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Thread: AWFUL noise with solid mounts

  1. #1
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    AWFUL noise with solid mounts

    2003 325i. Welded Diff. Long story short, I installed lowering delrin engine and trans mounts and the result is a very loud and solid clunking noise.
    The noise was noticed while going backwards and steering to the left down the driveway (if that matters)
    Sounds like it is coming from the transmission tunnel or under the passenger floor.
    Car also has delrin subframe mounts, RTAB spacers and delrin diff mounts
    Subframe is reinforced too.
    Only conclusion I can come up with is center support bearing or guibo is tearing under load.

    Thank you for your help
    (2 videos below)

    https://drive.google.com/open?id=11k...GcNbT5GACNuSbR
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by BryceMotch; 04-09-2018 at 05:56 PM.

  2. #2
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    Forgive the captain obvious question, but have you torqued everything that you loosened?

    Lots of noise is to be expected with solid mounts, to some extent, but more in an amplify-everything sort of way rather than a oh-god-it's-broken way. I can't watch the videos right now, but will try to watch this evening.
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  3. #3
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    Yes. Twice. Two different install days. First Installed the engine/trans mounts only. Backed the car up. Heard the noise and recorded the video.
    2nd day installed the rear end mount bushings and diff mounts, backed the car up again, noise still there.
    I may have the mounts too tight, their torque spec calls for 8-10 ft lbs.

  4. #4
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    The vids sure sound like something is broken/hitting ... not the usual clunking from solid mounts. Your guibo is on it's way out, but that would not be the noise. Are you sure shifter linkeage, or something else is not hitting the driveshaft?

    Edit: Just noticed you said welded diff ... the noise form that could be being amplified through the solid mounts
    Last edited by ScotcH; 04-10-2018 at 11:42 AM.
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  5. #5
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    Is it only when turning the car? If so my vote is the welded diff too.

    In the corners one wheel is going to spin faster than the other, now you can feel that through your drivetrain.
    Last edited by Pat533i; 04-10-2018 at 04:37 PM.

  6. #6
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    Yea. Welded diff. If I drive it around the block, normal speeds at lock I don't anything other than the "wheel scuff" sounds of a locked diff.
    I noticed and recorded the video while rocking back and forth in the driveway at an angle while turning.

  7. #7
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    If it were me step one would be to pull the driveshaft.
    1) Grab the input yoke of the diff and rotate back and forth vigorously - listen for noise
    2) Grab output flange of the trans (in gear), rotate back and forth vigorously - listen for noise.
    3) If no clanking, start car run trans through gears with no driveshaft - listen for noise
    4) If no noise roll car back and forth with no driveshaft - listen for noise
    5) If no noises surface, replace driveshaft and center bearing

    If your are sure, sure, sure, sure nothing is hitting anything (heat shields, exhaust, etc),,, I think its in your driveshaft somewhere either center bearing or worn / damaged u-joints
    Last edited by jimmypet; 04-11-2018 at 02:15 PM.
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  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by jimmypet View Post
    If it were me step one would be to pull the driveshaft.
    1) Grab the input yoke of the diff and rotate back and forth vigorously - listen for noise
    2) Grab output flange of the trans (in gear), rotate back and forth vigorously - listen for noise.
    3) If no clanking, start car run trans through gears with no driveshaft - listen for noise
    4) If no noise roll car back and forth with no driveshaft - listen for noise
    5) If no noises surface, replace driveshaft and center bearing

    If your are sure, sure, sure, sure nothing is hitting anything (heat shields, exhaust, etc),,, I think its in your driveshaft somewhere either center bearing or worn / damaged u-joints
    Exhaust was cut at the headers and the heat shield has been removed. (photos were taken when removed)

    I was thinking about replacing the guibo and center bearing anyway... but they seem solid vs. some REALLY bad ones I have seen. But they looked okay already. Any reason to upgrade to a RevShift vs stock guibo?

  9. #9
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    If that driveshaft is original - original to the car (like 30 years old),,, I'd swap the whole assembly for a rebuilt unit.
    I have had great luck / results with these guys. I have purchased (3) E30 shafts from them and one for my 318Ti.

    http://www.driveshaftspecialist.com/...0html/BMW.html

    Fast shipping, good packaging and less expensive than the more well known entity you always hear people talk about from the PNW.

    And no,,, if you are still using a trans that needs a guibo, I have always just used a standard guibo even when I run solid mounts everywhere.
    The E30 Gruppe A cars were set up like that so I followed that lead and never messed with the guibo.
    Last edited by jimmypet; 04-12-2018 at 09:13 AM.
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  10. #10
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    So here's an update... the sound also happens (but much more quiet) when the engine is shut off. Clutch chatter? Something in the transmission?

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by BryceMotch View Post
    So here's an update... the sound also happens (but much more quiet) when the engine is shut off. Clutch chatter? Something in the transmission?
    You mean coasting in neutral, engine off?

    I'd still say, driveshaft, center bearing.
    jimmy p.


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  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by jimmypet View Post
    You mean coasting in neutral, engine off?

    I'd still say, driveshaft, center bearing.
    No, like stop, pull ebrake, car in neutral, turn key off. The last sound I hear is the faint (clunkclunkclunk)

  13. #13
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    Probably axles/CV joints. They will wear out quickly with a welded diff due to the forces going into them, especially since the load direction reverses as you corner. The CV joints will wear on both the accel thrust face and the decel face, which tends to open up tolerances and make them develop very quickly.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Def View Post
    Probably axles/CV joints. They will wear out quickly with a welded diff due to the forces going into them, especially since the load direction reverses as you corner. The CV joints will wear on both the accel thrust face and the decel face, which tends to open up tolerances and make them develop very quickly.
    I don't believe its driveline related now after hearing it when the engine is cycled off. I think its in the transmission/flywheel area.

  15. #15
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    I like what Jimmypet gave you as a list of things to to. Also It appeared the the ujoints are calling you to replace that driveshaft. Did mine last year. Not a whole lot in the flywheel area and you could disconnect the drive shaft from the tranny in a few minutes and confirm front or rear
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  16. #16
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    Resurect. Did you ever figure this out. Just finished a similar setup and have the same noise. Its sounds fucking terrible. Car has welded 3.91. Solid mounts throughout. New CSB and new guibo. U joints on driveshaft has no play. My car makes identical noise when backing out of driveway and sometimes at lock.
    Last edited by C NoTe; 07-28-2019 at 02:00 PM.
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  17. #17
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    Not meaning to be a smart ass here but what have you done other than posting this here? I have had huge noises develop as my car went from street to track only. It is so loud now that with my helmet off, if I din't know better I would not drive it. I would also caution you that every "performance" mod takes its toll on your car so if you don't have patience, knowledge, time, or $$$ this is not for the faint of heart. Loud and I mean loud noises I have encountered:
    Camber bolts in the rear end were worn and would give under hard cornering but only one direction. Spent a ton because I did not have 3 of 4 the aforementioned .
    Bang under stopping that was evident in the paddock but I never heard it on track (covered by engine noise). Let other drive the car and they found nothing. In the end it was the pad shifting in the caliper cup as I damaged one of the clips changing out pads. Loud vibration I attributed to playing with beads as tire balancing issue. Was actually my drive shaft bolts backing off.

    Point is this, if you can get it up in the air on a lift or jack stands you can find most of the issues yourself. There is not a whole lot of choices but you need to look at everything. I recently switched to solid mounts and the car is even noisier. All this means is I need to spend more time before and after I beat on it. There is no free lunch here....and you know more than you think once you get at it.
    Have you ever looked at your cv joints? You can clean them and re-grease without taking them apart without too much trouble. Last time your dif fluid was changed? I drilled a hole in my tire well so I can get at the top plug with ease so I can drop fluid and check it. When it comes out it goes through a screened funnel and a magnet to look for surprises. Take it slow and think it through.
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  18. #18
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    Dude had this problem a year ago. I assumed he would have had it figured out by now so I thought I would ask. None of those noises are what he's explaining or even posted a video clip about. Did you watch it. It's very specific. An happens in a very specific way. I happened to come across this thread when researching failing dual mass noise cause to me it sounds like it's coming from the trans tunnel area as op also said and thought I'd ask. My car had been in the air numerous times and is on my lift right now. You asked me what I've done. When I wrote that I had brand new CSB and guibo and no play in my driveshaft all were suggested in this thread and I've ruled them out. To add diff is full of brand new fluid Axel's were off and felt decent. Which kead me back to the flywheel as I've been through the whole drive line. So I'm putting I a solid and a new clutch and see if it's still there.

  19. #19
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    It might very well be axels I'm goinngg to take them out and look again

  20. #20
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    My point was simply that it could also be normal for the car based on the changes made. Flywheel could be shot or worn out. My comments are based on that as the rubber disappears in our cars for better performance they get really loud. Best of luck

    For the record, only videos I watch include naked women and as I am sure with the car one, hard for anyone to diagnose from video. Ultimately the issue will be found if you are able to think it through and dig deep enough
    ME:"I want to make my car faster and lighter"
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  21. #21
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    I don't understand. You want to comment on a thread but not watch the video showing the problem and instead make a common sense point that a solid mount car is going to be more noisey? The noise is not normal as you would instantly know had you watched the video but thanks for enlightening me that my gutted caged car might give me a slight headache.

    - - - Updated - - -

    The point of a forum is discussion. Sharing. Knowledge. Dude had a problem I can see the the problem is exactly the same as my problem so is it totally out of the realm of possibility to you that someone else might happen upon it and go hey I had that problem it was this or that and then omg knowledged shared we fixed it. But to you we should not use this tool. Keep quite and keep staring at the hurdle. Sick plan

  22. #22
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    Sir/maam, if the video shows the problem then fix it, Again my point is it is right in front of you. You state the car is on a lift, In the time we go back and forth you can almost drop the trans and verify if that is where you think the issue is. I track pretty often, got 50 days last year and this year will be less because my oil pump broke and that means the engine has to come apart. Does not mean I know more or less than anyone else it is just that I have learned that it was usually right in front of me if I could find it. Best of luck
    ME:"I want to make my car faster and lighter"
    THEM:" Get out and let someone else drive"

  23. #23
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    Lol k. You said it yourself. You didn't look at the problem you had no intention to help so why post. You came here to ego stroke talking about your track cat makes lots of noises and your 50 track days and I solve my own issues and never ask anyone. None of it's relevant but you have a good one bud.

  24. #24
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    Sorry you took it that way. It was not my intent. Best of luck with your issue(s).
    ME:"I want to make my car faster and lighter"
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  25. #25
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    If the car was fine with stock mounts and an unwelded diff, I would suspect the solid mounts and welded diff. For a race car, some put up with the noise. For a street car, I would not.

    I tried and removed stiffer motor mounts from my E90 M3. Then I tried stiffer trans mounts and removed them also. I still have stiffer diff mounts and a one piece driveshaft and there are whine and clunks. On my E36, I run stiffer motor mounts and they are OK with a 900 rpm idle speed, but stiffer trans mounts made the car miserable so I removed them. It still has a solid front mount for the diff (custom — it’s a 210mm E32 LSD) and stiffer rear mounts and a one piece driveshaft and there are whine and clunks.

    No experience with a welded diff but I once ran an EZ Locker on another car and it sounded like a can of rocks being crushed sometimes.

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