Shifter Service

The E36 shifter gets sloppy with age.  This is due to loose fitting bushings and also high heat in the transmission tunnel.  And just plain-old wear.  Some performance can be improved with delrin bushings.  I replaced every part in the assembly.  I had the driveshaft and the giubo out anyway so this mod was made easier.  You might as well do this work if you are doing the giubo. I followed the instructions here and here and they worked pretty well.  Although I didn't take a picture of the condition of the car as I found it, I swear the selector rod was mounted on the driver's side of the driveshaft tunnel when I got there.  That is incorrect.  The stock selector rod should be mounted on the passenger's side of the driveshaft tunnel and the small bend should be in the front.  I used Superlube grease on all connections that move.

Note that the new shifters and the new bearing (-281 part number) do not need the old yellow washers any more.  They have integrated flanges which make the old ones unnecessary.

4 yellow washers not required with the newest shift levers and shifter bearings.

Correct orientation of shifter selector rod: on passenger side of the driveshaft tunnel, with the bend at the front.

Transmission seal, 23121222677, need 1, $18.35r

Pin, 23411466134, need 1, $1.45r

Shifter cup, 25111220600, need 1, $14.85r

Rubber Boot, 25111221700, need 1, $36.35r

Carrier, 25111222015, need 1, $25.17r

Shifter, 25117527254, need 1, $104.83r

Bearing, 25117580281, need 1, $21.79r

Shifter Clip, 25117571899, need 2, $1.18r

Carrier bushings, ECS Tuning, $39.95r

Total cost of this mod = $265.10r

Total investment in vehicle to date = $3431.61