Transmission Project - United Bimmer Community

**RSF5** · 03-25-2006, 10:54 AM

Alright I'm currently getting together parts to change out my automatic transmission to a manual 5 speed. Car is an e46 323i I'm going to write a DIY for this whole project and any advice or comments or wisdom ANYONE wants to post here, ANY advice will be appreciated. (Except the "just trade it in comment" I've heard this a million times and it's not in the cards, besides don't you want an awesome DIY in the e46 category?) Again the transmission swap isn't really that complicated to figure out just time consuming and with a lot of details, so any experience anyone wants to share would be awesome. I’ve already ordered the repair and parts manual for my car and are looking at used transmission.

**komodo** · 03-25-2006, 11:05 AM

Hey, good luck with the project, and I look forward to a great DIY. haha

Rob recently went though this on his car, so he can probably offer some advice.

One thing I know he's going to suggest is go to Zionsville and buy the DVD tutorial for doing the 6-speed swap. He said it's basically the exact same thing, and they explain it very well.

**ManJestic** · 04-07-2006, 01:15 PM

Dude, good luck. If you lived closer, I'd give you a hand or two.

**dinan540** · 04-07-2006, 04:45 PM

That sounds awesome, good luck. I look forward to the DIY. Now, if only we could put a 6 speed gearbox into an E38. That would be wicked!

Storamin · 04-07-2006, 09:15 PM

Progress report?

**ManJestic** · 04-11-2006, 01:04 PM

I'm mildly considering this as well. At the risk of derailing this thread, people don't understand that selling your car and buying a one with a manual is not always the better solution. The devil you know vs. the devil you don't know. That sort of thing.

Not to mention the transaction costs associated with selling and buying. If it is your only car then you have to deal with the inconvenience of being without a car at the same time you are searching for one.

For me, I could justify a transmission swap if the net cost was say $2K - 2500 for the parts. I'm not sure I could sell my car and locate an equivalent one with a stick and not exceed that. Heck, in Massachusetts, the sales tax alone would be at least $1000 (5%).

So, I'm hoping you are successful at this.

**///Menace328i** · 04-11-2006, 07:53 PM

yes me too, cause my car is closer to an E46 for some reason... I have had to use E46 parts lately... as far as for brake lines goes at least!