Ok, I'm sure most of the 535i owners out there know the 'how many pins' drama when it comes to finding a tranny that works for an early 535i. Unfortunately I found this out after it was too late.

So we had the transmission fitted anyway, and use the old valve body. This kind of worked, but not completely.

The car always wants to go forward. I managed to find Park but dont know if I trust it, R D N 2 and 1 all go forward, even R! This is all fine and dandy until I need to reverse.

I'm using the old 1989 auto computer, switch, and valve body with a 1990 4HP22 transmission. Does anyone have any information or secret tips that might help me out? I'd really appreciate it! Finding the right transmission is proving to be very hard and expensive.

Ok, I'm sure most of the 535i owners out there know the 'how many pins' drama when it comes to finding a tranny that works for an early 535i. Unfortunately I found this out after it was too late.

So we had the transmission fitted anyway, and use the old valve body. This kind of worked, but not completely.

The car always wants to go forward. I managed to find Park but dont know if I trust it, R D N 2 and 1 all go forward, even R! This is all fine and dandy until I need to reverse.

I'm using the old 1989 auto computer, switch, and valve body with a 1990 4HP22 transmission. Does anyone have any information or secret tips that might help me out? I'd really appreciate it! Finding the right transmission is proving to be very hard and expensive.


4hp-22 reverse is independent of the electronic controls. Meaning that either the valve body was improperly installed, or (more likely) the replacement transmission is doing something like remachining the F basket. Beyond that, it's back to basics -- is the shift cable properly adjusted? What's the fluid doing?

The shift cable might be a little bit out, e.g. its hard to get it in to park. But even by slowly moving it from one extension to the other, besides P, its always wanting to drive and there is no thuds etc, if it wasn't for P you wouldn't even think the cable was connected at all.

I'd go have a look but at the moment the car isn't with me, wont be able to look at it until Saturday.

The replacement transmission was sold to me as in good working condition, with 193,000kms (120,000 miles). Being second hand you never really know what you're going to get but if reverse was broken they would have said something. It is certainly still a possibility though.

Irony of this is, the transmission that was in it previously worked only in reverse, it'd done 155,000 miles and coolant getting in to the ATF gave it an early death.

I'm doing my best to avoid a transmission rebuild, as the cars value is approximately equal to the price of the rebuild I was quoted, so really just want to get her going again until I can upgrade to a 540i or similar.

Good to know R isn't electrically controlled. I had heard word of a solenoid in the later transmissions that prevented engagement of reverse, and wondered if it was related to my issue. But then its not just the fact it wont engage reverse, its also the fact it wont disengage drive!

Car hasn't been driven very far at all, and I haven't checked the ATF (just taken the mechanics word), would driving it maybe clear an air bubble or two? or is trying to drive it a bad idea?

Haven't got much to lose though I guess.

you can always put it in neutral and push it backwards.:lol:lol:lol

haha na I can't, N and D do the same thing! It's either Park or "Get out of the way!". I figure though if I shut the engine off I can move it around, if I get annoyed enough I'll take it to the wrecker. They offered me 750 for it.

See how it goes.