Urgent help needed please, diff out!

Post Sat Jul 02, 2005 9:09 pm

Guys, pleeeesse help.
I'm changing the diff in my Touring, small case out, large case in. Where's this nut I keep reading about that's supposed to let me shorten the prop by the required 10mm???
The centre bearing carrier is already as far to the front of the car as it will go.
Please don't tell me now I've got this far that I've got to get a prop to suit! I need the car back on the road as early as possible tomorrow and I really don't want to put the 4.27 small case back in yet again.

TIA
Stuart.

Post Sat Jul 02, 2005 9:18 pm

I just tapped the end of mine with a nylon hammer. if you havent got one then put a block of wood over the end and use a normal hammer ,so that you don't damage the threads. good luck
regards
john

Post Sat Jul 02, 2005 9:23 pm

johnl320 wrote:I just tapped the end of mine with a nylon hammer. if you havent got one then put a block of wood over the end and use a normal hammer ,so that you don't damage the threads. good luck
regards
john

Thanks John. Did you have to hit it very hard? I tried it on mine and really gave it "what for" but I don't think it budged.
BTW, how's my home town looking? I'm coming down on a (very) flying visit next weekend - that's why I'm in a panic to get the 3.64 in!
Cheers
Stuart.

Post Sat Jul 02, 2005 9:27 pm

It's the big nut in the middle after the bearing

Part 13 on here

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=26&fg=10

Post Sat Jul 02, 2005 9:30 pm

i didn't have to hit very hard at all mate .i would be smacking the sh*t out of it by now if i wre you 'cos its getting dark!! only joking, i wouldn't give to much. the nut is behind the heat shield above the exhaust.

Lots of building work going on, it looks like i am going to get a KFC near my house!! nice one
regards
john

Post Sat Jul 02, 2005 9:40 pm

Martinaston wrote:It's the big nut in the middle after the bearing

Thanks for that Martin. Doesn't look as if it has flats, does it just turn by hand?
Stuart.

Post Sat Jul 02, 2005 9:42 pm

johnl320 wrote:its getting dark!!

On average it's lighter for 20mins - half hour up here!!!
Every time Mater comes to visit she comments on it.
KFC in Andover eh? Moving up in the world at last!!
Stuart.

Post Sat Jul 02, 2005 9:48 pm

Try to get a pipe wrench on it

Post Sat Jul 02, 2005 11:05 pm

essbee wrote:
johnl320 wrote: Thanks John. Did you have to hit it very hard? I tried it on mine and really gave it "what for" but I don't think it budged.

Too much of that, and you'll be looking for a new gearbox as well.
The nut's in the middle, near the centre bearing. It has flats on it,, but you'll need a very big spanner.
I normally use a pair of water pump pliers. (no idea why the're called that.)

Post Sun Jul 03, 2005 9:08 am

I didn't write a post to myself Brian, i told him not to give it to much!!

Post Sun Jul 03, 2005 9:23 am

Sunday morning, 09:15 (tough of BB there!) Things are going from bad to worse. I've been out since 06:30 trying unsuccessfully to split the exhaust. I've rounded all the nuts

I can't get the rubber rings off, so I'll have to cut them.

I think I've split a front pipe, so I'll need a new exhaust system.
Car won't be back un the road today! Now I'll have to provide taxis all week and I'll not be going away next weekend.
Next time I think I know better than BMW, I'll sell the car and learn to live with some modern sh1te!

Have you ever had the feeling that you shouldn't have started a job!!!

Post Sun Jul 03, 2005 9:29 am

Sorry to hear that mate ,all i can say is don't give up. Easy for me to say
regards
john

Post Sun Jul 03, 2005 9:34 am

essbee wrote:Sunday morning, 09:15 (tough of BB there!) Things are going from bad to worse. I've been out since 06:30 trying unsuccessfully to split the exhaust. I've rounded all the nuts
I can't get the rubber rings off, so I'll have to cut them. I think I've split a front pipe, so I'll need a new exhaust system.
Car won't be back un the road today! Now I'll have to provide taxis all week and I'll not be going away next weekend.
Next time I think I know better than BMW, I'll sell the car and learn to live with some modern sh1te!

Have you ever had the feeling that you shouldn't have started a job!!!

B*l*o*ks!! Posted this on wrong thread.

Post Sun Jul 03, 2005 9:51 am

essbee wrote:
essbee wrote:Sunday morning, 09:15 (tough of BB there!) Things are going from bad to worse. I've been out since 06:30 trying unsuccessfully to split the exhaust. I've rounded all the nuts
I can't get the rubber rings off, so I'll have to cut them. I think I've split a front pipe, so I'll need a new exhaust system.
Car won't be back un the road today! Now I'll have to provide taxis all week and I'll not be going away next weekend.
Next time I think I know better than BMW, I'll sell the car and learn to live with some modern sh1te!

Have you ever had the feeling that you shouldn't have started a job!!!
B*l*o*ks!! Posted this on wrong thread.

Sorry to hear about your problems mate, very rarely things go to plan, but they are normally worth it in the end. Keep with it and enjoy the finished result.

Andy

Post Sun Jul 03, 2005 9:53 am

The nut on the Prop in 46mm, I couldn't move it at all while on the car so I undid the prop to gearbox flange and the center bearing holding it on the car and pulled it out the back of the car. On my tourer I took the collar right off lubed it up and it had to be pretty much fully bottomed out for the large case to fit. You can do all this with the exhaust in place just with the heat shields removed
Good luck
Alex

Post Sun Jul 03, 2005 9:57 am

Another thing put the futherest back diff mount bolt in last, use a trolley jack and brut force to get the front (drop down) mount bolts in loosely and then the rears, it worked for me. I was trying for ages trying to use the back bolt as support.
Alex

Post Mon Jul 04, 2005 9:56 pm

Thanks for all the advice Dudes. The job's now done, if you really want all the gory details, see here -
http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... highlight=
Cheers
Stuart

Post Mon Jul 04, 2005 9:59 pm

CorollaRWD wrote:Another thing put the futherest back diff mount bolt in last, use a trolley jack and brut force to get the front (drop down) mount bolts in loosely and then the rears, it worked for me. I was trying for ages trying to use the back bolt as support.
Alex

I wish I'd seen this post before I went back to the car - would have saved me about 4 hours!!!

Post Mon Jul 04, 2005 11:33 pm

I have posted a few times about how long a noisy diff will last.
Well, during the week the noisey diff in my wife's 325 touring suddenly changed to a much rougher note, so after the GP yesterday, I thought I'd change it.
All went well ( except for finding the rear exhaust section is on its last legs), untill I tried to bolt the replacement in. I couldn't get all the bolt holes to line up either!
Job ended up taking six hours, and that's with a proper four post lift as well ( best Ãƒ”šÃ‚£100 I ever spent)
The way I deal with tightening/loosening the four 19mm mounting bolts is to use a 19mm combination spanner on the bolts, and lever against it using a three fit long pointed steel bar with the tip lodged in the rear seat belt reinforcing brackets. Also used to line the bolt holes up.

Post Tue Jul 05, 2005 6:57 am

Brianmoooore wrote: I normally use a pair of water pump pliers. (no idea why the're called that.)

I used mole-grips!!

:mad:

Post Tue Jul 05, 2005 8:55 am

essbee wrote: I used mole-grips!! :mad:

Wouldn't have thought mole grips would go wide enough.
If all else fails, I would think a chain type oil filter wrench might do the job.

Post Tue Jul 05, 2005 12:04 pm

ive done too mnay diff changes for comfort now and have got it down to about 2hrs..... of pure hell

it involves a lot of swearing

put the fornt bolts in first as was said and then lift diff upwards pushing against subframe until rear ones line up

careful not to bend the prop studs where it joins the diff

removing the driveshaft bolts is the worst bit----soooo sooo tedious

Post Tue Jul 05, 2005 8:38 pm

I've done plenty as well, and know the theory of how to get it all lined up - but Sunday's decided to fight back!

Post Tue Jul 05, 2005 8:52 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:I've done plenty as well, and know the theory of how to get it all lined up - but Sunday's decided to fight back!

my biggest arse of a job is rear wheel bearings.......

Post Tue Jul 05, 2005 9:13 pm

Karan wrote:pure hell

If I'd known Saturday what I'd have to go through, I'd have binned the large case diff and kept looking until I found a suitable small case one!

Karan wrote:removing the driveshaft bolts is the worst bit----soooo sooo tedious

It is! But not as tedious as getting that last diff bolt in.

Brianmoooore wrote:but Sunday's decided to fight back!

Sunday must have been a bad day for swapping diffs!!
If there's a "next time" for my Touring, I'll make sure that another large case goes in. I can't be bothered with dropping the exhaust again.