Manual trans swap questions (Getrag)

[DanDombrowski]

I have a 93 525i with a blown 2nd gear in a Getrag tranny - what I believe is the S5D 250G based on the info I've read but have been unable to confirm except that the side of the transmission says "Getrag" and there was only one getrag tranny for the E34.

My question is this:

If I find a manual Getrag 5 spd from a similar car, like an E36 325/328 (I've even heard that my E46 uses the same gearbox), is there any difference in, say, the output shaft or mounting locations?

I obviously find a whole lot more manual gearboxes from 3 series cars than 5 series, which is why I'm asking.

Thanks guys!

[DanDombrowski]

One tiny correction -

There was only one getrag tranny for the M50 E34.

[ryan roopnarine]

www.car-part.com doesn't offer to search using interchangeable parts from a e36 for that particular item, so i would assume that something significant (bell housing? bolt pattern?) doesn't allow a straight drop in.

[bjl4776]

I have a S5D 250G out of a 95 325is for sale if you are interested. Im pretty sure they are the same tranny. The output flange is a three bolt flange, and I know it uses the same clutch. Check out real OEM for a part # reference

[DanDombrowski]

yeah, I'm pretty sure that will work.

I appreciate the offer, but I'm hesitant to buy one from so far away and put a good portion of the cost towards shipping the unit. I mean, if it would cost $150 more to get mine rebuilt locally than to buy a used one, but I have to pay $100 in shipping, I'd rather get it rebuilt.

Unfortunately, I cannot get anyone to give me a reasonable price on a local rebuild, yet. Then theres the whole issue where if the transmission I buy and have shipped is bad, I have to ship it back or just eat the cost and do the job all over again.

I'm not sure what I want to do, but I'll keep you in mind and appreciate the offer.

[tgrandahl]

I had the same problem and I just took car of it over the summer. I had a nightmare searching for a new tranny for a reasonable price, something i wasn’t expecting my father being an insurance adjuster and in bodywork for 25+yrs. I finally got an amazing deal for a 5sp on here for something like $450 shipped I think, jjdikm <<(my hero). He said it would fit a "1988-1995 525i or 325i with the m20 engine or m50" and with under 50K, it sounded perfect.

It pretty much was perfect but and bolted right up, after that I had to drill out the holes on the output flange. Then make a custom mounting bracket because the m50 is tilted and so were the mounting flanges. This tilt means a custom shift linkage too. If you want to keep your clutch slave your going to have to make an adapter as the mounting point is farther up. But some good news is the reverse sensor swaps fine.

It took be about three full days to get all this done but I was just trying whatever I had to go the trial and a lot of error route. I would say if I was to do it again it would probably take half that time. Either way I an very happy to have a tranny that doesn't whine shifts and syncs like new. The final problem I am having now is that it has slightly different ratios and now im looking to switch to a 4.10 diff. Its not at all a problem driving in fact im getting better gas mileage, but i miss my jumpy first and I don’t need the ability to do like 190 before redline.

Anyways if you end up going this route somehow I can throw you a few tips/pictures or advise avoiding it entirely if there’s an easier way. I wish I had the getrag model# on me, ill get it in a few days when i go on break and get my car in the air i have been meaning to look into it myself.

[DanDombrowski]

Wow, thanks for the info. I'll probably shoot you an email later on to talk about this, mostly how difficult the swap was and what tools I'll need that I'm missing.

I am curious though - It sounds to me as if you put the Getrag 200G transmission in place of the 250G. I've seen a lot of people that want to put an M50 engine + trans in an E30 and run it at the track, and they all had similar issues to work out that you did - for example, the twisting of the mounts.

I can't remember if the 200G and the 250Gs had different ratios in them or not. I like the ratios that are in my gearbox now, and I'll also be swapping in a 3.73 LSD in place of the 3.23 at the same time.

I'll send you an email when I get home from work and mabye you can send me some pics - I would very much appreciate that.

[tgrandahl]

Ok well i dug up a picture of my old transmission and its says:
4.1
225
220.0.0 225.94
GETRAG
I have been surfing around trying to find some way to decode this now and im not finding much on this one. Does anyone know a good database to find information on these transmissions?

[bjl4776]

The swap is relatively straight forward. The only specialty tools you need for a tranny are the torx E bolts. Im not positive what sizes, and a whole bunch of extentions, they are your friend. The E34 makes it a bit easier because you can get to the top two bolts from under the hood. On the E36 the engine is jammed against the firewall and makes this impossible. Other than that just the normal 10,13, 18mm.

[DanDombrowski]

Well, according to the folks over at bimmerforums, they're the same tranny. Some have different output flanges for the guibo, but they're easily swappable.

In my searches, I also found someone on the roadfly forums that claimed to have put a transmission from a 2.5L 1999 Z3 in an M50 E34, but noted that something with the shift linkage had to be swapped. I've been meaning to try to find his email and ask him what it was.

All in all, it appears that a transmission from an E36 will drop right in, so long as its a getrag and not a ZF, which would require replacement of the driveshaft. Well, time to continue looking for gearboxes....