Automatic box playing up

[mez]

Hi Guys

First let me say hello as I'm a Newbie
I'm having trouble with my gearbox my car is a 1985 635csi and while I'm driving all of a sudden the auto light on the dash will flicker & I lose drive causing the engine to stall most times, there is also a clicking noise coming from the gear selector.
If I turn car off & then restart all is ok until the next time, sometimes I can travel 20 miles & all is well other times it might do it 3 times in 5 minutes!!
Can anyone please help?

mez.

[hornhospital]

Welcome to bigcoupe!
I've got zero experience with automatics in E24s, so someone else will have to pipe in with suggestions.

[bpoliakoff]

Best place to start is the "cannon" plug at the trans. Pull it and soak the crap out of it with contact cleaner. I mean spray it like crazy. That has been know to be a problem. Next is to drop the pan and check the filter of course before doing any of this have you checked the fluid level in the trans? The three things I have suggested are the only "at home cures" I know of without getting into more advanced mechanics.

[GCR]

Also check fuse 17 (30A) and the K5 unloader relay. Power supply for the selector switch and the cluster is fed through that circuit.

[Pod]

Welcome to The Forum!

So the engine doesn't cut out? Does the transmission go through all the gears smoothly? Does the kick-down work? Does the S/E/1-2-3 switch work and does it return to the central setting when you turn off and re-start the engine?

[mez]

Thanks for the replies guys I'm working through the solutions slowly. Checked fuses & relay they seem ok, checked the oil while car was running & couldn't get a reading on dipstick so think this could be my problem maybe. I have sent car off to my local garage for a load of work so they can look at it now.

[Pod]

Let us know how you got on?

[mez]

Ok so far I have changed gearbox oil & filter, all plugs & relays.
This seems to have helped a lot, now I realise the Alternator is not working as it should so when the battery(BRAND NEW) gets low this throws allsorts of electrical issues up So now i'm looking for a replacement Alternator or have it rebuilt locally & then i'm thinking all should be ok.
Thanks for your replies.