[mega_stihl]

So I found someone who sells his ZF 6 speed with shift linkage, flywheel and driveshaft, for next to nothing. But the catch is that it came from a 320d. First thing I thought was the bolt pattern, but he claims that it fits, but that the gearbox will be tilted/rotated just a tiny tad.

But then I realized that the diesel version has shorter first and second gears.
Petrol:

4.350

2.496

1.665

1.234

1.000

0.851

Diesel

5.14

2.83

1.79

1.26

1.00

0.83

I have a 330i with 3.38 diff, and I love the shorter diff gearing, but I hate the high RPM while cruising. So a 6 speed should be ideal. But would a diesel 6 speed be too aggressive in the first two gears, or is this still acceptable?

Opinions are welcome.

 

[TobyB]

First isn't going to be so useful. So if you spend a lot of time in- city, you may not like it.

But after you're rolling, it's going to be fine.

That first ratio, even in the petrol version, seems really low.
The 6- speed got a relatively high numeric diff, didn't it?

I find myself wondering why a diesel, with, in theory, lots of torque way down,
would need all that gear. It's almost as low as my (large, agricultrural) Ferd pickup.
The Ferd diesel actually has a faster 1st and 2nd than the petrol.

t

 

[mega_stihl]

First isn't going to be so useful. So if you spend a lot of time in- city, you may not like it.

But after you're rolling, it's going to be fine.

That first ratio, even in the petrol version, seems really low.
The 6- speed got a relatively high numeric diff, didn't it?

I find myself wondering why a diesel, with, in theory, lots of torque way down,
would need all that gear. It's almost as low as my (large, agricultrural) Ferd pickup.
The Ferd diesel actually has a faster 1st and 2nd than the petrol.

t

The petrol gear ratios are exactly the same in all trannys, 5 speed, 6 speed, getrag/ZF, ... Well, more or less, some may vary 1 or 2%

The 5 and 6 speed 330i's came with the same diff's, 2.93. I still have my 3.38 as my car used to be a 320i.
2.93 with a 6 speed seems kinda useless unless you want to drive 110 mph with really low rpm.

 

[Landlorder]

The petrol gear ratios are exactly the same in all trannys, 5 speed, 6 speed, getrag/ZF, ... Well, more or less, some may vary 1 or 2%

The 5 and 6 speed 330i's came with the same diff's, 2.93. I still have my 3.38 as my car used to be a 320i.
2.93 with a 6 speed seems kinda useless unless you want to drive 110 mph with really low rpm.

330ci 6 speed came with 3.07 actually...

 

[elfer]

330ci 6 speed came with 3.07 actually...

Really? The ETK says mine has 2.93

Differential-drive/output

Not that I've been under and checked. Are you saying the ETK is wrong?

 

[mega_stihl]

according to the interwebz, the ZHP (which is unheard of in Europe) has a 3.07, all other 330i's 2.93

 

[doukas007]

according to the interwebz, the ZHP (which is unheard of in Europe) has a 3.07, all other 330i's 2.93

I think auto 330s have a 3.38
anyway ,lots of cheap used 6 speed diesel gearboxes and I believe they bolt to the m54 .problem one is the shifter linkage , I believe this definitely is incompatible , second would be the flywheel clutxh combo.I recently purchased a m57 lightweight flywheel which supposedly fits in all the 5 speed petrol gearboxes (with the e34m5 clutch) so it may fit the diesel gearbox.Third is that a custom or diesel driveshaft will be needed .But considering how cheap the 6 speed diesel gearboxes are Im surprised that we dont have yet a definitive answer

 

[Landlorder]

Yes my 330ci 6speed facelift convertible has a 3.07 in England UK. I've put in a 3.38 LSD a few years ago. Old one said it was 3.07 on sticker. Not all of them are 2.93 ratio... I assumed it was a facelift thing...

 

[elfer]

Yes my 330ci 6speed facelift convertible has a 3.07 in England UK. I've put in a 3.38 LSD a few years ago. Old one said it was 3.07 on sticker. Not all of them are 2.93 ratio... I assumed it was a facelift thing...

Mine's facelift too.

Looks like it's a convertible thing. Manual Coupe's got the 2.93, Manual 'verts 3.07. Because of the extra weight they have to cart around, I guess.

(Incidentally, my '00 model year 328i Touring manual also had a 2.93. It wasn't a facelift thing.)

 

[elfer]

mage stihl, I don't know if those diesel ratios would feel be too low or not. The petrol first and second gears are already quite low. I presume BMW had to choose a low 1st in case you've a fully loaded car, towing a fully loaded trailer, and are setting on a 25% gradient. Then 2nd was chosen so it just hits 100mn/h (62MPH) before the red line, to make the 0-100km/h / 0-60MPH times as low as possible (Americans: that's the key acceleration figure for selling cars over here, not the quarter mile). And then there's a jump to 3rd, which is a very useable gear, and then the gaps to 4th and 5th are quite reasonable. And then 6th is an overdrive for economy.

I say go for it though, if you can do the work yourself and won't hate doing it. As you're getting it for next to nothing the cost is mainly your time. The worst case scenario is you end up doing the job twice if you find you can't get on with those ratios and decide to put the original back (or are able to find a petrol 6 speed later).

 

[mega_stihl]

I think I'm gonna pass. Next to nothing = 300 bucks, which is very cheap.
But the tranny mount is missing, clutch is gone, and the bearing/guibo of the driveshaft don't look that fresh. So either I test-fit everything to have to do it again to refresh everything, or I won't like it and end up with all these parts I'm not gonna use either way.

 

[elfer]

Your best best might looking out for a crashed or non-running 330i/ci manual at the salvage auctions. ETK says the GS6-37BZ gearbox was also in manual E60/E61 M54 520i, 525i and 530i, but manual 5ers will be even rarer than manual 3ers if Belgian new car buyers are anything like those here in Britain

 

[TobyB]

Huh- I mis- remembered the diff. Woulda SWORN the 6 speed got a higher numerical....

WTH would they run a 2.93 diff with a .85 overdrive?
The engine's already loafing at 1:1, and 6th is just going to
lug it below about 85. But whatever.

Likewise, I still don't get why diesels got a lower 1 and 2.

I'd run the 3.15 diff, meself- just based on how the 325xi's gears ratio out.

t
but, yeah, huh....

 

[mega_stihl]

Your best best might looking out for a crashed or non-running 330i/ci manual at the salvage auctions. ETK says the GS6-37BZ gearbox was also in manual E60/E61 M54 520i, 525i and 530i, but manual 5ers will be even rarer than manual 3ers if Belgian new car buyers are anything like those here in Britain

That's how I swapped my B30 engine. Bought a totaled 330i for next to nothing. I know the E60 has the same gearbox, but the problem is that those GS6'es are worth anywhere from 800 to 1000 bucks. And then I just have the gearbox, not even the driveshaft and shifter linkage.

I was thinking about buying a complete 330i 6 speed from the UK for parts as they are pretty cheap over there, but thanks to the Brexit I bet I will end up with a ton of import tax.

Likewise, I still don't get why diesels got a lower 1 and 2.

Probably because they have a 2.65 diff

I think I'm gonna stick with my 5 speed and 3.07 diff (which I still have to replace) for now, and keep my eyes out for a petrol 6 speed.

 

[elfer]

I was thinking about buying a complete 330i 6 speed from the UK for parts as they are pretty cheap over there, but thanks to the Brexit I bet I will end up with a ton of import tax.

Yeah, don't get me started on UKIP and Brexit. But I'll ping you a DM if I happen upon anything whilst browsing. My own 330ci was written off a couple of years ago by the insurers of a woman who was far too busy with her phone to notice me and the rest of the queue waiting ahead of her at the red traffic lights. I bought it back for £750 salvage value. I learnt it would have gone to Copart otherwise, so I sometimes look now to see if anything interesting is going through.