1987 328 gts resurrection

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Is this what you're needing? It's from my '89, but might be the same.

 

Junior - if it's just "plugging some wires in," it should be easy for you and you probably have it figured out by now.

BTW, did you search FC to look for answers to your big ignition switch mystery? (which is the least of your problems based on the pics you posted)

 

When you took the console off (seemingly intact) and laid it to the side to work on the shifter, did you only have to remove the four screws holding it down to the floor? I could swear there were another 1-2 hidden screws that required taking out the switch panel first, but that is going off memory from what I have read over the years. If it's just the four screws and there is enough slack in the harness to just lay it over on one piece, that would be nice.

I want to replace the shift shaft seals on my car at some point, but was not looking forward to pulling the console apart since I really hate mingling interior work with mechanical work outside the car . The interior on my 87 328 was redone by the last owner, and is so pristine I am reluctant to tear into it more than I have to.

 

There's no need to take the console out when replacing the shift shaft seals. Everything can be done from underneath the car.Whilst your doing that work, go for X rings, rather than O rings. X rings will last much longer.

 

And you can replace the middle seal even without taking of the engine cover, just the gearbox cover.

 

After sump pans are off did you see, was there much sludge ?
I am considering an engine flush for mine but not sure yet.

 

What I've heard is that it is going to be challenging to slide the internal shifter rod all the way out of the engine/transmission with the shift shaft still connected to the shifter and dangling under the car. Some people either remove the console and disconnect the shift shaft from the shifter so it can be pulled forward out of the way, or they loosen the engine mounts and slightly pivot the engine so the internal shifter rod can slide past the shift shaft.

I did buy new silent blocks so I was leaning towards pulling the console out since that would kill a couple birds with one stone. I don't know that my silent blocks necessarily need replacement, and for that matter the forward shift shaft seal barely leaks (like one small drop on the floor if I don't drive the car for 2-3 weeks). But there is a little bit of slop in the shifter and going into 2nd has initial resistance about half the time (separate from the well-known cold-transmission characteristic) so I sort of want to chase down all the possibilities. That would include cleaning out the shifter box and then re-lube it. I've always felt like the occasional resistance I feel going into 2nd is happening in the shifter and not the transmission.

 

I've also read what you say about removing the shift rod, but it came out of mine without having to do any of the things you mention (above). It is a tight squeeze but no force was needed to do it this way. When your putting it back it is well worth using a tapered tool, which is the same diameter as the shaft, to ease the shaft over the seals. This prevents seal damage and makes reassembly much easier. I used X rings to replace the O rings. When your in there also make sure all the selector fingers are correctly aligned. There's plenty about this on the forum, and could explain some of your gear shift concerns. Also take care in reassembling the dip stick tube. The union should have a copper washer between it and the block. The dipstick tube needs a dab of sealant where it sits against the union, otherwise it may leak.
Re the silent blocks, my car had done 55,000 miles and these were as good as new. I did replace the one exposed to road grime, but it didn't really need doing. Be wary of replacing rubber items such as this. Sometimes, due to dubious sourcing tactics by suppliers, the new ones are less functional than good condition original parts!
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As the shifter internals are just a ball in socket design it seems unlikely the 2nd gear reluctance is in the shifter. Much more likely to be in the gearbox. Still a good idea to remove, clean and lube the shifter every few decades. It's also possible your choice of gearbox oil is having an influence on shift quality.

 

Agreed, unlikely to be in the shifter. My understanding is that there is a mod to drill the gearbox housing in order to address the second gear issue, but some really knowledgeable people here indicate that isn't going to fix the issue except on the earliest cars (GT4, etc). It seems people have good luck running Redline MTL and that's what I'm planning to try in my QV.

 

MTL made a notable positive difference in my car over whatever was in there when I bought it.