E46 Gear Change Clunk

E46 Gear Change Clunk

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Paul M

Original Poster:

367 posts

203 months

Tuesday 19th June 2012
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Message left on my 'phone today from the dealer asking how things are following my recent visit and if there is anything else they need to look at.

The obvious question would be is, in their opinion, the noise deemed as "normal" Suggest that they look at some of the possible causes mentioned by you good people here.Point out that the Indy noticed "play" on the propshaft?

At least I have another opportunity to see if a conclusion,either way, can be reached.

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 22nd June 2012
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Propshaft donut is usually the culprit.

http://mukerji.co.uk/2009/10/28/330d-propshaft-ful...

Paul M

Original Poster:

367 posts

203 months

Monday 2nd July 2012
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Thanks coombsfh.

The car is back with the dealers today and staying whilst they take a further look. Initial "diagnosis" being the clutch drag as mentioned previously - possibly removing the gearbox so at least they will be looking further into matters. Awaiting a telephone call to see what they find.

In the meanwhile making do with a very white 116ed courtesy car!

VinceFox

20,566 posts

171 months

Monday 2nd July 2012
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my e36 evo has a very stiff clunky change when cold. once the engine oil temp passes 40-50ish it goes. it seems they really do "all do that, sir".

4rephill

5,040 posts

177 months

Monday 2nd July 2012
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VinceFox said:
my e36 evo has a very stiff clunky change when cold. once the engine oil temp passes 40-50ish it goes. it seems they really do "all do that, sir".
It's not the notchy gearbox when cold that the Op is talking about, it's a single, physical clunk in the drive-train when you put the car into 1st gear to pull away (and sometimes 2nd gear too).

The gearbox oil temp makes no difference to this particular clunk, it's there hot or cold.



(You are correct though that the actual gear changes through the box improves as the gearbox oil gets warmer).

buggalugs

9,243 posts

236 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2012
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I spent some time underneath mine a while ago and came to the conclusion that the clunk came from play in the half shafts & diff. A tiny bit of play there results in a lot of movement in the prop before drive is taken up, so as you put the box into into first the input shaft is still spinning and transfers it's inertia into the prop. Prop flicks round by 20 degrees or so before the play is taken up.

Well it sounded like a plausible theory to me anyway hehe

Be interesting to hear what the dealer comes back with.

Paul M

Original Poster:

367 posts

203 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2012
quotequote all
Interesting indeed.

From the dealer - The flywheel was the issue so it and clutch replaced. I have a decent basic knowledge of mechanics but am at odds with their findings. Having looked up flywheel issues the symptoms don't appear to include any clunking noise as I have described.

More tomorrow after I pick up the car.

4rephill

5,040 posts

177 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2012
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Paul M said:
Interesting indeed.

From the dealer - The flywheel was the issue so it and clutch replaced. I have a decent basic knowledge of mechanics but am at odds with their findings. Having looked up flywheel issues the symptoms don't appear to include any clunking noise as I have described.

More tomorrow after I pick up the car.
I'm not sure if anything will change in your case or not (we'll find out tomorrow), but I had a new clutch and flywheel fitted by BMW and it still had the clunk going into 1st gear!

I did ask BMW if they knew what the cause could be and they basically said they weren't really sure, it's just something some of them do!

Paul M

Original Poster:

367 posts

203 months

Wednesday 4th July 2012
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Picked up the car this morning.

Told by the dealer that fluid from the flywheel had leaked and also contaminated the clutch "causing the problem I had experienced". Both flywheel and clutch have been replaced. A technician and the head technician had both driven the car and reported it was "driving perfectly"

The work was covered by the AUC warranty. I asked out of interest how much it would have cost otherwise....... about £2000 eek

Car washed and valeted off I go. Promising start, gear change seems quieter. Later..... first to second a clunk. Engage first from standstill loud clunk rolleyes

My cynical side and your thoughts 4rephill meant I was not surprised. Maybe it is just one of those things that cannot be sorted and I'll just have to live with it ..... at least something was found (whether related or not)and I do now have a new clutch and flywheel. I haven't got the heart to go back and say, "You know that clunking noise I had?"

markc123

50 posts

157 months

Wednesday 4th July 2012
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Do you get any rev bouncing when parking - usually when slipping clutch?

I finally fixed my 1st to 2nd clunk, it was the lower intake boot which had torn causing a vacuum leak. Believe it or not, this made the engine do odd things on over run, in my case the revs dropped really fast when changing gear, so that when you engaged the next cog there was a jerk as the engine was spun back up using the cars momentum.

If any of this sounds familiar, try driving it with the MAF unplugged for a few miles. Engine goes into fail safe and the vac leak no longer throws it.

Paul M

Original Poster:

367 posts

203 months

Wednesday 4th July 2012
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Do you get any rev bouncing when parking - usually when slipping clutch?


No nothing like that.

The car drives and handles as it should.

4rephill

5,040 posts

177 months

Wednesday 4th July 2012
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Paul M said:
Do you get any rev bouncing when parking - usually when slipping clutch?


No nothing like that.

The car drives and handles as it should.
I've pretty much given up trying to figure it out now!

I've ruled out all the most obvious possibilities and am left wondering if it's something in the gearbox itself (and as the gearbox works fine I'm not going to start messing about with it).

I've tried tricks such as going into 2nd/3rd/4th/5th/reverse first and it was still the same.

As I've previously posted, the only thing that seems to make the gear change into 1st gear clunk free is when the car is rolling forward slightly.

This is how I know my car is female: Always costs Me money, she's full of strange little quirks that don't always make any sense and you'd go mental trying to figure them all out.
(And despite all that, I wouldn't be without her!)

Paul M

Original Poster:

367 posts

203 months

Saturday 7th July 2012
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I love the car and the noise won't spoil my overall enjoyment of it but it is something that I believe should not be there. I have the warranty and should really take advantage of it now rather than matters worsening (if they do) when it expires.

I will no doubt receive the courtesy call from the dealer asking if all is well. There would be no benefit saying yes all is fine and may as well see what they next suggest (if anything)

What vehicle do you have 4rephill by the way? Has the issue worsened over time or remained the same?

dr_gn

16,140 posts

183 months

Saturday 7th July 2012
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Mine does it too. I checked all the things I thought it would be:

Subframe mounts.

Propshaft coupling.

Diff mounts.

It was none of these - just general drivetrain backlash.

The gearbox is by far the weakest part of my car in terms of refinement, but you do get used to it to a degree.

4rephill

5,040 posts

177 months

Sunday 8th July 2012
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Paul M said:
What vehicle do you have 4rephill by the way? Has the issue worsened over time or remained the same?
sorry I didn't get back to you sooner.

My car's a '97 E36 328i Sport that I've owned for 6 years and it's remained the same in all that time.

Although it's not the same model 3 series as yours, the main reason for My replies is to reassure you that it's an issue that's affected BMW's since before the E46.

You're not alone with this clunk by any means - loads of owners have had it and I've never found anyone who has discovered the exact cause!



Paul M

Original Poster:

367 posts

203 months

Sunday 8th July 2012
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dr_gn said:
The gearbox is by far the weakest part of my car in terms of refinement, but you do get used to it to a degree.
I no doubt will get used to it - It's because it's an unknown, there are no definitive answers and not all seem to be effected by it which makes it frustrating.

Paul M

Original Poster:

367 posts

203 months

Sunday 8th July 2012
quotequote all
4rephill said:
You're not alone with this clunk by any means - loads of owners have had it and I've never found anyone who has discovered the exact cause!
I'd like to be the first smile

4rephill

5,040 posts

177 months

Sunday 8th July 2012
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Paul M said:
I'd like to be the first smile
Just be sure to let the rest of us know if you ever get it figured out! thumbup

giw12

1,245 posts

262 months

Sunday 8th July 2012
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It was the first thing I noticed on mine when I bought it 6 years ago. Never got any worse and the gearbox never got any better....by far the worst component in the package. Sold and not missed tbh....no more will I pore over CDV, MAF, sensor blahblah.

Anyhoo....enjoy! smile

il-mostro

173 posts

212 months

Friday 20th July 2012
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Hey there.
I have just bought an E46 Alpina with auto box, and mine clunks, especially in first and second gear. Does yours do it when you roll on and off the throttle at low speed? Mine does.
I just had mine insp2 serviced by a local indi, and he suggested the Diff mounts, as mentioned elsewhere in the thread. I have been quoted £250 to get this sorted.
I used to have an E46 330 ci auto, and that never clunked. Don't accept 'they all do that sir'. If you have a warranty, get them to check it.

God luck.
Mark