E60 Propshaft

[vescomilkov]

Fellow Fanatics,

how would someone that has suffered describe a Propshaft failure to me.
I was told my jerky on pulling away or shift from reverse to forward knock is due to this and is needing replacement.

Also would the recondition of this unit do justice to my 110k 520 d or should I look at buying new....car diagnosed by trusted BMW alternative garage in Randburg perhaps second opinion warranted but where do I get such ?


Tx in advance

 

[DieselFan]

Sounds like the prop guibo / flex disk is worn.

 

[Ratslaaf]

+1

 

[Solo Man]

I assume it is auto? I find that on my 2006 530d that when i shift from drive to reverse i have to wait a second or so before putting foot as the gearbox sort of "goes" into reverse. Same when i go from reverse to drive. I am not worried about it at all as i had that on my E39 530d as well as on my 2003 X5 3l d. On my 2008 pre LCI 330d with i assume the same gearbox, it goes in smoothly without having to wait a "second or two" I know that the quibo on my E60 530d is in excellent condition as i inspected it when i had the cats taken out. Gearbox mountings were also fine. The rest of the gear changes are actually much nicer and smoother than those of my E90 330d.

 

[vescomilkov]

Vehicle is auto indeed and aside from vibration on idle there is the mentioned hesitation or 'stickiness' on pull-away with the odd clunk when changing from Reverse to Drive at times too.....the hunting of gearbox which I have had for 2 years is predominently when the car is adapting from higher speed highway to slow bumper to bumper robot creeping traffic.

On the guibo/flex disk is this the recommended Recondition of Propshaft or simpler servicable item. Will get formal quote from JSN or Cedar Isle as I have an independant BMW mechanic's one already.

Suggestions to place in JHB North to diagnose and repair is apreciated.

 

[moranor@axis]

prop will only cause vibration when moving... if you have vibration on Idle i would look at the engine and gearbox mounts... could also be the crank damper pulley these are a weak point for the Diesels

 

[vescomilkov]

Good to have people that know their stuff, suspected engine mounts too. Nothing more frustrating spending couple of thousand only for problem not to go away so will need to do Engine mounts and Prop at once ;-) IF only flex joint replaced there is surely no need to balance shaft only if recon is required right ?

 

[DieselFan]

At 110k kms your engine mounts should be fine. And we cannot say for sure it's the flex disk or the gearbox or whatever over the internet.

The car needs to be inspected. We can speculate all day but the car needs to be looked at in person. Since you've come here asking questions it seems you don't trust your mechanic. So maybe the better question to be asking is where to should take your car.

If the vibration is bad then have your mechanic check engine mounts and crankshaft pulley. Mine went at 105k kms.

 

[Pho3niX90]

From my experience. On the 318 it was the centre bearing holding the prop, and 330 it was a diff mounting causing a clunk in reverse. Both are easy to diagnose when getting under the car but do not know much about the 5series.

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Oh and on the x5 it was clunks on pullaway which was a loose centre bearing.