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Thread: E39 525i Drifeshaft Issue

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    LA, California
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    2003 525i Wagon

    E39 525i Drifeshaft Issue

    I have been experiencing a spinning rubbing sound coming from the rear center of my 2003 525i Wagon when accelerating between 0-10mph, and having lurked through many posts it seemed the center support or flex disk might be the culprit. Having dropped the exhaust and heatshields down, I found the transmission mounts, flex disk and center support all seem to be in good shape. There is an area of wear on the shaft behind the U-joint (image link 1), and dropping the driveshaft out revealed wear to the surface of the tunnel directly above (image link 2). Any ideas what the cause of this could be? Thanks.

    https://imgur.com/a/YBsSlvJ

    https://imgur.com/a/1CoShGF

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    NW suburban Chicago
    Posts
    16,300
    My Cars
    hiss by my window
    Seems pretty clear that the heat shielding has drooped down low enough to contact the shaft. Push it back up and check the attachments.
    Here in the rusty part of the US the areas around the attaching nuts commonly corrode allowing the under car heat shielding to come loose. The solution here is a fender washer between the shield and the nut.
    Last edited by ross1; 05-23-2019 at 08:39 AM.

    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    LA, California
    Posts
    2
    My Cars
    2003 525i Wagon
    Hi thanks for your reply. Just checked, the shielding is tight up and not sagging.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Arlington, VA
    Posts
    9,931
    My Cars
    2018 BMW M240i
    Then the driveshaft is moving up enough to hit the heat shielding. Check the rear subframe bushings.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Western Pennsylvania
    Posts
    48
    My Cars
    335i 328i, 535xit, ++
    A bad motor or transmission mount would cause this on acceleration as the torque moves the engine. I've had several mounts go bad on E39s. Have somebody put the car from park to drive and reverse (prefereably with the car on the ground and their foot on the brake so you don't get run over...) and watch to see how much the engine moves. More than a tiuny amount and it is a mount. Also check the two round rear differential mounts. Push the diff up to see if it moves or look for movement using the put-in-grear technique.
    Current BMWs: 14 total. '12 X5, '09 E93 335i, '09 E91 328i, '08 E93 328i, '08 E61 535ix '02 E39 M5, '01 E39 M5, '02 E39 touring, '91 E34 M5, (2)'88 E28 M5s, '75 2002, 74 2002,
    Prior BMWs: Every E-body 5 series including tourings and every E-body 3 series. '74 2002 tii
    First rule of BMW Ownership: Buy a BMW specific scanner!

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