Removal and installation the propeller shaft (BMW 3 Series E30)

Removal

Raise the car.

Remove the pre- and post-silencers. Remove the heat-insulating screen (see section "Removal and installation of the exhaust system").

If there is a rib, turn it away from the bottom.

On vehicles equipped with a catalytic converter: unscrew the connector stand. Remove the catalytic converter heat shield.



Using the BMW 261040 tool, loosen the threaded ring a few turns. If you do not have this tool, loosen the threaded ring with a pipe wrench.

On cars with automatic transmission: support the box with a jack. Unscrew the box suspension.



Unscrew the cardan shaft from the gearbox.

Vehicles with vibration damper (325i): Remove the vibration damper from the gearbox. Turn the vibration damper 60° and attach it to the rubber coupling. The vibration damper is removed together with the propeller shaft.





Remove the cardan shaft from the rear axle gearbox. Block the shaft with a crowbar.



Remove the middle support.

Move the cardan shaft downwards and pull it out of the centering pin in the gearbox. If necessary, push the shaft completely into the movable joint.

Caution: Do not place the propeller shaft on the connecting wire to the fuel tank.

Installation

If there are vibrations and noises, the cardan shaft should be balanced in a workshop. In addition, the bending angle of the cardan shaft can be checked.

Note: The cardan shaft is balanced as a set and can only be replaced as an assembly. Replace worn cardan shafts.

Before installation, check the centering disk of the cardan shaft, if necessary, lubricate the disk with Molykore Longtherm 2.



With the help of an assistant, push the cardan shaft into the centering pin of the gearbox.



Tighten the middle support with a bolt tightening torque of 22 Nm. At the same time, shift the middle support with an interference fit of E = 2-4 mm in the direction of movement.

Screw the cardan shaft to the rear axle gearbox. To avoid overtightening the cardan shaft, if possible, only the nuts or bolts on the flange side should be turned. Install new self-locking nuts with a tightening torque of 70 Nm.

On vehicles with vibration damper: insert vibration damper with 60° rotation.

Tighten the cardan shaft to the gearbox with new self-locking nuts to a tightening torque of 70 Nm. To avoid overtightening the cardan shaft, if possible, only the nuts or bolts on the flange side should be turned. Block the cardan shaft from turning with a crowbar.

On vehicles with automatic transmission: tighten the transmission mount.



Tighten the threaded ring (arrow) with a torque of 16-24 Nm. If there is no special tool, tighten with a pipe wrench.



On vehicles with a catalytic converter: Screw on the catalytic converter heat shield. Screw on the lambda probe connector stand.

If there is a rib, screw it to the bottom.

Install the heat shield and exhaust system.

Lower the car.