'98 840ci Sport: Trans Fail Safe.

Zitat von BBMatic;121720

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Does anyone know which box my Feb '98 840Ci Sport has, is it the 4hp24 or 30?
Thanks

No way. Almost sure you got an A5S440Z.
About the "trans fail safe" problem I rather keep silent and wait for someone else, as I am a manual gearbox guy...

BBMatic: The M62 840Ci had the ZF 5HP30 (A5S 560Z) from beginning of production until September 1996 and the ZF 5HP24 (A5S 440Z) starting from September 1996 until end of production. So your '98 840Ci does have the ZF 5HP24 automatic transmission.

I wish I could provide more useful information about your issue, but just like Danilo I have no experience with the automatic transmission...

Bern,
Not sure if this will help, but have you tried disconnecting the batteries and then reconnect to see if it will reset the system? Maybe something just triggered a fault and caused it to go into trans-fail mode to "protect" the gearbox. I had this error on mine after the batteries had got really low in voltage and after a disconnect ad deep recharge, it disappeared after reconnecting the batteries.

As Revtor says, 5HP 24 - and your recounting of symptoms sounds very much like failure of a clutch pack - sudden and permanent rather than a transient electrical problem. I would go for a second-hand box from an E31, there are always a few being broken on Ebay. There are subtle differences between the gearboxes when fitted to different cars - one of them being where the selector switch is located - and that sort of information is difficult to find.

Sorry mate, that's a bit of a downer.

No, you should be able to move the car as long as there is some drive - remember what driving off in third gear feels like on a manual gearbox - that's the sort of performance you will get off the line. As it is usually the clutch packs that see the most torque that fail (the lower gears), the 4th gear clutch and associated bits usually keep going allowing you to limp home. I managed to drive all the way from Kent back to Hampshire in my 730i in Trans Failsafe, the 840ci should be a lot easier.

As you are standing on a hill, the gearbox in 4th might not have enough torque in idle to keep the car from rolling backwards.
So place a brick or a proper wedge behind the rear wheels before you attempt to drive out of the parking place.
(As you noted that there is not much space behind the car, this way you can avoid to suddenly roll backwards.)

A couple of years ago I was at ZF with my 540 E34 (5HP30) and my 97 840Ci (5HP24).
The 8 had roughly 100 tkm on the clock, the 5 more than 200.
The guy said that the 5 did not needed the service, was still okay (although I drove it hard).
The 8 he said: it was time! The oil was more murky and more stuff on the magnet.
Unfortunately the M62 gearbox is just on the torque limit of the engine as opposed to the M60 gearbox which is the same as in the M70 with over a 100 Nm as reserve.

I don't know how many hours needed to replace the gearbox, but I guess it can be done in a day.
These are steps I can think of: exhaust down, remove drive shaft, disconnect gearbox cooling and gear selector inside the cabin, disconnect gearbox from engine. Then the steps in the opposite direction, plus filling up the gearbox properly (at the right temperature).

I guess Wokke can give much more precise infos about this.

Do not despair yet. As Angus pointed out the failsafe program is first and foremost a protection against damage mentioned further down.
The symptoms you describe match those I had on my B10 (E39 "540", 5HP24) when the gearbox selector switch sent illogical status reports to the EGS which then decided after being confused for a little to hammer in whatever gear was near and came up with the trans fail message. It DID feel like a catastrophic gearbox failure indeed.

What happened was that due to the "open" design of the gearbox selector switch contacts inside corroded (by way of water/humidity ingress through the vent pipe) and the status sent to the gearbox ECU that eventually is the entity to decide on what gear will be chosen became muddled.
This can happen right after moving the gearshift lever out of P and it can be monitored on a diagnostic system. One will likely see a shaky "gear in" signal (also P and N) going on and off at the digital readout.

First thing you need to have done in order to avoid large expenditures is reading the error memory & digital stati of the ECU/gearbox. Do not look for a replacement gearbox yet. I am a bit worried though by the mention of "gearbox flushed 3 yrs ago". Was this done at a place where the proper procedures are known and being followed, e.g. a ZF subsidiary or (less preferred) a BMW workshop?

Fingers crossed!
Reinhard

PS: some addtnl info

Give them a call:

[h=4]ZF Lemforder UK Ltd.[/h]Birmingham International Park
Starley Way, Bickenhill
Solihull, West Midlands B37 7GN

Phone: +44 121 526 4441
Fax: +44 121 782 4600

Or try:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-…es_UK&hash=item4d23c75c4d