E30 Zone

Just bought a 318is. Lovely car, but the diff is whining and just wondered if this is a major worry or not. I am going to get it up on a ramp and check the oil level. Is this a common thing?

Cheers

Very common, and, depending on how bad the whine is, nothing to worry about in the near future.

Check the oil level first and top-up if needed, its a good opportunity to check if you have the rare IS limited slip diff, If you have then it needs special oil and if it keeps whining then it's well worth having Gareth replace the bearings.

If not then a replacement diff is easy enough and cheap enough, there will be a metal tag on the drivers side of it with the ratio stamped into it and if it has the letter 'S' then you have a LSD.
Another test is to jack up 1 rear wheel, gearbox in neutral with handbrake off, try to turn the lifted wheel, If it's hard to turn its a lsd, if its easy then its either an open diff or knackered lsd.

thankyou Stonesie, exactly what i needed to hear. I will have a good look. Appreciate the help mate. If i get the bearings replaced who is it i ask? Fingers crossed its a LSD but i don't think it is.

TA!!!

His user name is gareth

He does diff re-builds and is an engineer by trade iirc, oh and I know where there's a quiet 4.27 open diff, keep tripping over the damned thing

thanks again. will come back to you if when ive had a butchers at mine. Your a good egg

let me know if i can help

Cheers Stonsie

would personally recommend a £10 diff oil change. Very easy to do really, and it cured my whining woes (nothing to do with me killing my wife). Definitely recommended if you havent got the option of replacing your diff

Just be sure you can get the filler plug undone before you drain the diff oil..

Yeah im going to change the diff oil. if it doesnt fix it i'l either live with the spaceship noise or get gareth on the case. appreciate the help lads