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318is User 
Newbie
Joined: 14-June-2005
Status: Offline
Points: 3
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 Topic: E30 Vibration problems. Pls HELP!!
Posted: 14-June-2005 at 07:58 |
Hi,
Your my last hope, i have an E30 318is which at present has a very annoying vibration that seems to be coming through the whole car however i am lost as to where it is coming from.
I have had a new set of wheels fitted with new tyres, new brakes all round. I have had the tracking and balancing redone also. I have had all the wheel bearings checked and new ones fitted where needed.
Please please please can anyone help me out. I haven't a clue as to what to do next. BMW told me i need a full new suspension bushes but all the bushes have been swapped out in the past 2 years. They did however tell me that it may be the drive shaft bearing????
If anyone could shed some light on my problem i would be so grateful
Cheers
Pete
Edited by 318is User
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medaveo
Newbie
Joined: 11-June-2005
Location: bournemouth
Status: Offline
Points: 9
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Posted: 14-June-2005 at 16:58 |
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What condition are your wheel bearings in? Any strange whining noises?
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john.med
Really Senior Member I
everyday’s a schoolday
Joined: 30-November-2004
Status: Offline
Points: 339
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Posted: 14-June-2005 at 18:14 |
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Under what conditions do you experience the problem mate? And does the problem precede the fitment of all the above parts?
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currently driving a RENAULT clio sport 172!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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318is User
Newbie
Joined: 14-June-2005
Status: Offline
Points: 3
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Posted: 15-June-2005 at 04:46 |
Cheers for the replies guys,
In answer to your questions, the rear wheel bearing passenger side has been swapped out as it was rumbling however the other bearings are fine. I had the vibration before i fitted any of the new parts to my car, thinking breaks were the cause i had them swapped out with black diamond discs and new pads. I then found out one of the rear wheels was cracking from the inside of the rim outwards so i went and bought new wheels and yet i still have the vibration.
When i am driving through town at say 30/40 its not too bad but when i am on the motorway at say 85 its horrible. The whole dash and steering wheels shakes. I thought maybe it was the drive shaft bearing but then i am no mechanic so i am just guessing.
So from 85 upwarss if i have the balls to drive it at that speed with the shaking it gets worse.
I have driven it at speed and then dtook it out of gear and let it roll but its still there.
Its so bad you can feel it through the seats, well at least i i can through the drivers seat.
Any ideas guys???
Cheers 
Pete
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Fushion Julz
Bavarian-Board Contributor
Joined: 27-May-2005
Status: Offline
Points: 400
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Posted: 15-June-2005 at 07:01 |
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propshaft and/or prop bearings/ujs
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1987 E30 M3
1996 E36 328i SE 4dr (Manual)
1992 E34 525iX Touring...SOLD
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Simon325i sport
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 13-November-2003
Location: South Wales
Status: Offline
Points: 1022
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Posted: 15-June-2005 at 07:13 |
What wheels have you had fitted? And have they fitted spigot rings?
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Eamo
Moderator Group
Joined: 13-May-2003
Location: Ireland
Status: Offline
Points: 3450
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Posted: 15-June-2005 at 09:16 |
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when u say new wheels do you mean new alloys? can you put your old ones back on?
I reckon its because you need spacers for your alloys.
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318is User
Newbie
Joined: 14-June-2005
Status: Offline
Points: 3
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Posted: 15-June-2005 at 10:29 |
Cheers for the replies guys,
The wheels i have on our Fox RS3 with spacers. the spacers were supplied by Fox so that the wheels will fit. I thought that fitting the wheels would maybe resolve the vibration but alas it failed. Not sure what spigotted rings are but if you mean are the wheels nuts bevoled so that they fit the nuts fine then they have. Apart from this guys i am still at a loss. Simon putting the old ones back on is not an option as i had them stolen, F~#ckin tealeafes.
Edited by 318is User
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BeemaBoy
Really Senior Member II
Starting a Collection
Joined: 25-October-2004
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Status: Offline
Points: 927
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Posted: 15-June-2005 at 14:53 |
Hi
I seem to have the same symptoms you are experiencing on your car. I have a 87 320i and I also get a vibration when I get to about 80km/h (about 50m/h) in fourth gear and even sometimes in third when I rev the engine high to get to the same speed. I have consulted many people in the profession who assure me that either my propshaft is bent or the universal joint (also called a 'guibo') has perished as it is only made of rubber. Do you get any annoying thuds or clonks when you put your foot on the clutch and change down a gear or two (eg. from forth to second)??? I have been told that gear changes are a bit rougher too when they engage.
The universal joint is considered by many people as one of the common things failing in the cars life. Iam getting mine replaced as soon as I get my paycheck this month 
My father was experiencing the same problem on his 1997 Ford Falcon XR6 and after he took it to a company called "Mr Propshaft" the problem has been solved. No vibration at all and the car goes better than it ever has. His problem was only a bent propshaft although he did replace the guibo anyway.
Hope this helps
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Simon325i sport
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 13-November-2003
Location: South Wales
Status: Offline
Points: 1022
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Posted: 15-June-2005 at 18:11 |
My advice would be to remove the wheels, and get someone to help you take the weight of the wheels when you're re-fitting them, with the plastic rings, they can deform slightly when you first fit the wheel, and leave the weight of the wheel on the ring with one bolt being fitted. Just make sure when you're re-fitting they are nice and snug all the way around the ring.
Even better would be if you could get a hold of some metal spacer rings, these don't deform like the plastic ones, this seems to be a common problem with aftermarket alloys on E30's that require a spacer ring.
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john.med
Really Senior Member I
everyday’s a schoolday
Joined: 30-November-2004
Status: Offline
Points: 339
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Posted: 15-June-2005 at 18:40 |
from what you've described the fault must be with the wheels; I'm sure Simon is on to something. If it was related to the driveshaft the vibration would die as you coast along. Would put money on the wheels being at fault.
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currently driving a RENAULT clio sport 172!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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BeemaBoy
Really Senior Member II
Starting a Collection
Joined: 25-October-2004
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Status: Offline
Points: 927
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Posted: 16-June-2005 at 06:06 |
 john.med wrote:
If it was related to the driveshaft the vibration would die as you coast along.
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Why would the vibration die as you coast along. Even when you are coasting in neutral, the propshaft is still turning. And are you talking about the driveshaft or propshaft. They are two different things. I'm talking about the propshaft from the gearbox to the diff. The driveshaft runs from the diff to the wheel.
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Adam_L
Newbie
Joined: 28-January-2005
Location: London
Status: Offline
Points: 18
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Posted: 16-June-2005 at 10:53 |
Hi,
I have a '90 E30 with a very similar problem. Up to 80mph, its fine, but as soon as you break that barrier the vibration starts. If you have a CD in at the time, u've got no chance of listening to it properly as the dash shakes like anything. Once you get over about 100 (not that I do officer) then it starts to go away. I've also had all my wheels balanced and the trackng done, so looks like my propshaft needs replacing from reading above.
Just a quick one....the button on my handbrake seems to be sneaking inside the handle and I have to stick my finger in now to release it...any quick fixes ??
Cheers
Ad
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john.med
Really Senior Member I
everyday’s a schoolday
Joined: 30-November-2004
Status: Offline
Points: 339
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Posted: 16-June-2005 at 14:34 |
Think the vibration will be the result of an unbalanced driveshaft or ill-fitting wheels. An old Scirocco of mine had terrible wobbble/vibration till i fitted proper metal spacers to my alloys on the front.
We had an old rover p6, with an unbalanced driveshaft, was murder before we had a specialist fiddle about with it; oh and when there was no load to it there was no vibration!
My handbrake is doing my head in too.... Have 'manipulated' the ratchet with a screwy and hammer, but this only lasts about a month... warn to excess presumably
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currently driving a RENAULT clio sport 172!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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monkeyboy6059
Senior Member II
Joined: 22-June-2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 179
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Posted: 21-June-2005 at 15:03 |
i think im having the same problem as at the start of this thread, around 85 mph, there is a massive vibration and im sure its the prop shaft bearing. also, the vibration seems to pulse, it will vibrate then become more gentle then vibrate and so on.
my question is: where can i get it repaired and how much should i pay for it?
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Roll of Honour:
('86 e30 316)
('86 e24 628csi)
('94 e32 730ise)
('91 e30 318is)
('87 e28 m535i)<<Now in service
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oyajipunk
Newbie
Joined: 24-June-2005
Status: Offline
Points: 6
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Posted: 24-June-2005 at 11:39 |
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Greetings. I am new here so am a bit green when it comes to the
details of our cars, but from it certainly sounds like you have a worn
universal joint or out-of-balance propeller shaft.
You can crawl under the car and try wiggling the U-joint/s on a
horizontal and vertical plane; there should be no play. Same
procedure for the bearing supporting the propeller shaft half-way
down.
It might just be easier to take the car to a workshop and tell them to
solve the problem. Even if you know you need a U-joint, you still
need a press to install it.
I must note that I have not looked under my E30/M40 so am not
sure what the driveline layout is, so I apologize in advance if my
advice is not applicable to your car.
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BeemaBoy
Really Senior Member II
Starting a Collection
Joined: 25-October-2004
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Status: Offline
Points: 927
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Posted: 26-June-2005 at 17:49 |
Hi
As mentioned earlier I have finally got around to taking the car in and I have got the Universal Joint on the Propshaft replaced and the vibration has completely dissapeared, like a new car again. I have talked to the mechanic at the repair centre and I told about the other ideas that people have suggested and he informed that
1 - If the vibration is continous whether under load or not, it is most likely to be the Universal Joint.
2 - If the vibration only comes in under load and not while coasting then it is most likely a bent propshaft as you would only feel the movement when the shaft was put under strain.
3 - If it was the driveshaft that was bad, you would not feel a vibration through the whole car (Eg. enough to cause a cd to skip!). You would feel as if you had a large whole in one of the tyres. For example the vibration would only get noticable at that side of the car. You would also notice uneven cornering and bracking under load (Which nobody in this post has experienced). You would also feel any vibration through most of the rev range, not at 85mph +.
4 - If you are getting a vibration from anywhere at the front which causes the car or steering wheel to shake, it is most likely to be either unbalanced front wheels, bad road surface or incorrectly adjusted wheel camber.
Just had to add my 2 cents 
Thanks
BeemaBoy
Edited by BeemaBoy
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George91
Groupie
Joined: 23-February-2004
Location: Banchory
Status: Offline
Points: 77
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Posted: 27-June-2005 at 08:01 |
Hi, just had the same problem and it was the n/s inner ball joint that was badly worn, car was mot ed 2 weeks ago, but road to the house is full of potholes so that will of speeded up the problem,
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Catch me if you can ??
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monkeyboy6059
Senior Member II
Joined: 22-June-2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 179
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Posted: 27-June-2005 at 14:58 |
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hey beemaboy, glad all is now sorted, how much did it cost to get done? and did it take long?
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Roll of Honour:
('86 e30 316)
('86 e24 628csi)
('94 e32 730ise)
('91 e30 318is)
('87 e28 m535i)<<Now in service
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BeemaBoy
Really Senior Member II
Starting a Collection
Joined: 25-October-2004
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Status: Offline
Points: 927
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Posted: 28-June-2005 at 20:53 |
Hey monkeyboy6059
That was really the only problem in the whole endevour was the price. It seems to be pretty expensive to get to the propshaft on the e30 because you have to dismantle half the exhaust and sometimes a few sensors just to see if there is a problem. This seems to be where the mechanic gets the money, the labour. The actual part they replaced, the Universal Joint cost R600 (about 57 pounds) while the labour cost me another R550 (about 50 pounds). I had to leave them my baby for a whole day before I got the call that she was 100%.
I would definately recommend asking them to test the propshaft before incuring needless cost. Phone around for this as I found that some guys charged for a diagnostic and others did not! Also give them very vivid details about the problem. I would hope that being specialists they could simply diagnose the problem from your description. Talk is free.
Also, I would recommend(If you have the know how or have a friend that does) taking the propshaft off youself and simply taking it to the company to have it balanced, straightned etc...
I hope this helps, but as with every problem that occurs on car, get it diagnosed by specialist or start by replacing the cheapest most likely part and work you're way up.
Aah, the trials and tribulations of a DIY mechanic 
Regards
BeemaBoy
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E30 Vibration problems. Pls HELP!!