I've just swapped 5 speed the transmissions from my '86 740T with one from a wrecker. Since the "new" one came from a diesel it had a different bell housing. I reused the bell housing and shift lever from my original transmission.

After reassembling everything I started the car on jackstands and tried every gear. They all worked. On the ground though I can't get into any gear. Reverse just grinds, and 1st is impossible to get into with the car running, clutch pedal on the floor. I've bled the hydraulic clutch, but it doesn't seem to help.

When I removed the clutch slave cylinder I noticed that the operating rod extended as far as it could go. Is this normal? How much travel should the end of the clutch lever have? Installed the operating rod doesn't seem to push out quite as far it moves out on its own uninstalled.

Are these just impossible to bleed without a pressure bleeder? What about pulling vacuum? Where can I find either tool in the San Francisco area? Help, my beloved brick is ailing, and I can't fix it!