While driving merrily along my way the other day, the gear shift **** popped off into my hand while shifting from first to second in my MCS. I was surprised, but calmly managed to pull over.

Both the **** and the shift lever looked to be fine, so I just pushed the **** back into place and drove off. It's been a few days now, and the **** seems to be stuck on well again.

I'd read on NAM about how hard others have had to tug to remove the shift **** (to swap it out for a different one), so this seems unusual. Has anyone else had the shift **** pop off in normal driving conditions?

 

As long as it doesn't pop off again, I wouldn't worry about it. Did you feel it click or pop into place when you pushed it back down? It should do that if the notch isn't broken or rounded out. Try to pull it off again, see how hard it is. Mine takes a lot of effort, so much so that I am truly afraid I will actually knock myself out every time I take it off.

 

What shift **** do you have ? It should snap down hard into place, my guess is when it was installed last it did not get that extra push down. When taking them off it should be very hard,

 

You must be very strong! A few individuals HERE have had the same thing happen to them with their R56. All said they popped it back on and haven't had an issue since.

 

I have a round leather covered ****, that looks like the OEM one except it has the union jack behind the shift pattern. Its probably been on there for ten years.

If I tug on it now, there's a tiny bit of play - but it doesn't feel like it'll come off again any time soon.

 

Yea, it might be stock and just have the UJ shift pattern insert.

If you need a new one , that will fit tight we have some options:

https://www.ecstuning.com/Mini-2005-...erior/Shifter/

 

So I tugged on the shift **** to see how well affixed it is, and it comes of relatively easily now - so this may actually develop into a problem.

I also figured out what may have contributed to the **** loosening: My MCS has been getting progressively harder to shift, and it requires some pushing and pulling on the shifter to throw it into gear. When I shift into second, I can feel the shift **** move. I guess I must have been pulling on it pretty hard.

(The clutch is only a few of years old, so I don't think that's the problem. I'm hopeful that I just need to re-bleed the system.)

I can't believe new shift ***** are so expensive. Anyone have one with the Union Jack insert that they'd like to sell? Alternately, anyone know if the inserts are swappable?

 

Hopefully its not bad , rusted shifter cables. They do tend to stick with age , i replaced both of mine , when one day I could not shift into gear, Pop off the battery box in the front and intake, and the cables end plastic broke out of the ring.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=25_0386 #7 and #6 check them out.


We did have some factory ***** for around 30.00 , but they sold out and they are NLA now .

 

I have a Craven stainless shift ****, and I had it come off once. After that I decided that a copious amount of black RTV will be the more permanent fix for the problem.

The stock ***** are rather well affixed, so if it came off and is now continuing to do so with ease I might recommend replacing it. If you're looking for a quality **** that you can even have custom engraved check out Whalenshiftmachine.com

 

Mine actually broke a few weeks ago and I went to oriellys for a temp one and that actually had a nice silver shift **** that was weighted. I have a short shift kit and cut the rod so it balances really well

 

FWIW, there is absolutely no way our newest shift **** will come off accidentally. We realized there isn't really a whole lot of advantage to a quick release ****, you don't need to take it on and off. The stock **** is just that way to save time on the assembly line, right? So take a few minutes to install it and then it will stay that way until you take it apart.

New, weighted, Delrin, customize-able, shift **** from CravenSpeed