I think I may have spoke to soon when I posted in the "Post miles of problem free CVT miles". Yesterday on the way to the bank, the transmission started bucking and making all sorts of noises a transmission should never make. Rough as it is, it can still drive and it does not roll while in park, so I am guessing the CVT belt did not break. I was browsing through the BMW TIS software and found instructions on replacing the "main ball bearing" located on the transmission behind a cover behind the front driver side wheel. The parts are cheap enough where I am definitely willing to give it a try.

Has anyone ever replaced that part? Where you successful and fixing your symptoms? The TIS software mentioned using BMW special tool 24 4 220 for removing the bearing. Does anyone know where I can get BMW special tools?

Any help is much appreciated!

 

Update:

I removed the main ball bearing I mentioned in the post before this and it seems to be fine. I was told that the CVT belt can be seen if you remove the transmission oil pan, so I did. Once the cover was off, it was obvious that the belt was broken as there were pieces of thin sheet metal as well as many steel segments. Once I cleaned up all the metal debris, I was able to look up at the belt and see the missing components. I attached some pictures so you can see.

Does anyone know of a source for ZF transmission parts, mainly the belt? I have contacted several places but it seems like they are pretty hard to come by.

I am confident I can repair this transmission if I can get my hands on some parts and some sort of guide or information on this transmission (ZF VT1F).

 

d*mn!

 

A few can be found on Feebay but this place sells all of them.

 

Was that a link for the BMW special tools? I was able to get away without it. Now I am really concerned with getting a replacement belt.

 

Your best bet is to visit some junkyards and I'm sure you'll find one out in the yard.

 

How hard was the install?

 

I'm dying to know how this turned out!

 

He put a new CVT in himself

 

Wow
Thank for the pics, always wanted to see what a gone CVT looks like.
Finding the hard to find bits and doing the work yourself saves you a bundle. The fixing a CVT looks like brain surgery to me though.

 

I guess I should have updated this. I spent alot of time researching many avenues for solving this situation and in the end the best option for me was to buy a new (remanufactured) transmission from the dealer and install it myself.

I initially tried to find parts to fix the transmission myself, but I found that ZF does not supply anyone with parts for this transmission, and the few suppliers that did have access to them let me know it would be very expensive and slow (parts come from Germany, I believe).

I also looked into a manual transmission swap. The hardware changes were extensive, but still cheaper than another CVT. Aside from a new trannny, you would also need new driveshafts, starter motor, shift cables, clutch master cylinder, etc. None of that really was a problem for me nor was it unexpected. However, the deal breaker for me was the fact I could not find 1 person to ever swap a CVT to a manual, and the coding/software/ECU changes were highly unknown to me. Seeing as how the car is my daily driver, I could not afford to experiment with it for very long.

MINI USA, and my dealer could not do anything for me as the car was too old and had too many miles. They claim no knowledge of previous cases of transmission failure and will probably only help with a small percentage of the total cost of replacement if you happen to be a lucky one with either very low miles or age on your MINI.

The transmission is a poor design and there is no fix for it aside from replacing it everytime it breaks. There is a reason MINI replaced CVTs with conventional automatics.

While researching, there was someone who kept popping up in my findings that was trying to organize a class action lawsuit, but I have not heard anything actually coming out of it.

Let me know if there is anything I can help you out with if you are in a similar situation and need some info.

 

I did the swap. Let me know if I can advise.

 

From what to what?

 

I have an 03 MC that had a bad CVT. I replaced it with the Getrag 6-speed.

 

Please give us more information on the swap, it would be greatly appreciated. You are the only one who I have come across who has (successfully?) done the swap from a CVT to a manual transmission.

If you can, please include information such as:
1. Hardware changes
2. Software/control unit changes
3. Wiring/electronics changes
4. Parts list if available
5. Anything else you can think of

Thanks!

 

Here is a good place to start: this informs about a 5-to-6 speed swap, so a lot of the stuff is applicable. I'll add the CVT-specific stuff later when I have time. http://www.txwerks.com/images/Instal..._Weak_Link.pdf

 

I've read that pdf a few times, I even spoke to someone at Texas Speedwerks about the topic.

Please update when you get a chance!

 

Wow, good luck w/ the swap, I'm keeping my eye on this one.

 

Okay, here's a mostly complete list of stuff you'll need. I included what I actually paid for the bits, which shows what you can accomplish if a) you are
a huge cheapskate 2) have the luxury of a 2nd car, and III) have the time to scour eBay, Craigslist and call junkyards.
[FONT=&quot]MINI TRANS SWAP LIST (all prices include shipping) [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Transmission 680.00 [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Shifter assy 69.00 [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Clutch & flywheel 122.00 [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Clutch pedal, Master &Slave cyl 36.00 [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Clutch pipe, hoses & fittings 25.00 [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Driveshafts 800.00 [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Shifter cables 205.00[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Throwout brg 25.00 [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Manual trans ECU reprogram [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](haven’t done this yet) 400.00[/FONT]
You will also need an upper transmission mount. I fabricated/welded up my own because I was 75% finished when it dawned on me I'd need it, and besides being cheap, I'm impatient.
As far as the ECU, you'll have a perpetual SES because the ECU is waiting for a signal from the CVT, and you will NOT have cruise. RPM Motorsports in Victoria, BC assures that they can set me up for $ 400 USD or less including shipping, restoring cruise and turning of the Check Engine light. One other detail: their is an interlock cable that runs from the key cylinder to the CVT shifter- leave it attached to the the key cylinder and just tuck it under the steering column plastic, or you won't be able to turn the key! Remove and sell the oil cooler and other CVT-specific parts on feebay as I did and recoup a tiny bit of your outlay. Granted, I found and amazing deal on the 6-speed,,,count on paying a fair bit more, but still lots cheaper than a used/rebuilt CVT, and if you're doing the work yourself, 80% is the same R&R. Oh, and go with a Fidanza flywheel/clutch combo or similar. Good luck.

 

Oops, and you'll have to find and make up connectors to the back-up light switch. Easy cheesy.

 

[FONT=&quot]Sorry to keep adding to this thread, but I should note the exorbitant price I paid for halfshafts: about a week after finding the cheapest I could, they started turning up on eBay for about 1/3 of that price. Murphy’s law! I also found only one source for shifter cables that wasn’t from a MINI dealer- Detroit Tuned. They were somewhat cheaper, but maybe a resourceful person could do even better. I should also note that the slave cylinders are, in my humble opinion, not worth the plastic from which they are formed. I used a cast iron one from a late 80’s S-10 Chevy pickup/Blazer. Got it at Autozone. Cheap and durable. You'll have to make up your own hydraulic line. Not difficult or pricey. [/FONT]
One (?) more thing: If you elect to go with a 5-speed, you'll also have to buy a new starter, as the 5-speed flywheel is a smaller diameter than the CVT/6-speed. Okay, questions?

 

Man, now if only I was capable of the labor!

Have you taken a look at the auto 6-speed (from the S) to see if it's compatible?

 

If the S 6 speed manual fits, why wouldn't the S 6 speed auto? Seems like it would be an easier swap with a lot less parts. Has anybody ever looked into doing it?

 

Since the business end of the crankshaft is the same across the model ranges, I assume that a standard auto would fit...I think it would take the same amount of fiddling. The key is whether you want an auto or not. As for me, the answer is NOT.

 

How about a Dodge Neon transaxle. The early engines are Chrysler designed, made in Brazil. Maybe they have the same mounting style...