Driveshaft Hitting something Really hard + sparks

iverson03tj · 05-10-2012, 10:02 PM

Ok so i did notice that my shifting was getting really harsh, but all of a sudden i stop at a conveince store, and start my car up and about to drive off and thats when i heard the drive shaft hitting aggressively against something, a person actually told me that he say sparks flying out, so im guessing its either hitting against the exhaust or the body

Im 99% sure its not the tranny. and im almost completely sure that my center bearing neads replacing, so i just ordered a new one.

So im also going to replace the u- joint n the flex disk.
But my question is, should i just replace the whole drive shaft, i found one in Pickering for pretty cheap... also i dont got a hoist so i gotta jack the car up as much as i can...

Maybe someone on this forums has this problem.

This is going to be a long weekend

iverson03tj · 05-10-2012, 10:04 PM

oh also i should add that in reverse is fine, and even wen i downshift and just let the engine do the breaking... but as soon as i put some gas... i can hear it rubbing against metal really bad!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&fe...&v=OhsDaSA0ZFk

it sounds like this but worse

e30_kid89 · 05-11-2012, 01:06 PM

center support bearing?

Boots R · 05-11-2012, 01:24 PM

have you checked your differential mounting bolts? theres a bolt towards the front that is prone to failure. when mine went it made some terrible grinding sounds. but it was barely driveable.

**T.Dot_E30** · 05-11-2012, 01:42 PM

Why guess? Get someone to put it on a hoist or jack it up and check it out, it will be pretty apparent what is wrong.

My guess is CSB, probably so bad it ripped out.

iverson03tj · 05-11-2012, 11:23 PM

ok so i did go to a buddy of mine that has a hoist and i found out that its the lower bolt that holds the diff in place snapped.... great now i gotta figure out a way of taking the bolt out.... Boots R.. you are right!!!... luckily i got an extra one from my old diff... but i just hope i can just take it out.. now i got the bentley manual and i know that taking the diff out isnt that hard.. when i looked it seems to be 2 more bolts, one electric connector and the drive shaft and axle and since i am taking one side of the drive shaft out i will also replace the flex disk and the centre bearing... hopefully this will fix the problem.... so has anyone done this before? and does anyone know the best and the fastest way to take of the bolt, now that the head is snaped right of the bolt?.... i was thinking putting in the new bolt and using my impact gun to try n squeeze it out

but i highly doubt that will work

iverson03tj · 05-11-2012, 11:27 PM

oh and its not driveable at all... i just drove it to the shop and when it was on the hoist i saw the amount of rubbing it did against underneath my car

it litterally created a grove in the metal

i hope i didnt break the diff... it only has around 60,000 k on it

iverson03tj · 05-12-2012, 09:02 AM

any advice will be great

I gotta do it today.. after im done work

iverson03tj · 05-12-2012, 06:45 PM

ok so i just took out the diff and there are also bushings that are getting worn on, luckily i got a shop press

now i want to try and get it done this weekend.. so i need parts!!!! does anyone know where i can get parts locally asap,

I need 2 diff bushings, and a CSB (because i was going to buy if from german parts but they were closed :@ )

Also i need a machine shop that will take this bolt out!!! its driving me crazy i tried basically everything!!!

Again any help of advice is greatly appreciated!!!

iverson03tj · 05-12-2012, 11:46 PM

Diff is out

the damage to the body

but on the bright side im glad it didnt rip thru the metal!!!!

another view of the damage and its location

the diff really hit the subframe pretty hard! I checked my sub frame mounts for cracks or damage on the body.. but nothing so thats good

iverson03tj · 05-12-2012, 11:46 PM

tool i used to drill a hole... hmm my guess is that the silver colored bits are used to break the bolt out??? am i correct

took it from my phone so its not good quality, but u can see that i did drill a hole right thru it, but its still stuck inside!!! GRRR

So I found this in my garage, and im guessing its used to re thread stuff

but im not quite confident in doing it myself... i might mess it up.. any opinions or suggestions??

Steve30 · 05-13-2012, 01:31 AM

jam a flat-head in there and turn it.

**T.Dot_E30** · 05-13-2012, 11:42 AM

Those silver thread bits are used to reverse out the broken bolt.

iverson03tj · 05-13-2012, 09:42 PM

yup i tried and tried till i finally gave up

so tmr imma take that diff to a machine shop... and recommendations.. i really need to get this car running by tmr night.
since the diff was out and it looked like hell for a diff with only 63,000k on it, i de greased it and i filled it back up with some red line diff fluid and then i bought some paint and pained it

Also had the chance to paint my x brace red

and i got underneath the car with a wire brush and took off any part that had some rust on it

and used some rust converter and primed it and gravel guard

looks 100 times better now

iverson03tj · 05-14-2012, 12:11 PM

took it to a machine shop, great guy to deal with and he is working on it right now, its only when i got to the shop that i realized that if i tap it to a bigger size that i am going to have some problems in terms of fitting the bolt into the front mount thats on the subframe.... so i bought a nut n bolt combo just incase!