Subject: Auto Box - ZERO drive!? '96 740i Help please Author: rickjohnson : member since August, 2007 : 11 posts Posted on: 2007-08-26 16:03:30

Thank you SO MUCH for your helpful advice last year re
the oil pump coming loose in the lovely V8 engine on
my 740i.
YOU guys saved my engine from destruction!
When I got my mechanic to eventually remove the sump
on my car (he was reluctant to do so saying these
engines don’t give trouble & BMW say no need to
check!) he was absolutely amazed when, as soon as the
sump came loose from the block, we heard a tell-tale
rattle inside the sump pan. Looking at each other, we
knew immediately what it was - a loose nut or bolt of
course.
Sure enough, it was the bolt from the oil pump - all
battered & twisted. The nuts were only hand tight and
would no doubt have come off in time!!
Thanks again guys, if I had listened to the BMW
“experts” here in the UK, my car engine would have
been totally destroyed now. They didn’t even stock
the sump gasket when I enquired at the nearest 2 BMW
dealers, they said no-one ever takes the sump off, so
they don’t stock or sell the gaskets!!

Well guys, it has taken me so long to thank you
because I wizzed off to Thailand as soon as my
mechanic had serviced the car & redone the oil pump,
because a friend of mine had an accident on a motor
bike and was in hospital - well all 3 of them
actually, all on the same small motor bike! Not at
all uncommon in Thailand, in fact I have seen a family
of 6 people all on the same bike before now.

That’s the end of the good news guys - here’s the bad
news:

I just got back from Thailand and went to collect my
740 from outside my son’s house where it has stood
since me leaving last year.
Before I left I said to him don’t thrash the car if
you take it out, because I am going to get the
mechanic to change the gearbox fluid and filter as
soon as I return (cos I read on your site about the
screeching noise - which I had been hearing last
year). My guy would have changed it before I left, but
we couldn’t get the fluid, and, yes you’ve guessed it,
BMW didn’t stock any of it, or the new filter, or the
gasket - because the gearbox is sealed for life and
you never have to check it, or top it up, or anything!
Well guys, I got half way home and the transmission
started to falter a little, that is, it seemed to slip
between changes and jerk a little bit, which it had
never done before. Anyway, I was a fair distance from
home so I carried on regardless, then, lights came on
the dash display telling me that the “automatic
transmission was operating in failsafe mode”, which
sounded like something from Microsoft Windows 3.1 but
as I said, I needed to get home. You’ve probably
guessed the next bit too! I got about another 50
miles with the CD playing my favourite music
beautifully (I’d missed it being in Thailand so long),
when suddenly everything on the car cut out. The
engine stopped and I rolled gracefully into the side
of the road (minus the good brakes & power steering).

To cut the story shorter for you, I have since had my
car collected by a recovery firm and brought to a
friends garage near where I am staying at the moment
as I didn’t make it home. He had a quick look at the
car (as much as you can without a ramp) and suggested
I leave it there for examination.

The engine runs fine but with the rear wheels jacked
up off the ground and the car on stands, there is no
drive whatsoever to the wheels when put into any
position on the shifter.

Any ideas please as to a course of action to take?
Is there some electrical problem or a sticking relay,
or has the computer switched the box off? or has it
simply destroyed itself inside and blown apart -
although there was no loud noises as such - inbetween
tracks on the cd’s!!

I have to joke about it otherwise I am going to cry,
because all my spare cash was spent taking care of my
three friends in Thailand until they got better. Mind
you, I’m not complaining, cos I had a great time
whilst there, just didn’t expect my trusty beemer to
be sick when I got back.

Thanks for taking the time to read my mail, I eagerly
await your opinions.

Regards,

Rick

• Auto Box - ZERO drive!? '96 740i Help please - rickjohnson 2007-08-26 16:03:30 (787 views)
  • Re: Auto Box - ZERO drive!? '96 740i Help please - bk62 2008-11-02 01:36:35 (473 views)
  • Auto Box - ZERO drive!? '96 740i - shogun 2007-11-13 01:19:13 (685 views)