Transmission noise

dksix · 02-10-2005, 01:44 PM

I have a 92 E36 325i ( manufacture date 6/91) . I have a sound in the transmission like a bearing going out . It makes the noise in all gears BUT 5th . It makes the noise only in a pull or coasting down hill in a lower gear . The noise stops when I'm in nuetral or when I push in the clutch . There is no noise when I'm not moving . I hear it the worse in 4th . Does anyone know what the part number for this transmission is ( 5 speed ) ? Does anyone know a source for bearings for the transmission ? Thanks

mlp · 02-10-2005, 02:37 PM

I know this is kinds simplistic, but have you changed your tranny fluid recently. I let mine go for a while and I changed recently and it made the shifts quite a bit smoother, so it might help you too.

What do you want with the part number for the transmission? call the dealership.

dksix · 02-10-2005, 02:51 PM

I just changed it today , no help .

blkongry · 02-17-2005, 11:48 AM

Weird... you're the first person to have the same issue I have. My guess on the thing is that the end bearing on the shaft that holds the gears is wearing, and so you hear the rumble. 5th is an overdrive, and doesn't tap into the usual underdriven gears, so it is silent in 5th... mine does the same thing. Now, mine is getting worse and goes in the shop tomorrow to have the tranny changed out (I found a killer one with only 5K miles on it for a replacement). As for the existing one, I think the bearing may be loose in the casing, and it is spinning in the housing rather than spinning the bearing itself. I think this because mine is loosening up to the point it's giving some funky whirling noises out of it, then a high pitch spin-up sound, then a whunk, then it runs smooth until I slow down or shift out of that gear. I'm guessing it's spinning up in the outer race of the bearing, locks against the casing, then runs smooth as I actually turn the bearing. If that's the case, then that tranny is hosed since the actually casing is wearing. If it's something like the inner race, then it may be able to be saved. Your tranny is a Getrag 200, where after 92 they went to the 250. I'm not sure who uses that coding, but that is how I've seen them described in literature. These are before they went to a ZF unit. The 318 5-speed is the same as for the 325, and are interchangeable.

If your tranny is just whirling at this point, you've still got several thousand miles in it before you have real problems, but if you can find someone to work on it, you probably want to get it in when you can. I am 90% sure it is the bearing(s) on the engagment gear shaft, but I don't know what is going bad on them. They may be a straight replacement and call it good, but good luck on finding someone knowledgeable regarding working on these trannys, and it's even harder to get the parts for them... no other source than the dealer, and I'm not sure what they can get.

All in all, I'm confident it will be cheaper to find a good used replacement unit and do the swap. It'll be anywhere from $400-$500 for a decent used unit, and about $300 for the swap.

In short, you're running on borrowed time. It's not critical at this point, so you have time to get a nice replacement... but you'll want to start looking pronto.