[Salzamani]

Hey guys, any help would be appreciated 🙏. I have a couple issues and questions. Warm engine when the car sits a few min. When I first start it I get a jumping idle for about 10-15sec before it straightens up. I’ve replaced plugs & coils. No codes.

1) I have INPA is resetting/clearing adaptation be a good idea in this case? How and where do I do that in INPA?

2) I’ve done a CDV delete and yet I still get a slow shift going from 1’s gear to 2nd gear. It’s super easy to shift when cold but once the transmission warms up I have to do some rev matching to get it to shift faster. Meaning it won’t allow me to go into 2nd unless I wait like 3 seconds after coming out of 1’st. I have fresh Redline D6 ATF in the tranny and it didn’t make a difference. It seems like the rev matching is really necessary to go from 1 to 2 once the tranny warm up. Any suggestions?

3) for a manual transmission is there a adaptation reset in INPA? Does it even exist for manuals?

[3PedalJake]

Sounds like may be a problem with the synchro. Not sure I understand the ATF part? Maybe try something like royal purple synchromax and see if that makes a difference. The adaptations for a MT are made in your right hand and left foot.

[Salzamani]

Originally Posted by 3PedalJake

Sounds like may be a problem with the synchro. Not sure I understand the ATF part? Maybe try something like royal purple synchromax and see if that makes a difference. The adaptations for a MT are made in your right hand and left foot.

Right hand and left foot 😂 ok so I guess there is no adaptations to clear for a manual trans.

Yeah the Redline D6 ATF was the Recommeded fluid for this car by many that thought might make the shifting better. The thing is that it shifts great when cold and then after a couple miles it gets harder and harder. It could be fluid related. Some people report that some fluids can be the other way around that some can start hard but after the trans warms up then it actually gets easier. I think I would prefer it that way where it’s harder when cold and gets better when warmed up. Do you think Royal P Syncromax would have that characteristic?

[lowrydr310]

Originally Posted by Salzamani

Hey guys, any help would be appreciated 🙏. I have a couple issues and questions. Warm engine when the car sits a few min. When I first start it I get a jumping idle for about 10-15sec before it straightens up. I’ve replaced plugs & coils. No codes.

Are there any saved faults *not* triggering the SES light? What tool are you using to check codes? I had similar symptoms which eventually triggered a SES light, once related to an air leak and another time related to a failing eccentric shaft sensor.

2) I’ve done a CDV delete and yet I still get a slow shift going from 1’s gear to 2nd gear. It’s super easy to shift when cold but once the transmission warms up I have to do some rev matching to get it to shift faster. Meaning it won’t allow me to go into 2nd unless I wait like 3 seconds after coming out of 1’st. I have fresh Redline D6 ATF in the tranny and it didn’t make a difference. It seems like the rev matching is really necessary to go from 1 to 2 once the tranny warm up. Any suggestions?

I've driven three different manual transmission N52s and all of them have a wonky 1-2 shift, some worse than others. My 330 is the worst of all that I've driven making me think the syncrho for that gear is worn. I have to ease the shifter into second gear and can't aggressively bang it in. I found it easy to get a good smooth 1-2 shift from higher RPMs so I just rev it out higher than I normally would in first gear.


Like Jake says, the only manual transmission adaptations are your brain, hands, and feet. They're the same controls that set ECO, COMFORT, or SPORT transmission modes.

[Salzamani]

Originally Posted by lowrydr310

Are there any saved faults *not* triggering the SES light? What tool are you using to check codes? I had similar symptoms which eventually triggered a SES light, once related to an air leak and another time related to a failing eccentric shaft sensor.




I've driven three different manual transmission N52s and all of them have a wonky 1-2 shift, some worse than others. My 330 is the worst of all that I've driven making me think the syncrho for that gear is worn. I have to ease the shifter into second gear and can't aggressively bang it in. I found it easy to get a good smooth 1-2 shift from higher RPMs so I just rev it out higher than I normally would in first gear.




Like Jake says, the only manual transmission adaptations are your brain, hands, and feet. They're the same controls that set ECO, COMFORT, or SPORT transmission modes.

No fault codes.

Yeah just as you described it. If I keep the Revs up as I come out of 1 then it goes into 2 easier but even then it can be unpredictable as it sometimes does and sometimes doesn’t. Why does it shift fine when cold though? Does something expand with heat that keeps the syncro from moving freely?

[3PedalJake]

That's the beauty of a MT, like lowrider says you have full control of ECO, COMFORT, or SPORT mode or anything inbetween any time all the time with no buttons to push.

As for the Syncromesh, it's billed as helping syncros mesh better, but whether it will or not you can only tell by trying.

[Efthreeoh]

I've been driving a variant of a BMW 3-Series for 37 years come November. All manuals. 1M+ miles. Not one of them has/had a buttery smooth 1-2 shift. The three I have sitting outside right now (E37/E86/E90) all have different transmissions. All shift about the same; notchy into 2nd.

[Salzamani]

Yeah I think it’s really true. It’s just the characteristics of these transmissions. I think a big part of it is what car you are coming out of and going into. For example I’ve owned a few manual transmission Toyota cars. I still own a Scion tC. So I’m use to these Toyota Aisin manual transmissions. They just have a totally different feel to them. They shift different, they are not notchy. You can shift almost whenever you want with no delay, no need for rev matching. I think for the most part the transmission that are in these BMW’s are sport transmissions. They are meant to be driven in a higher rpm range. I keep hearing these BMW users on the forums saying to not let the rpm’s drop. It’s really true they are actually designed that way. Toyota transmissions have giving me the habit of letting off the gas as I shift from one gear to another. That is not what you want to do with these BMW transmissions. I don’t think I’m alone on this as I have seen others complain about slow, notchy shifts specially from gear 1 to 2 and 2 to 3. To those having that problem you also might simply be use to transmission that don’t require you to stay in a higher rpm range. If you just try to exaggerate keeping your rpm’s up as you come out of 1st gear as you go into 2nd you will most likely be amazed at how quickly you can go straight into 2nd gear. This does very little for saving fuel but it does make for a much more enthusiastic driving experience. After much research on forums, the knowledge you good folks have shared with me I have come to that conclusion and I hope what I have shared will help someone who like me has been perplexed.

[StradaRedlands]

BMW MT shifts are almost a two-step process.
Pull out, push in.
Rewarding though!

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by Salzamani

Yeah I think it’s really true. It’s just the characteristics of these transmissions. I think a big part of it is what car you are coming out of and going into. For example I’ve owned a few manual transmission Toyota cars. I still own a Scion tC. So I’m use to these Toyota Aisin manual transmissions. They just have a totally different feel to them. They shift different, they are not notchy. You can shift almost whenever you want with no delay, no need for rev matching. I think for the most part the transmission that are in these BMW’s are sport transmissions. They are meant to be driven in a higher rpm range. I keep hearing these BMW users on the forums saying to not let the rpm’s drop. It’s really true they are actually designed that way. Toyota transmissions have giving me the habit of letting off the gas as I shift from one gear to another. That is not what you want to do with these BMW transmissions. I don’t think I’m alone on this as I have seen others complain about slow, notchy shifts specially from gear 1 to 2 and 2 to 3. To those having that problem you also might simply be use to transmission that don’t require you to stay in a higher rpm range. If you just try to exaggerate keeping your rpm’s up as you come out of 1st gear as you go into 2nd you will most likely be amazed at how quickly you can go straight into 2nd gear. This does very little for saving fuel but it does make for a much more enthusiastic driving experience. After much research on forums, the knowledge you good folks have shared with me I have come to that conclusion and I hope what I have shared will help someone who like me has been perplexed.

I don't know, I think you are way over-thinking this. There's literally no more of a manual transmission guy than me. Of the 15+ cars/trucks I've owned, just 1 has been an automatic. I hate automatic transmissions. Granted, after 1M+ miles driving BMW manuals, BMW is "my normal", but I have a good 400,000 miles driving other brands than BMW.

Higher RPM shifting? Lower RPM shifting? Affecting fuel consumption? I have to say I think it's mostly in your head. Not flaming you, just being realistic based on my extensive experience. BMWs are not much different than other brands, if at all different. Different enough to affect fuel consumption? Nah.

If you need 3 seconds to smoothly shift from 1st to 2nd, then someone royally effed up your transmission.

[Salzamani]

“If you need 3 seconds to smoothly shift from 1st to 2nd, then someone royally effed up your transmission.”

3 seconds only once the trans warms up. If it’s cooled back down even for a few min it goes right in from 1st to 2nd.