What did i break

[wannaBMthree]

Daily driving a manual for 18 years. e36-e30-540i6. Normally pretty good at taking off without dumping it too hard but I had a little road rage going on (probably a Prius?) and dumped it in first while moving and heard a loud clunk. Happens now when I get on it from a dig, only then not while shifting in any other gears but launching in first.

Been taking it easy since then but a sweet e38 with a 4.6 swap rolled up to me last night and couldn't help myself. Yup, the clunk is still there, yes I searched, easy to diagnose? Appreciate the response, tired of going to my mechanic chasing fixes and blowing money (I'm inept at wrenching).

[jehu]

I had such a thing and when I was replacing struts with Koni sports the shop called and said they looked short... that they would likely hop inside the tube.... I wondered if this was it .. do you have other than Original strut inserts ? maybe when the rear squats on hard launches the front end hops and what you're hearing it the insert hitting the bump stop

[tantumaude]

Is the clunk from front or rear? Do you get it if going in reverse?

Immediate thoughts from front to rear are tranny mounts, giubo, csb, driveshaft cv joint, loose diff bolts (happened to me on the weekend), subframe bushes, cv axles, and finally failing diff. All are fairly easy to check if you can get the car up on a lift.

[wannaBMthree]

Is the clunk from front or rear? Do you get it if going in reverse?

Immediate thoughts from front to rear are tranny mounts, giubo, csb, driveshaft cv joint, loose diff bolts (happened to me on the weekend), subframe bushes, cv axles, and finally failing diff. All are fairly easy to check if you can get the car up on a lift.

Thanks guys. clunk is near the transmission. Haven't noticed it in reverse. I'll get it up on the rack and have them check that stuff out. Car has 262k and runs amazing despite my abuse.

[ross1]

A single clunk or a series of them? One I'd suspect the trans mounts, a series of thumps in that area would have me examining the driveshaft center bearing support.
See what happens when you beat on an old car

[moroza]

My post a few days ago is below. I suspect your giubo or trans mounts. Crawl underneath and inspect both.

CSB vibrates when loaded at ~40-60kph long before any noise.
Subframe mounts are a heavy *thump* you can feel, and often comes with rear-end wander.
Giubo (not guibo) at the front of the driveshaft makes a medium-pitched clunk and may or may not vibrate.
CV joints can rumble and vibrate, and if flexed enough (rare in RWD use, common in FWD) will make click/pop noises.
Diff bushings aren't common failure items but I would imagine a medium-heavy clunk.
Rear subframe center mount is also uncommon and I would expect a heavy thump.
Driveshaft pilot bushing wears out and can cause vibrations, but never a noise IME.

Reminds me of a sign that my former shop had:

Labor Rates:

Squeak-squeak.......... $50
Click-click-click.......... $125
Click-click-clank......... $150
Clunk-clunk-thump...... $180
Whirrrrrr .................. $200
Hiss-sputter-cough.... $300
Thump-thump-thud.... $450
Bang-bang-bang........ $600
(Silence) ................. $1000
BOOM ..................... $Sit down first