Lo all.

 i'm trying to figure out a intermident problem i been having lately with my e32 automatic

sometimes when i put it in to reverse, it dosent seem to engage and i'll have to rev the engine a little to get it to engage with a bump.

But sometime it will engage reverse, but it will only creep backwards slowly until i rev a little then again it bumps into reverse fully almost if the clutch was slipping on a manual car, but its an automatic.

I had thought that the gearbox was simply not always engaging reverse and was contemplating an expensive rebuild, but since it sometimes partialy engages and creeps backwards then i thought possible the torque convertor?

I have ordered replacment tranmission oil and want to flush the gearbox to see if it will help but any suggestions would be appriciated.

If you have no problems in any of the forward gears the torque converter is fine. Get under the car with engine off and with gear lever in N (support and chog the wheels on the ground) and check for free play on linkage between gear lever and arm that is attached to shaft that enters side of gearbox. Next put gear lever into R and check that the same amount of free play is present. What I am getting at is, that it is possible that the internal linkage is not moved enough to put the spool valve fully into the reverse position due to linkage wear. If everything seems ok with the linkage the problem is more likely a worn brake band. Brake bands on auto boxes can be adjusted to allow for wear and is usually done after 70000 to 100000 miles. You may be lucky in that the oil pan gauze may be partially blocked with dirt and all that needs to be done is to clean it, on oil pan removal when changing the oil. A blocked gauze will restrict the oil flow to the oil pump which in turn will slow down the delivery of oil to the brake band actuating cylinder. This would account for the take up of drive on revving the engine.   

It could just be simply low on fluid.  Do you have a tranny dipstick?  If so you can check the fluid level and give it the sniff test.  Tranny fluid in a car of your age should be red.  If it smells like burnt toast, your torque converter is probably shot.

Next, get the box serviced.

This will change the fluid, filters and adjust any brake bands as mentioned above.

A an automatic transmission specialist will be able to service it and give it the once over for you.

ac car sales said that the transmission oil was fine.

as for the linkage, it does engage in reverse as it creeps slowly backwards before i rev it so  it would seem to be in gear,i'd imagine that it wouldnt creep at all if it wasnt . and AC had a good look at the linkage while they had it.but when i do rev it a bit it engages fully with a bump, feels the same if i reved it in neutral and dropped the shifter into reverse.

the brake band is something i'll have to look at and ac is currently getting in new oil so i can flush the box, and it was already down to the auto gearbox specialists who say they couldnt find anything wrong. partially because it only happens from time to time and it didnt give any problems while they had it.

it may be a case of simply waiting till it gets worse enough that i can autually show them what is happening, as it stands, its only happening to me mabey once or twice a week if even that so its not critical yet, in the meantime, i'll get the box services when AC gets the oil in, taking a while as its apparently got to come by land from germany.

If it's a ZF, then feel free to drop an email to these :

http://www.bavarian-board.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=43712&PN=1 - http://www.bavarian-board.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=43712&am p;PN=1

Im presuming if its an E32 that its a 735i? (no reason other than most were.)

If so i have a gearbox and torque convertor here that are functioning perfectly. Let me know if you want to go down the replacement route.

Its an e32, 740i.

I noticed that it also has a similer issue in first, but not as pronounced.  sometimes, usally when i am parking or creeping in first. the car will creep along at idle, but if i give it a little gas, then it still creeps for a bit, then accelerates suddenly but the engine revs stay the same, but without the bump that reverse has, feels exactly like a sliping clutch in a manual. it isnt happening everytime, but from time to time.

i'm planing on droping in into an automatic gearbox specialist to service the box and possible have a look at the torque convertor