E34 540I Auto Gearbox Problem

[yelgdip]

Hi Hope someone on here can help me with a problem with my E34 540i. In Jan 2012 I replaced my 5hp30 gearbox (149k) with a matched replacement (101k, £699) which I know was good cos I drove the donor car 200 miles home to part it out with NO problems. At the same time I replaced filter with BMW genuine replacement and full refill with ATF exceeding lifetime 5 specification, the car now drives beautifully except for this problem. When I drive the car it changes perfectly apart from when the box gets up to temperature the gear selector seizes in 'D' and will not move unless I give it about two hours. Now I have spoken to my local 'stealer', BMW GB, ZF both in UK and Germany as well as three auto gearbox 'specialists' all of whom gave me different answers except from telling me to spend £3k+ putting a new gearbox in as mine is shot, apparently. The answers has ranged from wrong fluid (though i am using ATF better than BMW recommend themselves) to my manual selector valve is absorbing the oil and swelling up when hot and seizing in the valve body! After exhaustive personal research I think its that I need to get my EGS 'wear ' adaptions reset as this compensates for gearbox age and mileage by adjusting the internal pressures to keep the changes smooth and my old box was 149k old and was shot (as i stripped it after to find out, yeuch!!) and the new has only done 101k and was perfect (the fluid that came out was still gold and the magnet clean. So I think my EGS is still operating the box as if its the old and shot one thus overpressurizing the valve body/ gearbox and thus causing the manual selector to lock and be imovable until pressure bleeds down as box cools. The only real evidence i have of this is the numerous stories of others who have changed these boxes only for them to blow a reverse ball valve or seals/ clutch pack. No one i have spoken to will either entertain my theory or are willing to do my EGS hard reset except for the 'stealers' who will do it for £150+ 1 hr labour+ VAT about £300 all in to plug in a laptop and press the reset button, I think not:( So if anyone has had this problem/ knows of someone who has and/or knows how to rectify it, please post here or link me to someone who can help me as my car is sat on my drive looking miserable and neglected and i miss it ("£%*&^$$ micra :) ) cheers in advance yelgdip 1996 e34 540i m5 suspension/brakes/trim and LSD in Sorrento Blue

[yelgdip]

Hi just wanted to add, why is it I cannot find a SINGLE auto gearbox 'specialist' who has any idea what my problem is, I would of thought that someone would have heard of this problem rather than coming out with such crap as a rusty selector rod sticking in the casing or selector absorbing oil ,not even ZF themselves have any ideas, please can anyone come up with any sensible ideas/theories, yelgdip

[Dongiov]

Hi,

The following is based on the presumption that the 5HP30 control valve assembly is similar to the 5HP18 gearbox. If it is, then I know what your problem is as the same happened to my 5HP18 gearbox while luckily it was at the gearbox reconditioners.

There is a long plastic shift valve in the control valve assembly that sticks when it is (a) worn and ( b ) the gearbox is hot. It needs replacing and to do that, you have to drop the front bottom part of the valve body off.

Easiest thing is to contact the gearbox reconditioner I used. He is John Rawle, he is based in Redditch, give him a call on 01564829740 in the New Year.

Geoff

[IanIOM]

There is a long plastic shift valve in the control valve assembly that sticks when it is (a) worn and ( b ) the gearbox is hot. It needs replacing and to do that, you have to drop the front bottom part of the valve body off.

110% agreed