E53 M54 Exhaust Headers
 

I think the synchros just spun up a bit. A double clutch may have been the remedy. This is my daily driver, so it just lets me know not to push too hard. I seldom run her up over 6000 rpm anyway, so it shouldn’t be an issue. I just don’t want to deal with a blown gearbox this far in.

The manual E53 has a short ratio box, 3rd is the gear for a downshift at that speed. It was a good one too! It caught me by surprise, the thing just hooked, and ripped, I was at 90 quick! It’s unnecessary for me to operate the X5 in this manner anyhow.

1st tops out at about 25
2nd at about 50
3rd about 90
4th about 115
5th 135

And you know it has 4.10’s

.

X5 gearing is a little different than you would expect.

Compared to a more typical manual gear spacing, it's kind of like:
0.75
1.5
2
3
4
5

People complain about it, and it requires a little bit of shift cadence adjustment, but once you get used to it, you end up with a vehicle that moves in a way that you have no right to expect out of such a dinky motor. And that's setting aside what Happy has done.

Edit: Amusingly, 1/2/3 in the X5 are very similar to what I'm running in the E30 M3 if I had the rev limiter set at 6,500. With the rev limiter set to 8,900, though, it's a slightly different experience.

Synchronizers don't fix themselves. If the clutch is working properly once the trans grinds going from one gear to another it will continue to do so.
It doesn't go away. If the grinding is gone the clutch wasn't depressed enough when the shift took place. If it grinds in every gear it is likely the problem is the clutch.

Yeah some do complain about it. I think the gearing is awesome! You are completely correct, it allows the beast to move!

So in other words Nick, that E30 pulls hard AF! LoL..!

Yeah could’ve been that I didn’t have the pedal all the way.

Its funny because I have never experienced a grind before, and I purposely shifted extremely conservative. Like Nick said, maybe it was because I was a bit shook at the time.

Can someone post a link for that Doctor LAVR 3.0L catless headers? I don't think Ebay sells them anymore. thanks

I don’t think commerce is allowed between U.S. and Russia currently. Which sucks because, The BMW Doctor and his crew seemed pretty cool, plus they offer high quality products.

Glad to help. I really enjoy opening up mine, really woke it up. Was worth the exhaust stink!

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Yeah! They really make some pretty decent gains! I’m burning E85, so mine has a unique stink. LoL..