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My gear lever has a couple of inches travel when in gear and feels horrible, it also is easy to slip into reverse. It seems to spring back from left to right but not from right to left. Any ideas?

Spring clip has fallen pff

The spring clip below the gear stick is still there

theres one also on the gearbox

Hmmm I could do with a car tilter to have a look. I'm sure I have one somewhere. Lol

That just sounds like the bushes around the shifter need replacing. Mine was exactly the same.

The bushes around the shifter are new . I'm going to try the ball joint on the selector rod next and see if that improves things.

if you disconnect the connecting rod between the gear stick and the gear box you'll be able to find the source. Usually it's the connecting rod, later types have some kind of bushing material inside that wears out. Gearbox does happen but not to the extent that you have inches of travel as far as I've seen. If its the ball joint on the selector rod you should also have huge amounts a freeplay up and down as to where it should almost (or do) come out, not likely imo.

I'll be doing the full bush replacement in the near future & I also have a Z3 leaver to go in too.

My reverse detent is rather weak too like Problemchilds. I'm not sure if this is can be accessed externally or if it's a strip down job.

The box is also a bit reluctant to go into second while it's cold - it gets easier once it's fully warm.

I know the E30 boxes can't be used as they don't have the cable drive for the speedo but can one be raided for parts etc? My box now has 140k on it & it's bound to be getting tired.

Thanks for that! So it's the rod that goes into the gearbox that needs replacing or the rod between the bottom of the selector and the ball joint?
Cheers

I think it's the gearlever itself and the balljoint cup things. I had a Z3 shifter for the Baur but couldn't for the life of me figure out how to get the bushes/washers over the damn thing to fit it, so ended up sticking the one that came attached to the gearbox back in. If you figure it I will pay you to do mine!!

The other culprit could be the bush on the box itself, but I doubt it'd give as much wobble as this.

You rotate the white plastic bit and thebr it sorta pulls out

Jamie is your stick still floppy?

Watch your language!

Haha no idea what your talking about.