Mysterious Metal Clanging Noise :-(

[Stromtech]

First off I don't consider the part easily serviceable as you have to drop the exhaust and remove the bottom panels in order to drop the propeller shaft and grease it. I seriously doubt there is a dealer that will perform that task as 'regular' service.

Second, in my case the noise was being generated by some slop where the two sections of the propeller shaft are splined together, it was not coming from the flange. My Indy applied a ton of silicon to the splines of the coupling when he reassembled the propeller shaft. He also lubed the flange at the differential but that is not where my clanking noise was coming from.

Third, if a dealer finds your noise is being generated by the propeller slop rather than the flange he will replace the shaft, not fix it. That may be a warranty claim or it may be considered wear and tear...a new shaft is not cheap. You can't tell where the noise is being generated until you drop the exhaust and shields and then stand under the car while rotating the shaft...it then become very clear where it's coming from.

My Indy has seen this before and knew how to repair it economically...the dealer would have replaced the shaft and say it's not a serviceable item.

 

[jamiez]

First off I don't consider the part easily serviceable as you have to drop the exhaust and remove the bottom panels in order to drop the propeller shaft and grease it. I seriously doubt there is a dealer that will perform that task as 'regular' service.

Second, in my case the noise was being generated by some slop where the two sections of the propeller shaft are splined together, it was not coming from the flange. My Indy applied a ton of silicon to the splines of the coupling when he reassembled the propeller shaft. He also lubed the flange at the differential but that is not where my clanking noise was coming from.

Third, if a dealer finds your noise is being generated by the propeller slop rather than the flange he will replace the shaft, not fix it. That may be a warranty claim or it may be considered wear and tear...a new shaft is not cheap. You can't tell where the noise is being generated until you drop the exhaust and shields and then stand under the car while rotating the shaft...it then become very clear where it's coming from.

My Indy has seen this before and knew how to repair it economically...the dealer would have replaced the shaft and say it's not a serviceable item.

Thanks for this - may need to reuse some of this to progress my claim

 

[jamiez]

UPDATE FROM BMW

Got the below update from BMW HQ today - so flat out "no" on warranty but looks like they may look at goodwill for me.

Already called them and asked for an explination as to how this is considered "servicable" - they are going to get back to me on that - not giving up on anything yet!!!

"I am sorry, however, the issue you have detailed is not covered by your Insured Warranty. However, I have been in contact with Mr **** ****, Service Advisor at Sytner Sunningdale. Mr **** has confirmed that he will submit a goodwill claim to a BMW Customer Service Manager for a contribution towards the repair. Once this case has been reviewed, the dealership will contact you with the decision."

 

[Adamski]

Goodwill would be a good result

 

[bigdog]

You can add me to the list of folks that have had the noise sorted. Lube on diff input flange and new seal= noise gone. The only bad thing was when I scheduled my appointment a month back. I was quoted 100 euro. Upon entering the service department. I was handed a bill for 217 euro. Yikes!! Holy bat s**t robin. I'd say you missed that one by a country mile. Thankfully I'm exempt from VAT so didn't have to pay 41 more euro.

 

[Stromtech]

You can add me to the list of folks that have had the noise sorted. Lube on diff input flange and new seal= noise gone. The only bad thing was when I scheduled my appointment a month back. I was quoted 100 euro. Upon entering the service department. I was handed a bill for 217 euro. Yikes!! Holy bat s**t robin. I'd say you missed that one by a country mile. Thankfully I'm exempt from VAT so didn't have to pay 41 more euro.

It is a few hours work to remove and replace the exhaust, shields and propeller shaft. The actual lube part of the job takes minutes...a simple grease nipple with an access through the under cover might have been a useful idea if any German Engineers are reading here.

 

[bigdog]

You can add me to the list of folks that have had the noise sorted. Lube on diff input flange and new seal= noise gone. The only bad thing was when I scheduled my appointment a month back. I was quoted 100 euro. Upon entering the service department. I was handed a bill for 217 euro. Yikes!! Holy bat s**t robin. I'd say you missed that one by a country mile. Thankfully I'm exempt from VAT so didn't have to pay 41 more euro.

It is a few hours work to remove and replace the exhaust, shields and propeller shaft. The actual lube part of the job takes minutes...a simple grease nipple with an access through the under cover might have been a useful idea if any German Engineers are reading here.

I don't mind paying for the hours that it took them. It's just that the BMW service department apparently can't (or didn't bother to) look up the labor hours for this job on their computer. So it seems they just pulled a random figure from their buttocks and managed to miss the mark by 100%. :telloff:

At least my propshaft no longer sounds like a dinner bell.

 

[jamiez]

Interest few posts here. My car goes in tomorrow and they will be knowing about all of this for sure!

 

[jamiez]

UPDATE - Car has gone in today and they said this problem is being rectified thanks to BMW. I didnt ask too many questions at this stage. They said they are going to "lube the diff" - im going to send my advisor the email with the SIB to confirm thats what they are going to do - dont want any surprises

Will update again once i get the car back...

But good news upto this point...

 

[jamiez]

Officially "lubed" up thanks to BMW no more metal noise!!!

This work was done as goodwill by BMW and not releated to warranty...fll your boots people!!!

 

[Adamski]

Good result


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mrlozzer]

Just an interesting bit of info on this. When I had mine done a few weeks back, I took into to my local indy. I took a print-out of instructions from one of the forum threads. Anyway, my mechanic thought it would be prudent to check with BMW, as he hadn't come across the problem before. He phoned the head tech at a BMW dealer in Bristol who he's friendly with:

"Oh yes, we are aware of the issue. That is the correct fix and this is the correct P/N for the BMW grease...."

"That for that. Thought I'd check as it's not in my servicing manual", said my mechanic.

"No, we know. A Z4 owner pointed it out to us. He brought in his own instructions...."

It's great when we have to show them how to do it!! :roll:

 

[jamiez]

Just an interesting bit of info on this. When I had mine done a few weeks back, I took into to my local indy. I took a print-out of instructions from one of the forum threads. Anyway, my mechanic thought it would be prudent to check with BMW, as he hadn't come across the problem before. He phoned the head tech at a BMW dealer in Bristol who he's friendly with:

"Oh yes, we are aware of the issue. That is the correct fix and this is the correct P/N for the BMW grease...."

"That for that. Thought I'd check as it's not in my servicing manual", said my mechanic.

"No, we know. A Z4 owner pointed it out to us. He brought in his own instructions...."

It's great when we have to show them how to do it!! :roll:

ha! and for this exact reason why if you tell BMW they will do this under goodwill!!!

 

[dan yeates]

Hi,

My grandparents have a garage pit so I'm considering draining down the diff and gear oils and also greasing up this as well.

Does anyone have a how to guide so I can have a read over what's involved? Removing the exhaust should be fairly straight forward (providing the nuts all come off ok!), but I'd like to mull over removing the shaft.

Thanks,

Dan

 

[raphael81]

Hello everyone. I,am French and I have some difficulties to understand the technical words used on this thred. I have the same problem (rear axle noise) with my z4 3.0 E85. The < Check 18th bulletin labelled "Differential Input Flange mating surface with the input flange is insufficiently greased" > is not working on the shipkiller.com website. Is it possible to send me this document or an other similar website ? Moreover, someone could give me the BMW PUMA 4670944 ? Which parts should be lube to minimize rear axle noise ? Have you got some picture or video ? Tank you

 

[wilbo]

Just wanted to bump this old thread as I am sure I have this issue and the diff needs lubing. Any more members managed to get BMW to do it out of goodwill?

 

[gedo]

The link to the SIB is broken. Does anyone have this as I'd be very interested in it...

I found some more useful information regarding this noise and the BMW fix

Check this site
http://www.shipkiller.com/

Click on the Service and Information Bulletins
Check the 18th bulletin labelled "Differential Input Flange mating surface with the input flange is insufficiently greased"

While you are there check out the other SIB's....some good reading there

Cheers...

 

[AndyMitton]

I don't have a copy but I did this myself last year and did a write up:

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=55471

Andy

 

[CUREthe]

I think my car have the same problem... a metal clanging noise.

This is usual in another BMW models or just only on Zed's?...

 

[fishy]

I had the same problem in my E60. It seems to be such a common problem with most recent BMWs that a solution is even listed on the Auto Data automotive information application used by a large number of indy mechanics.

The problem is as most are saying here - the input flange to the differential. Basically it connects the prop shaft to the differential. the splines develop play which give the "clunk sound you are all hearing upon pulling off / reversing or feathering the throttle in traffic or over speed bumps etc.

I have a mechanic friend who did the work for me. Its not a tough job, but it is time consuming and ideally you need a car lift to do the work comfortably.

The task involves the following;

1.) removal of all underbody covers
2.) removal of exhaust from after first muffler
3.) removal of aluminium heat shields
4.) removal of prop shaft
5.) removal of differential input flange (30mm socket required). Make sure you mark the nut clearly and count the number of turns as it has to go back to exactly the same position to retain diff balancing)
6.) apply Loctiti 660 retaining compound to the flange.
7.) put everything back the same way it was removed and wait a couple of hours for the compound to dry.

I took a few pictures of the process.

http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/Maltapark1/library/BMW Differential Clunk Repair

Hope that helps. Any questions welcome!