[August0423]

The Car: Manual 2001 330ci

So I was driving home tonight, stopped at a stop sign, and all of the sudden the car wouldn't go into gear. I could flop the shifter all around and none of the gears would grab. I called up my dad for some quick advice and he thinks it might be a broken linkage. I'm taking it down to have a mechanic look at it tomorrow, so hopefully I'll know by then, but if you all want to chime in before then with some thoughts, that would be great. :huh:

 

[jasonbimmer]

clutch problem

 

[jcns]

clutch problem

not necessarily.

I had the same/similar problem; shifter moves all over 100% free.
Found out it was a shift linkage pin.

Part was cheap, but labor was about 2 hrs.

 

[August0423]

That's exactly what it was, took about the same amount of time too. Thanks for your input guys.

 

[e46frvr]

Glad to hear it was relatively quick resolution.
But I'm working if the clutch can be ruled out by trying to stick it into any gear with the car off. (Isnt that one way to get home when your clutch is shot?)

 

[MachRc]

yes, if it goes in while the car is off and doesnt when the car is on, its the clutch or pressure plate or something broken inside the box.


have had this happen a few times in my life..when the clutch goes out

last time

a hub spring popped out and mated with the flywheel.(like you said, stick it in first when the engine is off, start and GO!!!except changing gear was tough but possible once revved up slam gear into 2nd while tipping off the gas)

another time when the stock clutch wore out the same thing happened.

but also like the OP, I also had the shifter linkage bolt(or whateve it was) fail on me and had a generic bolt attached the linkage back...

and j ust because the thread is called wont go into gear.. I found that revving the engine (clutch in or out) and retrying to stick into first works really well in the cold when first becomes hard to slot in.\ just fyi

 

[August0423]

It was flopping around when the car was on and when it was off. I just had the clutch replaced about 1.5k miles ago, so I would hope it wasn't that. Glad it was a quick fix too.

 

[jasonbimmer]

humm, I am still under the illusion the E46 has what my RX8 has called direct transmission shifter. basically the shifter goes straight into the transmission without any linkage.