Hi,
I posted a message about a 240 turbo with a messed up transmission a couple of weeks ago. My friend just bought the car for $300. We thought the transmission might be seized, but now we are not sure. Before the car wouldn't go into any gear and it would die as soon as the clutch was let out. Now we can get the car into gears, but the car won't go. When the car is off we can push the car around in neutral. When we shift it into any of the gears the doesn't move as you would expect when the car is off. I'm starting to wonder if the transmission problem is less severe than we thought. I'm hoping it is something like the clutch instead of replacing the transmission. What should my friend and I test to figure out what is wrong with the transmission? What do you guys think is wrong with the transmission? Thanks

Charles
1985 245ti 135K
Nick
1984 245t 180K

I think the transmission is seized internally. I haven't actually seen one do this- most people bring it to a shop, you know, when it starts making that metallic grinding noise?
1) The engine can't turn it from the front.
2) The wheels can't turn it from the back
3) The clutch is successfully disengaging the engine from the gearbox.
4) Since the shifter can allow the car to roll when neutral is selected, but locks it up when the other gears are selected, I'd say the input shaft is seized. I'd welcome other opinions on this, since it's hard to make guesses about parts you can't see, but that's what I think.


It's toast. Buy another transmission and make plans to put it in or drag it to a shop for installation. An early M46 ought to be pretty easy to find. You need the one with the speedometer drive on it.
Good luck!
--
Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: '87 244DL/M47- 221K, 88 744GLE- 202K, 91 244 181K, 88 244GL 145K

What year is the car?

See if I understand what you've got. Engine starts OK. In neutral, clutch out, engine still running OK. Put into any gear, let out clutch, engine dies, right?

Would seem that the drive line behind the engine is frozen. Perhaps you can check the other driveline components. Since you can push the car around in neutral, the drive shaft and rear axle components are likely OK.

Get one rear wheel off the ground. Have a helper in the car to hold the clutch down, and you attempt to turn that wheel. Should be OK in neutral. Put it in a gear, clutch disengaged, and turn the wheel. Do it in all four gears. Does it turn OK, or what? Post back with what you find.

Maybe another brickster has another idea??

Good Luck,

Bob

:>)