2003 E46 Auto Transmission removal question

[bazar01]

Procedure taken from the BMW Service Manual
1. Remove engine driven cooling fan - Is this necessary?
2. Remove housing for interior ventilation microfilter - Is this necessary?
3. Remove heater bulkhead cover - Is this necessary?
4. Install engine support across engine bay - can I get by without this support?
5. remove front suspension reinforcement at lower control arms - I do not see people mention doing this.
6. Attach BMW special tool 11 8 022 to lower control arms - Is this necessary?
7. Remove transmission mount
8. Lower transmission until engine head touches firewall
9. Remove access plug in cover plate on right side of engine and remove torque converter bolts. turn crankshaft to access TC bolts.
10. Remove bellhousing bolts
11. Install BMW special tool 24 4 131 and 24 4 135 to secure torque converter in place during transmission removal. - what does this tool look like? I want to make one.

Thanks.

Pictures:

[bmwdirtracer]

1) You don't HAVE to remove the fan; you can break the fan shroud instead., when you lower the tailshaft of the trans. It's one 32mm nut, takes 30 seconds.
2) You remove the microfilter housing to access the heater bulkhead cover, which gives you a bunch more room to lower the tailshaft before the cylinder head hits something. It's 4 torx 30 screws, takes less than a minute.
3) See #2. Three 7 or 8mm head screws, takes about one minute.
4) Yes, you can do without this support - you'll want a wooden block on your under-car jack, to protect the front of the oil pan, while you raise the front of the engine, to lower the trans tailshaft.
5) Get yourself some room to work; half a dozen 16mm bolts, takes about one minute, with an impact wrench
6) No idea what tool that is, certainly, I've never used it, but unbolt the control arm mounts, and swing them out of the way, for better access. Takes one minute.
7) Yes.
8) Here's where you'll want to jack up the front of the engine using the wood block, to lower the rear of the trans, to access the bellhousing bolts.
9) When you go to put these bolts back in: make damned sure you don't drop them into the bellhousing - and - don't tighten them until after all of them are installed.
10) The bolt at 2 o'clock, from the rearview, is a bitch to get to. Make damned sure you hammer the E-torx socket onto the bolts, before hitting them with an impact gun. If you strip the bolthead, you're truly fkd. You'll want a 3 foot long half-drive extension, and a set of e-torx sockets. Personally, I wouldn't do this job without a lift and an impact gun.
11) If you had the trans and torque convertor in front of you, you could make the tool. You don't , so forget it. If the convertor isn't kept firmly pushed onto the trans, it will leak fluid -- AND, you will not be able to reinstall the trans until you relocate the torque convertor FULLY in it's lugs. I repeat: unless you're absolutely sure the torque convertor is fully located backwards on its lugs, don't try to reinstall the trans, or you will break the pump. Experience is crucial here. I've never used that tool, except if shipping the transmission.

11.5) Disconnect the battery before beginning, unless you like huge showers of sparks when the unsecured starter hits something metal.
12) Thoroughly sand, clean and lube the starter dowel, and the hole it fits into on the trans, before reinstall.

[bazar01]

I appreciate the reply. You are the best !
I have a MAXJAX in my garage so that really helps a lot.
I got the car on the lift and just about removed the exhaust and drive shaft. I was just not sure if I need the extra room on the front to drop the tailshaft.
So I still need to support the oil pan from dropping too low?
IMG_4336-1.jpgIMG_4338-1.jpg

[02325]

remember when you remove the trans mount and the trans tail comes down the only thing holding the eng is the motor mounts. THEY ARE OILED filled so they will give and even break if flexed too much.

I have removed several E46 trans and have never used the lower control support special tool.

ALSO before going back with the trans, make damn sure the convertor is fully seated, if not the trans wont pull right up to the engine. if you use the bolt to fully seat it and crank the eng, you will DESTROY the trans front pump.

good luck and have fun. Usually takes right at 2 hrs to remove. WHEN BMW had the TSB to replace the trans for slow to engage I could do 2 in 1 day.

[bmwdirtracer]

You're not supporting the oil pan from dropping too low - you're jacking it up, to lower the tailshaft.

So, 02325, what does that lower control arm support actually do, and why? I've never even seen the damned thing, removed a bunch of trannies myself.....why would I want to support the control arms, they're not going anywhere?

[bazar01]

I have removed several E46 trans and have never used the lower control support special tool.

So how do you keep the engine from dropping too low to avoid damaging the engine mounts without the special tool?

I can make this support using all thread and a unistrut.

- - - Updated - - -

You're not supporting the oil pan from dropping too low - you're jacking it up, to lower the tailshaft.

Hey dirtracer isn't it that when you unbolt the tranny mount the engine will drop down towards the tranny end so the tool will support it from underneath the oil pan.

- - - Updated - - -

I have not pulled the transmisison yet. I am fabricating a wooden dolly to support and raise my ATV jack so it will reach the auto tranny.
I also found an image of the TC clamping tool 24040131 and 135 and hope to make one out of a C-clamp and some flat bar stock.

Here is the TC clamping tool:
TC clamp.jpg

[02325]

I have never seen that tool. I have seen it referenced in a few repair instructions. I figured it is so the eng wont swing down too far and mess the mtr mounts up.

I have always been careful when removing the trans and let the eng "balance" (in a way) itself on the eng mounts.

[bazar01]

I have never seen that tool. I have seen it referenced in a few repair instructions. I figured it is so the eng wont swing down too far and mess the mtr mounts up.

I have always been careful when removing the trans and let the eng "balance" (in a way) itself on the eng mounts.

If I let the engine hang, I think it will hit the firewall first before the oil pan hits the cross member. I will try to make something to hold the engine up so I don't break anything more than what needs to be replaced. I cannot afford another expense on mtr mounts. This TC replacement is getting expensive.

[bazar01]

Got the 9 bell housing bolts loosen and removed the top 4 x E12 and E14 torx head boltand my son will drop the tranny and replace the TC.
There were only 9 bolts vs 11 in the shop manual.

Bellhousing bolts.jpg

[bmwdirtracer]

Lifting the front of the engine, by jacking under the front of the oilpan with a wood block, is useful because when you remove the trans,the rear of the motor wants to go back upwards a fair bit, putting a lot of tension in the removal process. It's also impossible to reinstall the trans before making the engine drop down again in the rear -- meaning the front has to go upwards.

[bazar01]

Lifting the front of the engine, by jacking under the front of the oilpan with a wood block, is useful because when you remove the trans,the rear of the motor wants to go back upwards a fair bit, putting a lot of tension in the removal process. It's also impossible to reinstall the trans before making the engine drop down again in the rear -- meaning the front has to go upwards.

Oh I see. Once the tranny is out, are you saying the rear of the engine will go up instead of drop down because the motor mount is further back? Right now, I am supporting the rear oil pan because I was thinking the rear of the motor will drop once the tranny is out. Good to know. I will move my support to the front to jack the front of the motor up.

[bmwdirtracer]

Also recomend you undo the top motor mount nuts. It MAY just help prevent overstretching old engine mounts; can't promse this, but I've always made a habit of doing so.Personally, I've never supported the rear of the oil pan in any way, maybe I'm bad, hope someone will tell me, if so. Haven't had a problem, knock on wood....

[bazar01]

Looking at the motor mount location, I agree that the engine is front heavy and I will have to support the front oil pan once the tranny is out. I borrowed a hydraulic lift table and I will use this to support the tranny while the ATV jack I have to support the front oil pan so I can drop the rear of the engine when I put the tranny back in.
In the meantime, we pulled the starter to get it serviced.
Also replaced the steering shaft and flex joint coupling to remove steering wheel play.
1. Remove the lower and upper torx bolts E10
2. Pull out the lower flex joint coupling
3. Push the flex joint coupling off the rack and pinion input shaft until it's off the shaft
4. Pull the steering shaft upper u-joint off the steering column output shaft. You may need to hold the output shaft while pulling the u-joint.
5. Note: The steering column output shaft is splined and also telescopic. The upper u-joint has a keyed slot for alignment as shown in the last pic to preserve the steering alignment..

Starter2.jpgSteering column shaft2.jpgSteering shaft and coupling2.jpgSteering shaft upper end2.jpg

[bazar01]

Worked for one hour today to attempt tranny removal. Tranny is out!

Set up.
Lift set up-1.jpg

Tranny separated
Tranny off 1-1.jpg

Torque Converter reference position
TC position 1-1.jpg

Installation will be this weekend.

[Cacique]

I am about to remove the trany on my 530i to replace the TC as well.
Did you take any pics of the removal process of the TC???
any tips on the removal/installation
Thanks

[myo2]

hi im new, where can i search for transmission code fault 4 and 5

[bmwdirtracer]

Welcome to the forum.

I'd have to wonder what you're reading codes with? BMW codes have a lot more numbers and letters than "4" or "5". If you're good with computers, you can set up "INPA", an excellent BMW diagnostic software, on a laptop, for the price of a plug which converts your underdash OBD2 plug to some sort of plug that fits a laptop. A good BMW specific scan tool will read in WORDS, not just numbers.

(One of our other guys will help you with that....I use expensive pro tools which really don't do too much better of a job.)

You should really just start your own thread....click on "Thread Starter" or "New Thread" at the top of this forum.