Does anyone here have a problem with the 1st gear being difficult to shift to? :confused: I know I've heard of people with a similar problem.

It almost feels like the shifter's catching on something and it's not letting me push it in easily to 1st gear from a stop. I really have to push hard before it slides in the gear and it obviously hasn't done that before. If I downshift it to 1st before the car stops, I don't have a problem popping it out to neutral and back into 1st repeatedly.

Some people say replacing the tranny fluid with Redline D4 ATF (I have a 5-speed) cures it. I dunno though, I'm not convinced by that for some reason. To me, it sounds beyond the fluid. :dunno

Thanks in advance!

Originally posted by ¶Pho€nix
Does anyone here have a problem with the 1st gear being difficult to shift to? :confused: I know I've heard of people with a similar problem.

It almost feels like the shifter's catching on something and it's not letting me push it in easily to 1st gear from a stop. I really have to push hard before it slides in the gear and it obviously hasn't done that before. If I downshift it to 1st before the car stops, I don't have a problem popping it out to neutral and back into 1st repeatedly.

Some people say replacing the tranny fluid with Redline D4 ATF (I have a 5-speed) cures it. I dunno though, I'm not convinced by that for some reason. To me, it sounds beyond the fluid. :dunno

Thanks in advance!

This is a known "problem" it depends on how difficult it really is to get into the 1st gear.

* is this a problem with any other gears?
* is this a problem when it's cold?
* is this a problem when your tranny is cold?
* is this a problem when you "ease" the lever into first?

I complained about this to my dealer when I first got the car and they just replaced the whole transmission! I would replace the fluid first...then see if it improves.

EDIT:
I'm going move this to the Help Mechanical Section - you'll get specialized advice

is this a problem with any other gears?

- Just with the 1st gear.

is this a problem when it's cold?

- Generally yes, but I've been through cold weather here before and yet that hasn't bothered me untill now.

is this a problem when your tranny is cold?

- I would say the problem lessens after a while of running the car (more than 20 mins), but even after an hour of driving, the problem's still there.

is this a problem when you "ease" the lever into first?

- I went out and tried that. No.

well...the fluid is next.

Let's see if anyone has advice other than - you need to replace your synchro or replace your tranny.

BMW trannies are known to have this problem, but I don't know if it's with a batch or whatnot.

Actually, I tried it again (took it for a good spin around the block this time).

Happens *sometimes* when easing the shifter in.

This was EXACTLY the symptom that I had.
I got a completely new - remanufactured - tranny. It still appears every now and then...but not as bad as before.

It's usually bad in Reverse sometimes as well.

Mine would do this for first gear sometimes when cold.

A change to Redline D4 ATF cured it right up..


Jeff B.
95 Cosmos M3

Do you have a clutch stop?

Somewhere on this board I posted a piece out of a service bulletin with diagnostic tips for shifting problems - do a search and you should be able to find it.

Jim

Originally posted by Jim O.
Do you have a clutch stop?

Somewhere on this board I posted a piece out of a service bulletin with diagnostic tips for shifting problems - do a search and you should be able to find it.

Jim

I agree !!!!! I have a clutch stop and it was set to aggresive but once I lowered it a little to have a little play between engaging the gears, the problem went away...

Originally posted by SeRg M


I agree !!!!! I have a clutch stop and it was set to aggresive but once I lowered it a little to have a little play between engaging the gears, the problem went away...

No, don't have a clutch stop. At first too, I thought I wasn't depressing the clutch correctly.

So how easy is it to replace the tranny fluid?

Easy enough to do.... there are two plugs on the transmission, the lower one is to drain the top to fill up. the only thing is that you have to jack the car up to make the process easier...

Hardest part is getting the car up in the air, level on all corners.

Make SURE you unscrew the top (fill) plug first!!! My tranny fill plug was so tight we almost couldn't get it off. I'd recommend liquid wrench and a breaker bar.

Either way, if you start on the top plug, you won't be screwed without tranny fluid if you can't get it undone.

Hope this helps,

Jeff B.
95 Cosmos M3

Originally posted by 95Mpower
Hardest part is getting the car up in the air, level on all corners.

Make SURE you unscrew the top (fill) plug first!!! My tranny fill plug was so tight we almost couldn't get it off. I'd recommend liquid wrench and a breaker bar.

Either way, if you start on the top plug, you won't be screwed without tranny fluid if you can't get it undone.

Hope this helps,

Jeff B.
95 Cosmos M3


Sounds easy enough. I'll give that a shot.

Thanks, guys! :)

one more thing to consider. I had air in my clutch slave cylinder, it made it hard to shift into first when the tranny was cold. I bleed the line problem went away.

I have the same problem and changed to redline in the trany and it made some, although very little, difference. I think it is relatively common. Sometimes if you shift to neutral and let out the clutch and quickly depress it and throw it into first will make things easier. But is really is not a problem.

Go with the Redline and it'll help alot. No need for a new tranny

Another simple "work around" is to pull down into 2nd and then go to first. My first gear can be very notchy at times. Forcing into gear does not help. You have to let it do its own thing. Depress the clutch fully, wait a second then go into gear.

I have use Redline D4 ATF and Mobil1 Synthetic ATF. The D4 is better but is no cure-all. I have also tried Redline MTL. It definitely feels the best but since it is a heavier oil, you will lose more power through the drive line. And yes you can feel it.