DIY: Stay Genuine And Enjoy Shorter Shifts.

Guys,
I've ordered an E46 shifter and plastic bearing cup.
I'm sure it will be clear when doing the job, but ahead of that can someone just tell me whether the bearing cup that secures the shifter is removed from inside the car or underneath ?

Thanks

Originally Posted by john493

Guys,
I've ordered an E46 shifter and plastic bearing cup.
I'm sure it will be clear when doing the job, but ahead of that can someone just tell me whether the bearing cup that secures the shifter is removed from inside the car or underneath ?

Thanks

You remove it from inside the car. It was a little tricky for me. Someone mentioned using needle nose pliers to turn the bearing all the way (before you can pull it out). That was a great suggestion.

Originally Posted by e4Tsex

You remove it from inside the car. It was a little tricky for me. Someone mentioned using needle nose pliers to turn the bearing all the way (before you can pull it out). That was a great suggestion.

Thats exactly what you need to do.

Great -thanks guys - so the only thing I need to go underneath for is to remove the spring clip and release the shifter from the rod ?

Originally Posted by john493

Great -thanks guys - so the only thing I need to go underneath for is to remove the spring clip and release the shifter from the rod ?

Correct.

Remember, when you do so your old shifter will have 2 plastic washers in yellow color. Do not reuse them and do not use any at all.

The 545i shifter has those washers built in the shifter. If you use any other washer there, you wont be able to put the clip back on.

If anyone here is thinking of this, prices today from Milton Keynes BMW are:

Shifter £36
Bearing ring £5.49
Spring circlip .33p

With BMWCC 10% discount + VAT comes to £49.14p

They got these three parts in stock in 2 days.

I'll get them fitted this coming weekend.

Originally Posted by john493

Great -thanks guys - so the only thing I need to go underneath for is to remove the spring clip and release the shifter from the rod ?

If you are buying a new clip you can do everything from inside. Stick the shifter in reverse. Push off the old clip with a flat blade screwdriver. I tied a piece of string through the end of the new clip when installing, so I did not have to worry about dropping it.

I saw a DIY once, with pictures and everything, on how to do it all from inside the car, but heck if I can find it now.

I plan on doing this next week on my day off. I already ordered and received all the parts from Tischer. By the way, some SSKs come with grease for the bearing and nylon cup. Mine didn't. I've seen some say white lithium grease is what should be used. Is that okay?

I guess if I have to go under the car, I might as well remove the clutch delay valve too while I'm at it.

John

Did mine yesterday, well worth doing, it's taken most of the excess movement out when in gear too. The most difficult part of the job was pulling off the gear lever knob.
Changed the gearbox oil while I was under there too - £18 per litre from BMW, which is pretty extortionate but at least it doesn't need doing often. Although the gearbox capacity is supposed to be 1.1 litres, it was full to the level plug with 1 litre added.

Already removed the CDV a couple of weeks ago.

Originally Posted by john493

Guys,
I've ordered an E46 shifter and plastic bearing cup.
I'm sure it will be clear when doing the job, but ahead of that can someone just tell me whether the bearing cup that secures the shifter is removed from inside the car or underneath ?

Thanks

What was the effect of replacing the white cup and how was it to do? I cant really do a short shifter easily (XI), but would like to clean it up a bit.

Originally Posted by jgold47

What was the effect of replacing the white cup and how was it to do? I cant really do a short shifter easily (XI), but would like to clean it up a bit.

My cup was not worn really when I changed mine out, but the grease was a bit dry. So if you clean yours up and apply new grease it should make for a smoother action and slow possible wear.

ordered the 545i short shift lever and the bearing for my 2002 300ci with m package, then installed it.

now here is the funny thing....

after i took out the original shift lever from my car, i put it side by side with the 545i for comparison....
they are the f*cking same, the distance from the pivot ball up and down...so wtf?

im dead sure that my shift lever from my car is bone stock. anyone out there having the same outcome/result as i am?

my shift lever and bearing were still in good condition, but taking the stock shift lever out, i damaged my bearing by trying to turn it "counterclockwise" (inside the car), but should have been clockwise a 1/4 around then use a flat head popping the outside edges out then pull it upward to remove the shifter. the 545i shift lever is nothing different from my original one, height of the knob (uuc rk6a) and the throwing distance is still the same. EVERYTHING IS THE SAME!!! (i was hoping that the knob would sit lower, like the smg knob)

if anyone want the 545 or my original one, pm me then. i currently have the 545i shifter on the car now

attached is the pics of stock lever and the 545i lever (yes i checked the part number)

Originally Posted by mach3-30

ordered the 545i short shift lever and the bearing for my 2002 300ci with m package, then installed it.

now here is the funny thing....

after i took out the original shift lever from my car, i put it side by side with the 545i for comparison....
they are the f*cking same, the distance from the pivot ball up and down...so wtf?

im dead sure that my shift lever from my car is bone stock. anyone out there having the same outcome/result as i am?

my shift lever and bearing were still in good condition, but taking the stock shift lever out, i damaged my bearing by trying to turn it "counterclockwise" (inside the car), but should have been clockwise a 1/4 around then use a flat head popping the outside edges out then pull it upward to remove the shifter. the 545i shift lever is nothing different from my original one, height of the knob (uuc rk6a) and the throwing distance is still the same. EVERYTHING IS THE SAME!!! (i was hoping that the knob would sit lower, like the smg knob)

if anyone want the 545 or my original one, pm me then. i currently have the 545i shifter on the car now

attached is the pics of stock lever and the 545i lever (yes i checked the part number)

When you say "yes I checked the part numbers" what do they say?

Also looking from the pictures, one can CLEARLY see that they are NOT the same. They sure do look similar but not the same. You can clearly see that the distance is a little bit longer but not by much.

No one should expect a day and night change like you would expect from a supercharger.

well...its from the angle of the phone camera, the original one from my car is closer to the camera, so that is why it "looks" like the original one is longer than the 545i. if i measure it, it would be like the same length from the pivot. or not exact, then i can guarantee that it will be no more or less than 1mm difference!

i checked the part number like the part number from your very first post (25117546373), and it is the same part number. so i was hoping that it would be shorter than the one that i currently have, if not an inch different then maybe a 1/4 of an inch then i would be happy. and yes, 1/4 of an inch or 1 in would look a day and a night different, especially with the knob that i have on now.

im posting this up not saying that you are wrong or posting up wrong info, but im posting this up so that hopefully other members out there might be aware of this if maybe their car might be similar to mine.

330 stock lever is the same as BMW Performance Short Shift lever, they do have same part number, so this is short enough as this can be,
lower part has almost maximum possible length otherwise it will touch driveshaft . Pictured 25 11 1 434 113 (mach3-30 stock) was replaced
by 25 11 7 527 257, this is 100% BMW Performance lever part number. Maybe 545i lever has slightly longer lower part, but you can't feel this on 330.

But another situation about 320/323/325 (not sure about 328), here is comparison between 320/323/325 stock lever with 330/performance lever (new one),
so you will have significant shorter lever movement. So you may choose to put 545i or 330/performance lever, result 99% will be the same. Just FYI.





I've recently installed 330 lever to 320 (read 323/325) and got much shorter gear change, here you can find video if interested
http://e46club.ru/forumvb/viewtopic....942366#p942366

This post about 5-speed transmission, 6-speed has another part numbers.

dallas, look at your original one, the distance from the pivot point (plastic ball) to the selector rod is so much less than the 330. but i posted the 330 vs the 545i, the distance is exactly the same (the picture doesnt do any jusitication because of the angle it was taken)

so my case....330 with performance package and 545i short shift lever.... 99.9% the same

mach3-30, I not arguing and I completely understood your previous post, you're right in this case,
my picture just to show this difference. Unfortunately you can't feel much performance,
but 320/323/325 owner definitely will, with any of shifters -- 330 or 545i.
Maybe 545i slightly shorter, but I think these are comparable.
Anyway if you installed I guess now you have more accurate and tight shifting that before with used one

all my posts on the e46 forum are not to argue, but just to put out info that i have learned from my first hand experience to share with everyone.
cheers to all!

Originally Posted by mach3-30

all my posts on the e46 forum are not to argue, but just to put out info that i have learned from my first hand experience to share with everyone.
cheers to all!

I'm not arguing with you and I appreciate the info. I thought when you said "yes I checked the part numbers" you meant that both shifters had the same part number. Thats why I replied.

Anyway keep the good info flowing.

I have a few more exiting DIYs coming, so stay tuned.

Originally Posted by xixixi

to put the xi myth to rest. it does fit it will fit anyone that wants to argue this is an idiot the levers are the same the install is different. just like turner motor sports said SS headers don't fit xi's... i called SS and they said they do fit. after 12 hours they were on my car. If you don't drive an XI don't spew trash that you have no proof of. You are only repeating the same trash the last guy with the same disease he had it will fit it will fit it will fit it will fit xi's i don't care about "mark" or this diagram or that diagram. how many ssk has "mark" installed on an xi??? how many ssk have you installed on an xi??? Speak from first hand or **** too much he said she said bullsh!t.

How is it different to install it on an XI? I would like to give it a try! Would it be too hard for a novicer?