RE: Notchy shifts while cold **Rob

["Rob Levinson" <always_coca-cola@xxxxxxx>]

 "Wesleyan Hsu" <wes@domain.elided> wrote:
>Subject: Notchy shifts while cold
>
>I have to say that I just love this car ('95 325i)
>I do have one concern. I'm not sure if it's a problem. It may just
>be my lack of experience with manual transmissions.
>Lately when the car is cold and I try to shift into gear, the shifter feels
>rather "notchy" when switching between gears. The actual shift in gears
>happens fairly smoothly (well, as smoothly as my skills allow). After about
>5 or so minutes, the shifter slips into position much more smoothly. Does
>this sound like a problem? The car has about 4k miles left on the warranty
>(and then the extended warranty kicks in). I would rather not bring it in
>just to have them tell me there's nothing wrong.
>One friend has suggested using one of the Red Line products. He said he
>heard on the digest that it might help. Would converting to a BL/SS/ERK
help
>this as well?



        I had a similar problem in my '85 535i (which shares no transmission
parts with your 325i), especially second gear... on cold winter mornings, it
was impossible to get into second at all until the car had run about 1/4
mile.

        I changed the transmission fluid to synthetic ATF (yes, Automatic
Transmission Fluid).  It made a noticeable difference.  Second is still a
little stiff when dead-cold, but I can at least get it into that gear.

        I would suspect worn syncros as a possible source of the stiffness
in your car; the dealer might honor a warranty claim if you insist.

        A UUC Motorwerks BL/SS with ERK will not help this cold-stiffness
condition your transmission suffers from - but it would make shifting a
whole lot faster and more fun!

- - Rob Levinson
'85 535i Turbo, BL/SS Level 3, CCERK
'86 535i, BL/SS Level 2

www.shortshifter.com

------------------------------