Clicking Propshaft

C

cj10jeeper

Lifer
 Lichfield, England
Just getting into the research stage of an annoying little noise....

To me it sounds like (and based upon experience of Jeeps props breaking) to be a UJ or cardan joinnt in the prop that is ticking as it rotates and reaches a tight or worn spot. Not familiar yet with Zeds prop

Symptoms
car speed not engine speed related ticking
eminates from deep under car and best heard as an echo off walls, windows down and roof open
all the time most temperatures
sounds too fast to be rear diff so I guess somewhere from tailshaft of gearbox to diff input
can be induced by lifting either rear wheel and leaving it in drive, thus eliminating brakes, front end, drive shafts, etc.
been doing it now for a few months and not getting noticably worse.

Just interested if anyone has had similar before I have to pull the exhaust and prop just to examinine it?

Thanks
 
So im guessing it doesnt make a noise when you lift both rear wheels and turn one..?

If that doesnt make noise, and it is indeed the propshaft, im pretty sure the only place it could make noise itself is at the Cardan/U-Joint or the centre mount bearing thingy (if were being technical ;)). Id just get under the car and have a good listen while people turn the wheels. May be worth placing a screwdriver on the centre mount and Differential and having a listen to them.

Im interested to know your findings mate as our cars were within a few yards on the production line and are on a very similar mileage!!

Realoem Image just to help people visualise it:
151.png
 
Ed - not done both wheels in the air and turned one, but I guess the diff would just spin out and counter rotate the opposite. Will do it though as easy enough.

Getting under and listening is a challenge and iirc it's all above the exhaust and hidden :thumbsdown:

I'd be targetting the points you mentioned, however speaking to the parts guy at Sytner he reckoned the fault is usually on part 1 above the big donut. Says they often go but most he's see are 100k milers. Good point about parts guys is they know whet bits they sell so can diagnose from another viewpoint :thumbsup:

Will def keep you informed and hope if anyone else drops by with comment it will help point me to it as this is going to be a take the prop off and spend 2 days waiting for bits unless I'm sure what I need.
 
I would first SUSPECT No.1, the flex disk, or otherwise known as the Giubo or in Europe the 'Hardy-disk'.

On the other BMW Auto forums, I have seen numerous posts of the Giubo going bad and very few posts on the other drive line components failing. I am not saying that something else may not be the cause, but I would look at the Giubo first. Most of the time though, when a Giubo goes bad, you get a vibration. Of course anything is possible....

I am pretty sure you can figure out if it looks off…

I cannot remember, can you see the Giubo from under the car without removing anyting? If so, can you get the car off of all four wheels, then have someone slowly turn the drive wheels while you inspect the drive shaft componants?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giubo
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1209526
 
Thanks Shipkiller - that's where I reckon I'll be headed to look based on the diagram, parts depot and your comments, when I get time to get it in the air.

Interestingly I'd have thorught something like that going would expire real quick. I easily did 700 miles in the last 7 days of which 150 was -welll let's just say spirited :)
 
Just found this - I know it's not about the Zed.......

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e39-m5-e52-z8-discussion/159689-driveshaft-clicking-significance.html

Theres several other links for 'clicking propshaft' woth a look.
 
Not a CV joint then?

This is a sad test, but can you drive it and record the noise?

If you can get engine rpm vs frequency of noise (and gear of course), you can get a good idea of which part it must be... remember the CV joints (anything post diff), is the slowest part in the drivetrain... prop shaft is the second slowest, and then gearbox input at engine speed of course :D

Dave
 
Mr Whippy said:
Not a CV joint then?

This is a sad test, but can you drive it and record the noise?

If you can get engine rpm vs frequency of noise (and gear of course), you can get a good idea of which part it must be... remember the CV joints (anything post diff), is the slowest part in the drivetrain... prop shaft is the second slowest, and then gearbox input at engine speed of course :D

Dave
Click to expand...

I'm pretty happy that my frequency testing has narrowed it down to 1 click per prop rev, thus eliminating forward int eh gearbox and rearward of the input to the diff. Perhaps I can record it if I get a minute to jack up and run it in gear with a wheel lifted.
 
krislou80 said:
if you rotate the there should be absolutely no free rotation at all in a u-joint..... and it vibrates with a vengence at speed. Shortly thereafter the propshaft falls off in the street while you're driving, and if you're lucky, maybe nobody gets killed.
Click to expand...

Too right, I know of a Ford Granada Scorpio 4x4 (Mk II Scorpio to you guys) that lost it's prop and was apparently like a scene from an action movie! the prop front end dropped, dug in to the road surface and catapulted the rear of the car up in the air. The driver had a lucky escape and had prop gear shoved half way through the floor pan. Def' worth sorting if you think you have a problem.
 
Hi CJ.. did you manage to find the cause for the noise?? Looks like i've got the same problem :(

Only noticed it the other day when I had the roof down. Mine only starts once I'm over around 25mph and the frequency increases with speed.

Cheers
Jay
 
JayT said:
Hi CJ.. did you manage to find the cause for the noise?? Looks like i've got the same problem :(

Only noticed it the other day when I had the roof down. Mine only starts once I'm over around 25mph and the frequency increases with speed.

Cheers
Jay
Click to expand...

No - never bothered. Does it time to time and only noticable with the roof down when reflected sound of walls or hedges can be heard. Got no worse and been 2-3 years so not important.

Local indy cliamed it was just my grooved calipers, but not the case as it's done it with or without them on.
 
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