Light Clunk - Starting off in 1st or backing up

[Joopx]

Hi All,

This clunk involves disengaging the clutch while backing up or taking off carefully. The sound appears to come from the differential area.

If you had to imagine the sound its like if you had an thin aluminum hollow tube sealed on both ends in your hand and you deliberately tap one end on your garage floor. Not loud by any means but a light solid sound, It's like the drive shaft is a bit out of sync as you let the clutch out.

Does anyone had this same problem (and hopefully a solution)?

In another forum I found a very similar problem for the BMW E85/E86.
https://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=290095

The problem was the differential input flange mating surface with the input drive pinion was insufficiently greased (post 16). There was also an SIB code for the problem. But the E89 was not mentioned in the SIB.

What do you think. Could it be the same problem?

Joop

[flybobbie]

I get the same, just put it down to the floating axles these cars have.
Get under car and grasp an axle shaft, it moves along it's length and bumps each end.(crappy really first i come across).
I think it just bounces as the load comes off when reversed.

[mcbutler]

You need to post a sound file really chum, it could be anything.
Universal joint at the diff end, prop shaft centre bearing etc etc

[Joopx]

I get the same, just put it down to the floating axles these cars have.
Get under car and grasp an axle shaft, it moves along it's length and bumps each end.(crappy really first i come across).
I think it just bounces as the load comes off when reversed.

Thanx. Will try this.

[Joopx]

You need to post a sound file really chum, it could be anything.
Universal joint at the diff end, prop shaft centre bearing etc etc

Good point. Will first try Flybobbies idea. If it is not the axle shaft I will try to upload a soundfile.

[Joopx]

I get the same, just put it down to the floating axles these cars have.
Get under car and grasp an axle shaft, it moves along it's length and bumps each end.(crappy really first i come across).
I think it just bounces as the load comes off when reversed.

Tried it and now understand what you mean.
I not sure though if this causes the sound. When the car makes the sound, I don't feel the Axle move

[Joopx]

You need to post a sound file really chum, it could be anything.
Universal joint at the diff end, prop shaft centre bearing etc etc

made a m4a recording but can't upload it. Do you know what kind of extensions are working on this site?

[Chippie]

You need to post a sound file really chum, it could be anything.
Universal joint at the diff end, prop shaft centre bearing etc etc

made a m4a recording but can't upload it. Do you know what kind of extensions are working on this site?

Don’t think you can upload video or sound recording’s you would have to upload to a hosting site YouTube etc and then post a link to it

[flybobbie]

Something i bought some years ago was a very cheap radio mic.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mic-Transmit ... Sw6bRfWHOc
Transmitter has battery and about 3/4 metre cable to mic and receiver jack socket (Had to solder on 3.5 jack)..
So can be plugged into the audio on the line in.
Then could record sounds on phone off car speakers.
I originally played the exhaust sound through radio, bit naff but sort of worked.

[alex7123]

Hi All,

This clunk involves disengaging the clutch while backing up or taking off carefully. The sound appears to come from the differential area.

If you had to imagine the sound its like if you had an thin aluminum hollow tube sealed on both ends in your hand and you deliberately tap one end on your garage floor. Not loud by any means but a light solid sound, It's like the drive shaft is a bit out of sync as you let the clutch out.

Does anyone had this same problem (and hopefully a solution)?

In another forum I found a very similar problem for the BMW E85/E86.
https://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=290095

The problem was the differential input flange mating surface with the input drive pinion was insufficiently greased (post 16). There was also an SIB code for the problem. But the E89 was not mentioned in the SIB.

What do you think. Could it be the same problem?

Joop

Mines got exactly that mate, glad I'm not the only one. Been like that since I got it (23i manual) and hasn't got any worse after 10k miles so hopefully it's normal.

[flybobbie]

Bought mine at 29k now 91k, still the same noise.