E46 - transmission vibration when accelerating through 40mph
Discussion
As per title really, had the car six years without issue, but recently under reasonable to hard acceleration I get a juddering from what feels like the propshaft/driveshaft at around 40mph which you quickly drive through. Doesn't really happen without acceleration, happens in second or third at the same road speed.
Been into the garage once, who confirm nothing appears to be wrong with the propshaft and not to worry about it.
I'm not urgently worried, but it's clearly not right or going to fix itself. Thoughts welcome.
X-reg 5sp 330ci
Been into the garage once, who confirm nothing appears to be wrong with the propshaft and not to worry about it.
I'm not urgently worried, but it's clearly not right or going to fix itself. Thoughts welcome.
X-reg 5sp 330ci
All good suggestions I will pass on, might book the car in with a local german car specialist a some point. (Andrew D Kirk Engineering Services, Wirral)
The car has had a new central bearing a year or so ago, when I asked for the rubber coupling to be done but it wasn't, by the same garage who have checked over the prop and 'found no issue' they are usually very good and I get on with the proprotor, although they do more work on newer cars.
The car has had a new central bearing a year or so ago, when I asked for the rubber coupling to be done but it wasn't, by the same garage who have checked over the prop and 'found no issue' they are usually very good and I get on with the proprotor, although they do more work on newer cars.
Could be unrelated, but the other thing I have noticed is on a couple off occasions while driving a low speeds, often after turning a corner, I get a bit of a metallic scraping noise a bit like a stone in a disk brake which changes if you apply the handbrake. Half feels a bit like a wheel bearing. Might be something completely different!
Lots good good suggestions.
The car has just thrown all the brake warning lights on ( ! ) (ABS) and stability control. So clearly something up there, which last time was a wheel bearing which had taken out the ABS sensor.
Will get it booked in next week armed with the above knowledge of common things it could be.
The car has just thrown all the brake warning lights on ( ! ) (ABS) and stability control. So clearly something up there, which last time was a wheel bearing which had taken out the ABS sensor.
Will get it booked in next week armed with the above knowledge of common things it could be.
skylarking808 said:
Under acceleration in third gear etc the propshaft was knocking etc.
My speacialist garage had only seen this fault a couple of times. I guess hard acceleration by aprevious owner may put pressure on the drivetrain and prop?
I changed the prop rubber etc before I spent £700 to order a new prop from Germany which solved it straight away. I think there are specialists who could have a go at balancing the shaft.
Fair enough. I'm not always mega gentle, but certainly it doesn't get thrashed and I would be amazing if I've bent it driving it, it's cold and wet for a start. My speacialist garage had only seen this fault a couple of times. I guess hard acceleration by aprevious owner may put pressure on the drivetrain and prop?
I changed the prop rubber etc before I spent £700 to order a new prop from Germany which solved it straight away. I think there are specialists who could have a go at balancing the shaft.
No obvious signs of rusted off weights either.
helix402 said:
Autodoc ATE sensor.
Fair. Typically, its £30 for a rear (same both sides) and £50 for a front (handed) but if the garage is still struggling I'll mail-order one. Seems I paid £37 for an Apec 1093 sensor 18months ago for the front right. Plus £75 for a 'wheel bearing including reader ring' presumably two parts! The bearing and a new ring.
Left showing the issue this time, so in away atleast it's not the same one!
Edited by dhutch on Friday 17th February 20:32
Yeah, second garage in and I was left wondering what the next step was, as they where not able to offer any advice other than 'see if it gets worse' which with time it might, but it is bugging me now.
Feels funny how it has common on so suddenly, and isn't seemly getting rapidly worse.
Maybe it has just got to a tipping point where it can get into oscillation? Was that how it was for you WIL? How come you are getting a refurbished prop, is a new one prohibitively expensive or due to availability? Who are you using for the referb? Struggling to even find one for sale.
Helix, when talking about the spline, do you mean the rear drive shafts, rather than the prop? I think the propshaft is bolted flange both ends?
Feels funny how it has common on so suddenly, and isn't seemly getting rapidly worse.
Maybe it has just got to a tipping point where it can get into oscillation? Was that how it was for you WIL? How come you are getting a refurbished prop, is a new one prohibitively expensive or due to availability? Who are you using for the referb? Struggling to even find one for sale.
Helix, when talking about the spline, do you mean the rear drive shafts, rather than the prop? I think the propshaft is bolted flange both ends?
WIL35 said:
My one had the classic centre prop bearing failure symptoms, could sort of feel it through the transmission tunnel when accelerating hard through 30-40mph. The support bearing was replaced but still had the same symptom.
There was only one M3 propshaft on eBay when I needed one, which was not too far away and was only £170, so I thought it was worth a try. I think new ones are around £900+.
Fair. And did it come on fairly suddenly, or was it gradual over months? Mine basically appeared overnight. Car is my daily so gets frequent use, millage is 190k. There was only one M3 propshaft on eBay when I needed one, which was not too far away and was only £170, so I thought it was worth a try. I think new ones are around £900+.
So, continuing the progress on this, the noise fairly suddenly went from annoying and only under acceleration, to really fairl bad basically any time you took it through from 20mph to 40!
Yesterday the car had a new giubo coupling and centre bearing, as the old coupling didn't look amazing and the (fairly new) central bearing had completely collapsed, and the noise remained basically unchanged! Balls.
Tried to recreate it on the 4post, rear off the ground, handbrake on. Slightly inconclusive, but if you forget to turn the traction control off, the abs shakes the rear all over the place and it's clear the fwd rear subframe mounts (item2) are in a pretty bad way, rear diff mount also not amazing (item9) so currently waiting on the garage to confirm availability and book it back in for that.
Fast becoming awkward with work and childcare as it's my daily and our toddler can go in the kitcar. Plus it's rain loads this week!
Short clip of the movement!
https://youtu.be/u0tPYRWLts8
Yesterday the car had a new giubo coupling and centre bearing, as the old coupling didn't look amazing and the (fairly new) central bearing had completely collapsed, and the noise remained basically unchanged! Balls.
Tried to recreate it on the 4post, rear off the ground, handbrake on. Slightly inconclusive, but if you forget to turn the traction control off, the abs shakes the rear all over the place and it's clear the fwd rear subframe mounts (item2) are in a pretty bad way, rear diff mount also not amazing (item9) so currently waiting on the garage to confirm availability and book it back in for that.
Fast becoming awkward with work and childcare as it's my daily and our toddler can go in the kitcar. Plus it's rain loads this week!
Short clip of the movement!
https://youtu.be/u0tPYRWLts8
The other suggestion, having spoken to the local tame Z4 specialist is the propshaft spigot bearing. Item1 on the below. And ther it's unlikely to be the shot subframe bushes.
However the garage who changed the giubo assures said part was in good shape.
I plan to keep the car for a while yet, and have no issues replacing the subframe bushes, but also really need the car back on the road asap!
However the garage who changed the giubo assures said part was in good shape.
I plan to keep the car for a while yet, and have no issues replacing the subframe bushes, but also really need the car back on the road asap!
Fair enough. I'm certainly not trying create work, just trying to get advice from various sources.
Plus it seems every part on this car is only available next day, rather than save day. Even if they send the right part first time.... Oh sorry, yes, it should have been this other part, we'll get out to, tomorrow..... Ahhhhgggg!
Every time it's another 'tomorrow' I have to get the train in, 10-15mins push bike each end, after arranging another way to drop the toddler off half an hours walk away. In the rain.
Plus it seems every part on this car is only available next day, rather than save day. Even if they send the right part first time.... Oh sorry, yes, it should have been this other part, we'll get out to, tomorrow..... Ahhhhgggg!
Every time it's another 'tomorrow' I have to get the train in, 10-15mins push bike each end, after arranging another way to drop the toddler off half an hours walk away. In the rain.
Talking 3rd party parts outlets, predominantly GT (General Traffic) as that's who most garages around here use.
I'm not at all supprised the parts are next day not same day for an older car, but it's also frustrating that garages don't seem at all keyed onto this, even when I suggest it's a possibility I've had times it's been booked a fortnight in advance for simple job, only be told they don't have the part and can't get it tomorrow. The last e46 rolled off Aug 2006 I believe, so 17 years ago, an older car but hardly rare or prehistoric.
I'm not at all supprised the parts are next day not same day for an older car, but it's also frustrating that garages don't seem at all keyed onto this, even when I suggest it's a possibility I've had times it's been booked a fortnight in advance for simple job, only be told they don't have the part and can't get it tomorrow. The last e46 rolled off Aug 2006 I believe, so 17 years ago, an older car but hardly rare or prehistoric.
Garage had decided the subframe and diff bushes job is larger than they want to take on, so have recommended another slightly larger repair shop t do the work (same place they recommended for some welding and painting work the car needs) but they are close for a fortnight while the two owners holiday with their children (fair enough) so I have another week of limping around trying to avoid any acceleration at all between 20 and 30mph.
Easy on sub 20mph roads, and trunk roads, but a pain anywhere else!
Easy on sub 20mph roads, and trunk roads, but a pain anywhere else!
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