Author Topic: driveshaft center support bearing replacement (Read 7834 times)

1988montecarloss · « **on:** August 30, 2012, 07:14:55 PM »

i just bought a 1991 318is and need to replace the driveshaft center support bearing, the exhaust is already off the car but the shroud between the exhaust and the driveshaft is still on, once i remove that shroud what will i have to do to pull that bearing out? can i just pull the rear driveshaft out and undo the 2 bolts that hold the support bearing in?

ti_tony · « **Reply #1 on:** August 30, 2012, 07:35:12 PM »

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/E36-Driveshaft_Bearing/E36-Driveshaft_Bearing.htm

This is on the list for my 84 325e.

1988montecarloss · « **Reply #2 on:** August 30, 2012, 07:57:32 PM »

Quote from: titony;115465

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/E36-Driveshaft_Bearing/E36-Driveshaft_Bearing.htm

This is on the list for my 84 325e.

that article makes it look like 10x as much of a pain in the ass as i thought it was gonna be, is it easier to drop the front driveshaft?

DesktopDave · « **Reply #3 on:** August 30, 2012, 08:22:24 PM »

It's easier to drop the driveshaft and replace the guibo too. Maybe the rear seals on the tranny as well...

Make sure you preload the CSB once it's installed too. IIRC it's loaded to the rear.

1988montecarloss · « **Reply #4 on:** August 30, 2012, 09:30:30 PM »

Quote from: DesktopDave;115472

It's easier to drop the driveshaft and replace the guibo too. Maybe the rear seals on the tranny as well...

Make sure you preload the CSB once it's installed too. IIRC it's loaded to the rear.

how do you preload the CSB?

Geoff · « **Reply #5 on:** August 31, 2012, 07:35:27 AM »

there is a small amount of adjustment, front to rear, on the center bearing, it slides back and forth a little bit. Push it towards the back of the car slightly as you tighten it down, so it maintains a little pressure on the drive shaft. Thats all there is to pre-loading it
Geoff

1988montecarloss · « **Reply #6 on:** August 31, 2012, 04:31:41 PM »

Quote from: Geoff;115488

there is a small amount of adjustment, front to rear, on the center bearing, it slides back and forth a little bit. Push it towards the back of the car slightly as you tighten it down, so it maintains a little pressure on the drive shaft. Thats all there is to pre-loading it
Geoff

alright, thanks for the help man!

DanOKC · « **Reply #7 on:** September 05, 2012, 10:10:10 PM »

OK, I did a search to make sure I wasn't missing something, I've owned 2002's since I was, well, 30 years ago, and the preload is always towards the trans/motor/front. You pre-load a center bearing on a BMW driveshaft by pushing towards the front of the car. Just about 1/4" or 3 to 5 mm. I did find a reference to a haynes manual that had a pic reversed or some such nonsense that was said to be circulating on the net. Maybe that caused the confusion. I do have a 91 318is, but have yet to touch the driveshaft, but preload to the front.

colin86325 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 06, 2012, 07:40:25 AM »

Quote from: DanOKC;115688

OK, I did a search to make sure I wasn't missing something, I've owned 2002's since I was, well, 30 years ago, and the preload is always towards the trans/motor/front. You pre-load a center bearing on a BMW driveshaft by pushing towards the front of the car. Just about 1/4" or 3 to 5 mm. I did find a reference to a haynes manual that had a pic reversed or some such nonsense that was said to be circulating on the net. Maybe that caused the confusion. I do have a 91 318is, but have yet to touch the driveshaft, but preload to the front.

Correct, preload to front.

Geoff · « **Reply #9 on:** September 06, 2012, 07:51:42 AM »

i wonder how 2 genius's like Dave and me could get that wrong:rolleyes:
anyhow, in my Haynes manual, it clearly does state that the pre-load is to the front- and then the picture indeed shows the exact opposite!
this may well be the cause of some confusion, but to think about it logically, the pre-load will be to the front, as that is where the guibo is
sorry about that!
Geoff

DesktopDave · « **Reply #10 on:** September 06, 2012, 03:52:47 PM »

IIRC it's preloaded to the front... ;-)

ti_tony · « **Reply #11 on:** September 07, 2012, 07:10:13 PM »

I'm stripping a 1988 325e auto trans car and it has no flex disc between the drive shaft and tranny. Is that factory?

DesktopDave · « **Reply #12 on:** September 08, 2012, 07:23:14 AM »

Might be hidden under a steel flange off the rear of the transmission output yoke. I've seen a few 5-speed G260s set up like that. Both automatics I've removed from 325e's had a guibo. Now that I think about it, every BMW I've ever seen had at least one guibo (though that's not saying much). Some have two.

BTW, howdja get a super eta?

ti_tony · « **Reply #13 on:** September 08, 2012, 07:55:00 AM »

I'll up-date when I get it out [drive-shaft] I was hoping to rebuild that shaft and install it my 84. I bought this car off creigslist for the drivetrain, hit really hard driver side front fender, Tenn. car, very clean.

Super eta, I've heard that before but don't know what it is, model year ?
I need to check could be a 87.

DesktopDave · « **Reply #14 on:** September 08, 2012, 08:37:57 AM »

The 'super' eta was built for only a single year, 1988 (prod dates from mid-87 IIRC). It was the last of the etas (usually labeled as "325" with no letter). For a little more power BMW installed the a 325i "885" head with an eta cam & springs, basically. This car also ran unique pistons, rods, intake manifold, and DME.

The reason they're (somewhat) sought after is that you can easily add a 325i cam and springs to fix the eta. You're not stuck with the older eta head's gas sipping intake ports. With a matching 'i' intake manifold, injectors, fuel rail, FPR, MAF, DME, etc. you get the high-RPM "i" performance along with the eta's low-end "e" grunt to build the so-called 327i motor. I've heard that a little chipping can easily get you 190hp out of such a beastie. I believe MarkD specifically makes a chip for this as well. Dump the stock 2.93 diff for a 3.73 or so.

Sounds like an awesome little (cheap) budget hot rod...with 200hp or so and a few suspension upgrades I'll bet an e30 could stick with any NA e36 M3. I keep trying to get my BMW Master Tech buddy to build one out of his rust bucket '88, but he's "just too busy."