DIY: Stay Genuine And Enjoy Shorter Shifts.

Originally Posted by dallas320i

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 .

I have a 2003 330i 5 speed and was going to do this. After reading everything I get the impression that the 545i shift lever will make no difference on a 330i?

I think I'm going to change the bushings anyway to try and cure the woolliness when changing gear.

Thanks Blocked Out, just did this mod this morning. Very happy with the results. Not that hard, just the cup was HUGE pain in the ass to remove.

a nice pdf file DIY guide! it says 2006 and up BMW 3 Series 6 Spd. (E90) but works for other e46!

http://bmracing.com/wp-bnmcont/uploads/45123.pdf

I got my E60 shifter, pivot cup, rear carrier bushing, UUC delrin front carrier bushings, and DSSR a month ago but haven't had time to install them. I looked underneath when I was installing my UUC FCABs, and it looks like I'll be able to install the shifter stuff without dropping anything.

Originally Posted by I8UrCat

I got my E60 shifter, pivot cup, rear carrier bushing, UUC delrin front carrier bushings, and DSSR a month ago but haven't had time to install them. I looked underneath when I was installing my UUC FCABs, and it looks like I'll be able to install the shifter stuff without dropping anything.

yah..i looked through several forums and DIY posts...seems pretty straight fwd to me. another link below to get a better idea:

http://www.bimmerforums.co.uk/forum/...ci-e46-t60236/

Can't wait to get mine..ordered from local BMW dealer!

Originally Posted by moiz21

Thanks Blocked Out, just did this mod this morning. Very happy with the results. Not that hard, just the cup was HUGE pain in the ass to remove.

Where did you get your AE's installed? i saw those 60 SMD LED kit on ebay...but need someone to install em for me. i'm in Fairfax, VA

got mine...lets see how it goes!

Glad that people are still finding this helpful.

Any questions , just ask. Im glad to help anyone

^I am thinking buying the E60 545i shifter for my 2003 325i. I have a five speed with the great Tan interior. What could i expect from installing this shifter and the throws and such.

How long would it take for a shop to install this shifter http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-325...ter/ES2538371/

Wow,i didnt know ecs is now offering this e60 shifter as a kit.... Good for them.
You should expect shorter throws and improved shifting with the addition of zhp knob. Dont expect majic tricks or space rocket effect from the shifter .
You can install this in less then 40 minutes,a shop will do it in 20 .
Good luck

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Originally Posted by ZHPinthe103

^I am thinking buying the E60 545i shifter for my 2003 325i. I have a five speed with the great Tan interior. What could i expect from installing this shifter and the throws and such.

How long would it take for a shop to install this shifter http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-325...ter/ES2538371/

yah...30-40 mins max..if you follow the instructions properly. i got my E60 shifter directly from BMW costed me $61 and that Clip is $1 the plastic bushing was $10 and got a used ZHP knob for $10 .. lol ..plus there was a promotion going on so got that shifter for $51..so ended up spending about half, i bet if you do the same from you local BMW it will cost you about the same or less and you get it locally!

part numbers are on the beginning of this thread!!

I might switch from my 330d shifter to the 545 shifter. Dimensions are pretty damn close, but 545i looks like it'll have slightly shorter throws. Its bend also more closely matches the M3's stock shifter, so it will hopefully have a better neutral position

Originally Posted by TerraPhantm

I might switch from my 330d shifter to the 545 shifter. Dimensions are pretty damn close, but 545i looks like it'll have slightly shorter throws. Its bend also more closely matches the M3's stock shifter, so it will hopefully have a better neutral position

I have seen people switch to 330d shifter coz it's short, but i guess 545i shifter is very much a performance upgrade for the E46's. give it a shot with just the lever..ain't that expensive!

Originally Posted by xenopherous

I have seen people switch to 330d shifter coz it's short, but i guess 545i shifter is very much a performance upgrade for the E46's. give it a shot with just the lever..ain't that expensive!

Well to be completely honest I am pretty happy with my 330d shifter. Throws are about the perfect length, it has a very solid feel to it, it doesn't require a tremendous amount of effort, and perhaps most importantly, it reduced my shifter slop significantly. But the lever does sit a bit off center; it is kinda shifted rightward. If the 545 shifter can get the neutral position to be roughly centered again, I might just buy the lever (though I don't really want to deal with that circlip again lol)


Based on the link below, the 545 shifter should be slightly shorter than the 330d. And at least one poster says it sits in a more neutral position. So maybe l'll do it

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=364667

Does anyone know how the "545" shifter compared with the e60 lci and e60 m5 shifters?

I'm seriously thinking about getting this shifter for my 2001 330ci but don't want to get it if its the same exact length. I saw in a previous post that they are the same shifter as the 330, but I find that has to believe in my case because the throw are really long on my shifter. Maybe they changed the shifter on later models?

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Really nice DIY.
But judging by the videos OP posted on the third page, there still seems to be too much play while in gear, for my taste.

Anyone have any recommendations for a shift kit that has no play in gear?
The stock one has so much play it bothers me (and pretty much everyone else around me that drives a sports car that isn't the e46 M).

Originally Posted by PH03NIX46

Really nice DIY.
But judging by the videos OP posted on the third page, there still seems to be too much play while in gear, for my taste.

Anyone have any recommendations for a shift kit that has no play in gear?
The stock one has so much play it bothers me (and pretty much everyone else around me that drives a sports car that isn't the e46 M).

The shift play has to do more with your shift linkage bushes and the con rod ball bush. The shifter lever and the plastic cup are only responsible for about 20% of the "play in gear". Rear through the thread, many people have posted links with part numbers to the bushes im talking about.

Replace ALL your shifter bushes if you want to reduce play. But remember, even a new BMW will have some play so dont expect a gator like shifter. If you want absolutely no play , you'd have to get new (aftermarket) shifter linkage , urethane or derlin bushes and a solid shifter lever. OEM BMW shifter levers are not solid, they're made from 2 pieces attached together with rubberized material . When you buy a new OEM lever you can make the top end go side ti side while the bottom is stationary due to the play in the shifter itself.

Has anyone done this on an xi yet?

Originally Posted by PH03NIX46

Really nice DIY.
But judging by the videos OP posted on the third page, there still seems to be too much play while in gear, for my taste.

Anyone have any recommendations for a shift kit that has no play in gear?
The stock one has so much play it bothers me (and pretty much everyone else around me that drives a sports car that isn't the e46 M).

Autosolutions' ultimate SSK or something similar will be the only way to eliminate the play. I felt the 330d lever and new shift cup bushing helped reduce it to an acceptable amount. I would say it's about 10mm lateral play with a ZHP knob

Originally Posted by e46alfonso

Has anyone done this on an xi yet?

Yes,over the past 12 years that xi models ve around I bet over a million people ve done it.

What makes you think that xi is any different in this application???


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