mechanism this problem can be minimized

 

[Orangener]

I found that by installing short throw shift mechanism this problem can be minimized

Me too, a good solution to kill two birds with one stone........:mrgreen:

 

[cpeavey]

I have this exact problem on my recent conversion, too. I went with the low-cost, semi-short shift option of using an E21 shift lever with the 5-series linkage. In addition to hitting the left side of the console, the lever is a little too far forward for comfort. I'd like to tilt the knob back a couple of inches.

What I would like to try is to cut out a small section of the shill or linkage rod to shorten it, and also twist it a few degrees to center the shift lever's range of motion in the console, and have it welded back together.

Charlie

 

[E9Wayne]

thanks everyone -- great ideas

I should have mentioned I already have a semi-custom short shifter from the previous owner and his 4 speed manual that we carried over with the 5 speed upgrade. The input here has convinced me to stay away from console wood and vinyl trim mods. I like Charlie's idea about either reshaping the shift lever (at the fat part presumably) or taking some of the metal out. Or maybe I just need another short shifter. The one I have now has a metal ball joint versus plastic that you see in many kits outside of the UUC; there doesn't seem to be much play or slop at the ball joint either. Cheers

 

[cpeavey]

Wayne, the piece I am thinking of modifying isn't actually the shift lever, although maybe that could be bent with the proper use of heat, but rather the horizontal "selector rod" that connects the bottom end of the shift lever to the back of the tranny.

Charlie

 

[FlyWulf]

Sloppy

A short shift kit and bushings will more than likely firm up your shift throws, in my opinion for what its worth. If it is still too sloppy then you might need to renew some parts inside the transmission. The shifter dogs and forks do wear over time from the work. I did replace these myself on my E21 and I would estimate that any weekend warrior like myself could get the job done. I did have to sacrifice a kitchen knife to fab up a tool the hold each detent ball in place during re assembly. I would imagine that it would be a little pricey to have a shop do this job, again IMHO.

Ed

 

[oldcoupe]

G265 Reverse Gear

Couple of extracts attached from the E28 blue book about correct assembly of linkage at 265 gearbox - sorry they're not sharper. I can't figure if this will make a difference back at the stick, however this is how my coupe was assembled, and reverse is juuust alright. I had a new nylon bush for the link turned by a machinist and that did help.

 

[cookbw]

short shifter - e21

I just dealt with this. I installed an e21 based short shift kit and the shifter was going to hit the console in reverse and 1,3,5th. To prevent rubbing I had to modify two pieces: the shift lever (for 1,3,5th) and the link rod that attaches the shift lever to the tranny. I applied heat and put a little extra bend in the shift lever by clamping it in a table vice with a 7/8" socket placed right at the point where i wanted the shifter to bend. Then I heated the link rod, clamped it in the vice, and slowly torqued one end with a pipe wrench until I got a 5 degree angle between the two ends of the rod. You have to be careful not to heat or bend too much to avoid damage or weakening. Admittedly it's a little bit ghetto, but now the shifter sits right in the middle and doesn't rub. The short shift is nice!