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View Full Version : Shift Linkage Woes on Z3 transmission



USAF EP3
07-12-2011, 03:22 PM
I was driving my wife to the doctor's office today and had an issue with the shift linkage. As I was approaching the parking lot in 2nd gear I made a left turn. When I pulled into the lot I put the gearbox back into neutral.

After coasting for a few seconds, I wanted to pull into a spot I tried to put the car into 1st and nothing.

I tried putting it into any of the other 6 gears and there was a SHIT TON of play in the shifter, it felt as if someone cut both shifter cables. This was my immediate thought, but upon closer inspection, both cables were still holding tension on the linkage and the shifter assembly but the actual shifter arm itself had tremendous play.

I reached down to the shifter arm and tried to put the transmission into gear by hand, it felt extremely loose and again, a lot of play with tension only coming from the shifter cables.

Now, the transmission I'm using is a from a 2008 CSX-S which is the Z3 tranny. The previous owner I bought it from swapped the shift linkage from an RSX-S to use in an EP3.

When I get home I'll make a video of how the shifter arm is acting.

At the time it happened, there was no grinding, difficulty with clutch, nothing that was gradually different whatsoever. It literally went from normal to bust as I explained above.

Since there was no noise or indication that something broke, the only guess I got is something came undone/loose. When I get a chance I'm going to have to pull the assembly out of the tranny and figure out what the hell went amiss.

As of right now, car has been towed home and turns over and on just fine, no tranny noise or anything, just stays stuck in neutral and can't go into gear.

Ba82Ep3
07-12-2011, 03:34 PM
Sounds like a shift fork failure, where they all come together. I can send ya pix of how it all goes together if it will help you get a mental idea...

USAF EP3
07-12-2011, 06:52 PM
That would be phenomenal if you could do that. I'm busting out the service manual now to find some answers.

I'll be uploading the video shortly.

USAF EP3
07-12-2011, 07:40 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbOOKfQUP4o

Disregard the wires, that's just for my dakota speedometer box. I know it's a bit sloppy but it works.

Also, when I said "that's good" near the end of the vid, it was meant to let him know he didnt need to keep moving the shifter.

Any opinions before I tear into it this weekend?

Ba82Ep3
07-12-2011, 08:35 PM
Gotcha... ill get some pix up for ya...

Ba82Ep3
07-12-2011, 10:49 PM
Kevin, i read through that thread again. Let me know how it goes. Hopefully you wont have to crack the tranny open. If you do LMK... Tampa aint THAT far from me if you need help...

USAF EP3
07-13-2011, 08:19 AM
Lol if you come over to help then does that mean you won't charge me shipping for my purchase? :mangel:

EDIT: LOL I just google'd your zip and noticed it's AL. I used to be stationed in Biloxi, damn man if only I owned an EP3 3 years ago lol. You're like a good 8-10 hours away depending on your speed. I'm 5 mins from an I-75 exit!

Ba82Ep3
07-13-2011, 08:29 AM
Sheeeit... I've made it to Orlando in less time than that. Haha!