2nd gear grinding

Waldorf · 06-17-2007, 11:24 AM

aright, here are some thoughts after a few spirited rides

when i shift i always hit the floor with the clutch but now i adapted my technique to not lift my foot until i feel the next gear fully in.

I never had a problem when down shifting from 3rd. i only use rev-matching when down shifting and always have in my 24 years of manual driving experience (bikes and cars)

the 2nd grinding only happens above 5000 rpm and only 10% of the time. it really seem like a synchro malfunction in its early stage but the demo roadster did the same so i'm really affarid that it may be a weak point of this transmission.

next week, the car is going in for the first oil change and a list of warranty issues so i will also take a sample of the transmission oil to have it analysed.

more to come ...

Dammmittt · 06-17-2007, 03:07 PM

ummmm...you're not supposed to rev it that high during the break in period anyway.

155MPH · 06-18-2007, 07:35 PM

I am in no hurry to make my shifts too fast (4.9 second 0-60 times are not important to me). I have never had a grind 1st - 2nd or any other up or down shift. I do enjoy putting my foot into it between shifts. Your driving style sounds different from mine which may be accounting for it.

Waldorf · 06-19-2007, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dammmittt

ummmm...you're not supposed to rev it that high during the break in period anyway.

yep, 5000 is allowed during break-in. and i'm already passed that now.

I had it looked at by the head tech at the dealership today and he agrees that it's a faulty synchro. my driving style has nothing to do with it.i'll be driving it like that while they figure it out. Might take a week or two but i prefer having my car than a loaner as much as possible. so it's low-rev shifts 1-2 for a while.

Caddyshk · 06-19-2007, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waldorf

yep, 5000 is allowed during break-in. and i'm already passed that now.

I had it looked at by the head tech at the dealership today and he agrees that it's a faulty synchro. my driving style has nothing to do with it.i'll be driving it like that while they figure it out. Might take a week or two but i prefer having my car than a loaner as much as possible. so it's low-rev shifts 1-2 for a while.

Thats interesting - keep us posted.

Waldorf · 07-22-2007, 04:24 PM

back on this subject.

another 2006 M Coupe owner in my city has the exact same thing and is getting a new tranny with a new part number under warranty.

So i'll be taking this up with BMW next week.

Caddyshk · 07-23-2007, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waldorf

back on this subject.

another 2006 M Coupe owner in my city has the exact same thing and is getting a new tranny with a new part number under warranty.

So i'll be taking this up with BMW next week.

What city - what Dealer? We had a meet yesterday for Z's - 3 of us with Coupes have the same issue.

Dammmittt · 07-23-2007, 09:12 AM

Well...mine seems to have gotten better with age...there's no issue with 2nd on mine after 10,500

Waldorf · 07-23-2007, 09:22 AM

I'm in Montreal. My dealership is BMW Laval and I'm waiting to find out what is the other dealership that ordered the tranny replacement.

inTgr8r · 07-23-2007, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dammmittt

Well...mine seems to have gotten better with age...there's no issue with 2nd on mine after 10,500

What.... did you wear off all the edges?

- I've had no problems at all with mine, since day 1. (touch wood)

Dammmittt · 07-23-2007, 01:45 PM

Nah...I probably just got better at driving it

F360C · 07-23-2007, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waldorf

back on this subject.

another 2006 M Coupe owner in my city has the exact same thing and is getting a new tranny with a new part number under warranty.

So i'll be taking this up with BMW next week.

Yes please let us know how this goes! I am going to be taking my car into the dealer soon to get this fixed.

Artz 330 · 07-24-2007, 09:54 PM

i have 43K miles now on my m and I have experienced this a few times maybe like 10 times total now owning the car. How bad do the syncs get messed up when doing this? Will we have problems with these trannys later?

Dammmittt · 07-24-2007, 09:59 PM

Well at 43000 if you have no major issues, than I guess its doubtful that it'll ever happen

Waldorf · 07-30-2007, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artz 330

i have 43K miles now on my m and I have experienced this a few times maybe like 10 times total now owning the car. How bad do the syncs get messed up when doing this? Will we have problems with these trannys later?

yep, we will. as much as it pains me to say. i love this car to death and as soon as i get more info I will gathering every owners' attention to help make BMW do something about it.

the transmission is not an M3 item but one from a Z4 3.0si (that's why there's no SMG) but they never bothered to beef it up, so the synchros are not made for 340hp. they just fail to synchronize 1st to 2nd at over 6500 rpm.

one guy, here in Montreal got a new tranny. I'll be requesting one too and there are more people that we know with the same problem. we will expose this to the press in a bad way if BMW does not acknowledge it quickly.

if anyone has this problem, OR ANY OTHER, with the transmission in a Z4 M Coupe or Roadster, please post here.

thanks

Rey · 07-30-2007, 09:26 AM

I have seen other M owners complain about the 1-2 shift syncro. While I do not have a "M", my experiences with other cars is that it is basically a failure of the syncro mechanism, which will continue to degrade. It will not get better, and may be a design defect. If the gear lubricants used by BMW are "natural", switching to a synthetic lubricant can help as synthetics flow better at lower temps.

Waldorf · 07-30-2007, 09:41 AM

you're right, it is a design flaw. a malfunctioning 2nd gear synchro mismatched to the motor it's attached to.

BMW uses all synthetic in the M cars.

Waldorf · 07-30-2007, 09:42 AM

i just spoke with BMW Canada and they are open to following up on a list of people who may be having this problem so PLEASE post here if your transmission grinds when shifting anywhere above 6500 rpm from 1st to 2nd.

thanks

155MPH · 07-30-2007, 01:46 PM

I have not had any problem shifting 1st to 2nd over 6500. Right up to redline it goes smoothly into 2nd.

Waldorf · 07-30-2007, 01:52 PM

can you please provide the production date of your car.

we'll try to look for a trend in production dates.

Caddyshk · 07-30-2007, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waldorf

can you please provide the production date of your car.

we'll try to look for a trend in production dates.

#LL93158 - May 24th, 2006

killjohnnyforan · 07-30-2007, 02:20 PM

mine is always notchy, and hads grinded a few times

06-17-2007, 11:24 AM	#23
Waldorf Black Opps field agent 35 Rep 449 Posts Drives: 135i M Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: YUL iTrader: (1) Garage List 2006 Z4 M Coupe [7.75] 2007 Ducati Monster ... [0.00]	aright, here are some thoughts after a few spirited rides when i shift i always hit the floor with the clutch but now i adapted my technique to not lift my foot until i feel the next gear fully in. I never had a problem when down shifting from 3rd. i only use rev-matching when down shifting and always have in my 24 years of manual driving experience (bikes and cars) the 2nd grinding only happens above 5000 rpm and only 10% of the time. it really seem like a synchro malfunction in its early stage but the demo roadster did the same so i'm really affarid that it may be a weak point of this transmission. next week, the car is going in for the first oil change and a list of warranty issues so i will also take a sample of the transmission oil to have it analysed. more to come ... __________________ ------------------- :rocks: Montreal to Vermont OktoberFast cruise. :rocks: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79557
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06-17-2007, 03:07 PM	#24
Dammmittt My favorite sign. 169 Rep 4,333 Posts Drives: 2007 M Coupe Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Der Autobahnen iTrader: (0)	ummmm...you're not supposed to rev it that high during the break in period anyway. __________________ 07 ///M Coupe (Premium Package) Black Saphire Ext. Imola Red Int. Best Website EVER!
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06-18-2007, 07:35 PM	#25
155MPH Major 61 Rep 1,379 Posts Drives: E89 Z4 sDrive28i M Performance Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Jersey Shore iTrader: (0) Garage List 2019 BMW xDrive430i ... [0.00] 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive2 ... [5.00]	I am in no hurry to make my shifts too fast (4.9 second 0-60 times are not important to me). I have never had a grind 1st - 2nd or any other up or down shift. I do enjoy putting my foot into it between shifts. Your driving style sounds different from mine which may be accounting for it.
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07-22-2007, 04:24 PM	#28
Waldorf Black Opps field agent 35 Rep 449 Posts Drives: 135i M Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: YUL iTrader: (1) Garage List 2006 Z4 M Coupe [7.75] 2007 Ducati Monster ... [0.00]	back on this subject. another 2006 M Coupe owner in my city has the exact same thing and is getting a new tranny with a new part number under warranty. So i'll be taking this up with BMW next week. __________________ ------------------- :rocks: Montreal to Vermont OktoberFast cruise. :rocks: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79557
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07-23-2007, 09:12 AM	#30
Dammmittt My favorite sign. 169 Rep 4,333 Posts Drives: 2007 M Coupe Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Der Autobahnen iTrader: (0)	Well...mine seems to have gotten better with age...there's no issue with 2nd on mine after 10,500 __________________ 07 ///M Coupe (Premium Package) Black Saphire Ext. Imola Red Int. Best Website EVER!
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07-23-2007, 09:22 AM	#31
Waldorf Black Opps field agent 35 Rep 449 Posts Drives: 135i M Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: YUL iTrader: (1) Garage List 2006 Z4 M Coupe [7.75] 2007 Ducati Monster ... [0.00]	I'm in Montreal. My dealership is BMW Laval and I'm waiting to find out what is the other dealership that ordered the tranny replacement. __________________ ------------------- :rocks: Montreal to Vermont OktoberFast cruise. :rocks: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79557
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07-23-2007, 01:45 PM	#33
Dammmittt My favorite sign. 169 Rep 4,333 Posts Drives: 2007 M Coupe Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Der Autobahnen iTrader: (0)	Nah...I probably just got better at driving it __________________ 07 ///M Coupe (Premium Package) Black Saphire Ext. Imola Red Int. Best Website EVER!
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07-24-2007, 09:54 PM	#35
Artz 330 Colonel 196 Rep 2,486 Posts Drives: Z4M, 335i, 135i Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Lawrenceville, NJ iTrader: (4) Garage List 2006 330i [0.00]	i have 43K miles now on my m and I have experienced this a few times maybe like 10 times total now owning the car. How bad do the syncs get messed up when doing this? Will we have problems with these trannys later? __________________
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07-24-2007, 09:59 PM	#36
Dammmittt My favorite sign. 169 Rep 4,333 Posts Drives: 2007 M Coupe Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Der Autobahnen iTrader: (0)	Well at 43000 if you have no major issues, than I guess its doubtful that it'll ever happen __________________ 07 ///M Coupe (Premium Package) Black Saphire Ext. Imola Red Int. Best Website EVER!
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07-30-2007, 09:26 AM	#38
Rey New Member 2 Rep 19 Posts Drives: Z4 Coupe Join Date: May 2007 Location: Salem, OR iTrader: (0)	I have seen other M owners complain about the 1-2 shift syncro. While I do not have a "M", my experiences with other cars is that it is basically a failure of the syncro mechanism, which will continue to degrade. It will not get better, and may be a design defect. If the gear lubricants used by BMW are "natural", switching to a synthetic lubricant can help as synthetics flow better at lower temps.
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07-30-2007, 09:41 AM	#39
Waldorf Black Opps field agent 35 Rep 449 Posts Drives: 135i M Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: YUL iTrader: (1) Garage List 2006 Z4 M Coupe [7.75] 2007 Ducati Monster ... [0.00]	you're right, it is a design flaw. a malfunctioning 2nd gear synchro mismatched to the motor it's attached to. BMW uses all synthetic in the M cars. __________________ ------------------- :rocks: Montreal to Vermont OktoberFast cruise. :rocks: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79557
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07-30-2007, 09:42 AM	#40
Waldorf Black Opps field agent 35 Rep 449 Posts Drives: 135i M Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: YUL iTrader: (1) Garage List 2006 Z4 M Coupe [7.75] 2007 Ducati Monster ... [0.00]	i just spoke with BMW Canada and they are open to following up on a list of people who may be having this problem so PLEASE post here if your transmission grinds when shifting anywhere above 6500 rpm from 1st to 2nd. thanks __________________ ------------------- :rocks: Montreal to Vermont OktoberFast cruise. :rocks: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79557
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07-30-2007, 01:46 PM	#41
155MPH Major 61 Rep 1,379 Posts Drives: E89 Z4 sDrive28i M Performance Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Jersey Shore iTrader: (0) Garage List 2019 BMW xDrive430i ... [0.00] 2014 BMW Z4 sDrive2 ... [5.00]	I have not had any problem shifting 1st to 2nd over 6500. Right up to redline it goes smoothly into 2nd.
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07-30-2007, 01:52 PM	#42
Waldorf Black Opps field agent 35 Rep 449 Posts Drives: 135i M Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: YUL iTrader: (1) Garage List 2006 Z4 M Coupe [7.75] 2007 Ducati Monster ... [0.00]	can you please provide the production date of your car. we'll try to look for a trend in production dates. __________________ ------------------- :rocks: Montreal to Vermont OktoberFast cruise. :rocks: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79557
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07-30-2007, 02:20 PM	#44
killjohnnyforan First Lieutenant 29 Rep 339 Posts Drives: ///M Coupe Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: NY iTrader: (1)	mine is always notchy, and hads grinded a few times
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