New to Bimmernut - need parts help for 4hp22 transmission

[Syleng1]

Hello and I am new and want to thank you for accepting me to the group.

I am looking to replace the transmission pan aluminum clamps and bolts on my 1991 E-32 735i with a ZF 4hp22 Auto. mine are denigrating and turning to dust / split. I am new to BMW and I have always liked BMW's but this is my first. I bought this car as a toy and I am running into a few issues. I am 20 year GM mechanic and some of the systems have me baffled. I bought the Bentley manual (4" thick Bible) for this car and it helps a lot. It is better than the Haynes manuals for American cars for sure.

Any help on finding those parts would be good as I need to replace the leaking trans pan and my current spacers are turning to powder and are kinda worthless. My local dealer is too far away and wont mail the parts even if I pay by C/C a head of time. I see shoguns listing on all the help ariticals he has written. That is amazing. I want to drop the pan and clean / rebuild the valve body and watched the video that lead me to join here.

This car has the dreaded transmission locked in 3rd / reverse and transmission program dash indicator. I pined out all the electrical and it all looks good, the trans program only comes on if the car is cold. If left idling for about an hour with the heat on the car runs and shifts great. I was going to pull the trans out and open it up but with out replacement parts; I cannot as it will be stuck where it sits at that point. Being it works when warm interior my head goes to the transmission computer is bad, an electric switch is worn and touches when hot or has a broken board / soldier joints somewhere. I tried to drain the fluid and change the filter (i.e. thicker / dirty fluid cannot flow right) but the bad pan clamps and bolts wont allow me to take it apart with out replacement parts first. Murphy's law.

Also, my speedometer sometimes cuts out. Research says check the rear axle sensor for a bad pigtail. I did and it is a ball of corrosion. The factory style speed sensor is $135.00 but the one piece unit offered by a lot of part stores that has the electrical connector molded in at about $39.00 (I think it is actually for a newer 3/5 series) I am just not sure if the factory wiring will reach the rear end if I go this route. I don't want to cut and splice in more wire to reach. Anyone use the one piece vs the pigtail style?

Thank you for the help in advance.
Joe
Syleng1

[Javier]

You can write Patrick Patrick@bmaparts.com at BMA parts in California for these part numbers:

12	Bracket		4			24111218679
13	Bracket		2			24111217129
14	Hex bolt with washer	M6X37	6			24111217130

I have always got premium service from him, he'll quote you shipped to wherever you are.

Javier

[Javier]

This web site is great to have part numbers on BMW's http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/select

[Syleng1]

Well,
Here is an update on my situation. I used my Bentley manual and realized I was having a tough time with it because I was trained on GM service manuals. I took the time to retrain myself to the layout and how the manual actual works and it is a great tool. I recommend anyone with a BMW buying the correct one for your car.
Anyhow, I bought the correct parts (bolts and aluminum pan holders) from the dealer and jacked the car up about 2 feet on truck jack stands since I do not have a lift in my welding shop. 1/2 the bolts broke removing the pan as expected off in the aluminum housing as the bolts were just corroded and nasty. The other half of the bolts were still good, but I threw them out just incase. After I dropped the pan I carefully and slowly drilling by hand the holes out and retaping them back to the factory size I inspected the pan and found nothing but a slight bit of normal wear stuff on the magnets -phew I was lucky. No fiber material or bearing material. The transmission I expected was ok. As a matter of fact the wiring harness looked brand new and I was able to test all the solenoids and speed sensor and the ohm readings were within spec for the air temp. I installed a new pan filter and gasket and buttoned it up. Refilled with fluid and as soon as I started the car the "Trans program" came back on and it was stuck in 3rd gear.

I looked in the manual and went sensor by sensor down the inputs and outputs of the transmission computer. I did every check as the book suggested and found the terminals dirty with a white corrosion on the Throttle position sensor. I had 5.0vdc where it needed to be and my ohm check was good for idle and WOT. I cleaned the terminal, readjusted the sensor for idle (just in case) and lubricated the pins with die-electric grease and plugged it in. I tested the car and she runs like a dream. I've put over 150miles on the car in a few days and not one issues.... except my speedometer is acting . That's next weekend.

Thanks for the help.
Joe

[shogun]

Thanks for the detailed feedback, Joe. Better use stuff like stabilant electrical contact enhancer or similar products which BMW recommends to use and I could already solve some contact problems with that, including the aux fan relays and contacts. I used such contact enhancer and the system worked again.

Stabilant 22A Electrical Contact Enhancer Model: All BMW
Complaint:
Connectors which carry low current are more likely to form deposits which affect the resistance of the circuit through the plug connector. Depending upon the particular circuit these deposits can cause malfunctions and consequently activate warning lamps and check control indicators.
Remedy:
Part replacement can temporarily stop the problem.
If the connector is the problem then without disconnecting the connector measure the resistance of the circuit running through the connector to make sure the connector has a high resistance. A good resistor will have close to 0 ohms resistance.
Visually examine the male and female terminals in the connector housing by removing them. Look at the integrity of the wire crimps, and in some male terminals the integrity of the weld of the male pin to the terminal. Then reinstall.
With a zero residue electrical contact cleaner liberally spray the male and female connectors, and allow the air to dry.
Apply Stabilant 22A to both male and female terminals so they are saturated, and reconnect the connectors while they are still wet. When the Stabilant 22A dries it will leave a thin coating of polymer film which is conductive between mating surfaces, and is non-conductive between adjacent pins. It can also prevent the formation of more harmful deposits.


This helps when it comes to transmissions http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Troubl...ch%20Guide.pdf
Besides the Bentley you can also use the workshop manual https://www.bmwtechinfo.com/repair/main/

Some more links to shops which ship worldwide, as I do not know where you live:
http://www.autohausaz.com/
https://www.fcpeuro.com/
http://www.pelicanparts.com/
http://www.rockauto.com/

Speedometer: see here http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Mainte...eed_sensor.htm
More repair tips here for the E32 http://www.e38.org/e32/

[Syleng1]

Thanks for the detailed feedback, Joe. Better use stuff like stabilant electrical contact enhancer or similar products which BMW recommends to use and I could already solve some contact problems with that, including the aux fan relays and contacts. I used such contact enhancer and the system worked again.

Stabilant 22A Electrical Contact Enhancer Model: All BMW
Complaint:
Connectors which carry low current are more likely to form deposits which affect the resistance of the circuit through the plug connector. Depending upon the particular circuit these deposits can cause malfunctions and consequently activate warning lamps and check control indicators.
Remedy:
Part replacement can temporarily stop the problem.
If the connector is the problem then without disconnecting the connector measure the resistance of the circuit running through the connector to make sure the connector has a high resistance. A good resistor will have close to 0 ohms resistance.
Visually examine the male and female terminals in the connector housing by removing them. Look at the integrity of the wire crimps, and in some male terminals the integrity of the weld of the male pin to the terminal. Then reinstall.
With a zero residue electrical contact cleaner liberally spray the male and female connectors, and allow the air to dry.
Apply Stabilant 22A to both male and female terminals so they are saturated, and reconnect the connectors while they are still wet. When the Stabilant 22A dries it will leave a thin coating of polymer film which is conductive between mating surfaces, and is non-conductive between adjacent pins. It can also prevent the formation of more harmful deposits.


This helps when it comes to transmissions http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Troubl...ch%20Guide.pdf
Besides the Bentley you can also use the workshop manual https://www.bmwtechinfo.com/repair/main/

Some more links to shops which ship worldwide, as I do not know where you live:
http://www.autohausaz.com/
https://www.fcpeuro.com/
http://www.pelicanparts.com/
http://www.rockauto.com/

Speedometer: see here http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Mainte...eed_sensor.htm
More repair tips here for the E32 http://www.e38.org/e32/

THANK YOU for the helpful suggestions. I will pick some up locally on Monday. The car has had over 300 miles put on it in 4 days. Runs great. Now my next delima is the fuel tank started to leak...ugh! do these cars ever stop being so needy. I just repaired the drs door electric lock for a broken bracket holding the solenoid, I smelt gas on start up and replaced the leaking fuel cap... The new cap seals so good the pressure built up and blew out the rust sealing the tank. I cannot find a tank any where new. Any help? Im actually going to move this to a different thread.
Thanks,
Joe

[shogun]

First of all check where it leaks, might be also old fuel hoses under the cover in the wheel housing rear right side, see the drawings on www.realoem.com
Also check on realoem with your VIN the tank size your car has. I never had a problem with tank corrosion and also my wrenching buddies not, but we live in Japan in a mild climate.
I do not know in which country/state you live, but for a starter check here http://car-part.com/ you can select by areas, zip code etc.for used car parts

Basically there should be no pressure inside the tank, there is a tank breather system and there is a breather valve inside the engine bay.