Unofficialbmw.com

[polyrhythmic]

I turned the corner and started to pull away slowly from the corner (thank goodnees, the corner 1/2 a block from my apt) when this sound came from my rear end. It sounded like somewhere between blowing a tire and my transmission dragging on the ground. I don't seem to be missing any parts (and nothing is actually dragging on the ground) but I don't remember if my rear end underside always looked like that. The car does move but if I put any torque over a snails pace into it this sound comes out. Needless to say it is parked.

Is this my guibo, or whatever it is I've heard about? Help please! This happened right after I said I could make it downtown for a job interview(!) And I'm worried about my new baby...

[steevo]

Could be a busted cv joint on one of the cv axle shafts. Inspect the cv boots and check the shafts for movement.Just a guess.What's up everybody!!!
_________________
Gruß Steve, 1987 325is

[JRS]

A) Sound coming from the REAR.

Guibo is located around the shifter area. If it were that, you'd hear a thump-type noise.

Possible blown rear shock mount. If you have your rear lining in the trunk, you won't be able to see the shock mounts. And looking from inside the rear wheel wells won't show the shock mounts either.

JRS
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Is your cup half full or half empty ?

[rj7hills]

Jack up the rear end and turn the wheels. Try to isolate the sound near the wheel or in the middle near the differential. Sounds like it could be a rear wheel bearing, but it should have been grumbling for a while. Also look for jerky movements in the cv joints.

[peerless]

So hows that niose go again?

Could be a blown differential?? But they are pretty strong and it would have had to be beaten to death before hand. If it was completely dry you would have heard it singing.

How about a broken rear U-Joint on the driveshaft?

Most likely it sounds like you have a busted CV joint. I would think you have heard it making noise before a complete failure though?

Check it out like steevo mentioned. Grab it and try to move it up and down and side to side. If it feels all loose like a broken chicken leg then you have found your problem. Same applies to checking the rear u-joint.

I dont know if you can work on your car at the apartments but you could get the rear completly up on jackstands and run it through the gears.

Let us know.
_________________
Robert

E30 Repair and Maintenance Services
714-398-8405

[haber]

Jack up one rear wheel at a time. The jack in the trunk will work fine. Put the car in neutral and spin the wheel both forward and back.

If only one side makes strange sounds and becomes hard to turn it is probably that side's drive axle. If both sides sound the same you have a driveshaft problem or much less likely a differential problem.

I'm betting on the driveshaft or guibo... It's the weakest link in the drivetrain.
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-------- -x--x-- SI ByePass

[polyrhythmic]

Thank you all for your advice. So far all I have had time to do is climb under and look around. The CV boots look fine and the shocks seem secure in their mountings, but if I

[Quincy56]

The shock mouts are up at the top of the rear shocks and can be seen in the trunk if you remove the plastic carpet stuff. Bounce the car on each side and see if you hear clunking.

Could also be subframe bushings that are shot.

Where are you located?
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92 325ic - Isabelle
91 318i - Oscar - RIP
89 325i - Otis - RIP

[polyrhythmic]

Good to know, I'll check ASA I'm off of work.

I'm in Seattle area, WA, there's fellow E30 owners here (Dale, etc.), unfortunately I haven't yet had the time to meet them.
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Charles
1984 318i 5spd 3.91 LSD
Original UnofficialBMW BMW (Unofficially)
Pushing 300,000 and going strong

[infotron1]

bet you it is the center bearing support on the driveshaft. A little way back from the Gibio (which i assume you have checked) is the support bearing - see if you can move the driveshaft up and down near the support - if it moves it's blown. Bit of a pia to replace as you have drop the exhaust down a bit and remove the heat shields and the drive shaft.

[JRS]

1984 BMW 318I
WBAAK7409E9024928
SEDAN 2 DR.
1.8L L4 MPI SOHC / REAR WHEEL DRIVE

Date: Mileage: Source: Comments:
03/09/1993 178,000 Alaska
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Fairbanks, AK
Title #1722944 Title or registration issued
05/25/1995 Washington
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Mukilteo, WA
Title #931403150395145 Title or registration issued
Exempt from odometer reporting
12/31/1995 Alaska
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Fairbanks, AK
Title #1722944 Title or registration issued
05/27/1998 244,000 Washington
Inspection Station Passed emissions inspection
02/05/1999 Washington
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Mountlake Terrace, WA
Title #9903634715 Title or registration issued
Exempt from odometer reporting
06/06/2000 158,000 Washington
Inspection Station
Lynnwood, WA Passed emissions inspection
INCONSISTENT ODOMETER READING
CARFAX AdvisorTM
CARFAX analyzed this mileage history and is uncertain whether this reading represents a rollback or a clerical error. Please verify the mileage with your dealer or a qualified mechanic.


08/03/2001 Washington
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Mukilteo, WA
Title #9903634715 Title or registration issued
New owner reported
Exempt from odometer reporting
06/26/2002 167,000 Washington
Inspection Station
Fall City, WA Passed emissions inspection
07/08/2004 177,895 Washington
Inspection Station
Everett, WA Passed emissions inspection
07/19/2004 Washington
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Snohomish, WA
Title #0121536317 Title or registration issued
New owner reported
08/31/2006 Washington
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Seattle, WA
Title #0420132304 Title issued or updated
New owner reported
Exempt from odometer reporting
Vehicle color noted as Gray
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Is your cup half full or half empty ?

[peerless]

[polyrhythmic]

Well, off of work turned out to be a lot farther away than I thought...

I'd been pounding the pavement, sent/dropped off around 40 resumes...and got bombarded with 3 new jobs but at least now I definitely afford to rock out my E30! Finally made over to the trans shop yesterday at 4:45 but the iced 12 pack helped me up my place in the queue and the owner walked over and saw my baby right away. He's got the key and it'll be the next up on the lift so anytime now...

Anyway what's wrong with it, as I found out yesterday when I put her up on the jack in neutral (chocked wheels of course) and spun each rear wheel individually (and the mechanic confirmed):
A differential mount seems to have broken loose (the loud chunk sound that was like something falling off) and the diff is hanging twisted about 30° clockwise (looking from the back) and the really nasty *chunk chunk chunk chunk* sound is the square back end of the driveshaft rubbing against the lower support/shield (what do you call that piece of metal?)

So hopefully this means all the driveline is still ok, and it just needs a mount welded on or something. I'm going to have them look it all over and do all the fluids while they have it up, they'll be able to tell more about it that way anyway.

Has anyone seen this happen before? It was only driven 40 ft so I didn't mess up anything else, right?

I'll keep y'all posted
_________________
Charles
1984 318i 5spd 3.91 LSD
Original UnofficialBMW BMW (Unofficially)
Pushing 300,000 and going strong

[tncean]

Good luck!! Do please post.

tncean

[85-325e]

If you only drove 30 feet, you're probably OK, but you won't know until you get the diff cover replaced. You can't weld those covers... they're aluminum. You just replace them. New ones are a bit pricey, you see them used from time to time on eBay. MOst junk yards won't sell you a cover off a diff cause it renders the diff uesless.

You say though that the diff is twisted...

That piece of metal you mentioned is the sub-frame. The diff mounts to that with 4 huge bolts and then one long bolt through the bushing in the cover to a bracket that hangs down. The twisted part is what worries me. Those 4 bolts are pretty big. Regardless of which way it's twisted, it's likely that the sub-frame is whacked. OR...

The last person that played with the diff didn't get the bolts in correctly and they're gone. If all 4 bolts were attached to the sub-frame, it can't twist like that. 30 degrees is a LOT of twist. OR...

It's also possible that three of the bolts sheared off, and it's hanging on by one bolt. If that's the case, they'll have to extract the bolts from the differential housing, unless that's toast too.

If it IS the sub-frame, do all of the rubber underneath at once. You'll get a great new feel, and that rubber's probably pretty worn. They're going to have to remove those things anyway if they have to drop the sub-frame.
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Cosmo - 1985 BMW 325e, Single Owner, 265,000+ ORIGINAL miles and still going strong! But now on the East Coast and the salt air corrosion is eating my beautiful car alive...