BMW E36 188 Diff Basic Rebuild

[@ZoneKei]

My diff is whining horribly and binds at certain multiples of rotations when rotating by hand. Fingers crossed this rebuild is enough to fix it! Thanks for the info Pamo.

[@Supercarlsunday]

Nice video! I ran in my garage to check my shims soon as mentioned not to mix up lol! I was looking for a video setting up back lash and pre load. Got my e30 diff already stripped, about to rebuild, it looks like a strait bearing and seal replace, lets hope so anyway 🙂

[@danielsdayoff]

I was literally just thinking of rebuilding my 3.46 LSD in my E36, KZbin definitely knows how to suggest proper videos! Thanks for the good video.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Thanks, theres also another great video about rebuilding the actual limited slip plates too which may be helpful. Good luck 👍

[@SiggsGBR]

In this video; Pamo does things that've been on my mind for ages haha. I've got more of a whilsting sound from mine, at a certain speed. Doesn't particularly sound directional, and I had both wheel bearings done a couple of years back when I refurbished the subframe, so I think it may be the pinion too...

[@ManSeeksCivic]

I hate noises that shouldn't be there... And will endeavour to always eliminate them.... Sometimes Successfully, often not. That's the joy of being an amateur and learning as you go I suppose.

[@SiggsGBR]

@@ManSeeksCivic I've seen a couple of good videos on replacing the clutches in an E36 lsd, but not any about the bearing processes so this is top notch mate. Wheel bearings are the worst, the moment I hear the faintest rumbling it's in the back of my mind. Had left front done last summer, when I put the car away for winter I could definitely hear the right front going too 😂😂😂

[@jackwjoy]

Great video, mate. Keep it up 👍

[@verdunred3051]

Great work as usual Pamo 👌

[@1mouse3]

I find silicon seals best if the items its used on are not tightened up at first, finger tight then let sit to cure a bit. That stuff you mentioned on the bolts is probably some type of PTFE sealant, for blind bolt holes in coolant and oil I use Permatex 80632. There is also something called pipe dope and it dose not work for shit on bolts in a blind hole, its chunkiness that makes it not work. Yea that diff is not much to remove and have had mine out to change to 3:46 gears. Those axle bolt are easy to strip and those that did are now allens, probably should had changed all with how many times Iv had those axles apart.

[@aldosoldano2225]

Hi, nice work. Why you didn't change the two bearings from input pinion???....they are not prone to fail????

[@BEYTEK]

yeahh boi. another scottish youtuber. keep up the good work. so a 2.93 is a medium case ?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

It is 👍

[@armenianman5826]

Thank you

[@yakoubimejd3498]

Thanks

[@armenianman5826]

Hello from Seattle. Thank you for your great video. Today I have done project for my 1997 BMW Z3 2.8 with manual tranny. My project it's about differential 3.15 replacing the bearing for out shaft and input shafts. But the thing is when I installed all new bearings and especially the side bearing it's turns really really hard. Especially when I tight the 6 bolts for each side it's does not turn at all. What do you think? any suggestions?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Hi, if you've replaced the pinion bearing on the input side it's crucial you set the crush tube precisely. My video didn't cover this aspect because at the time I didn't have the correct tools to attempt the pinion bearing. As for the side bearings on the output shafts, there is only really 2 suggestions I can make = 1 - are you 100% sure the bearings are correct or 2 - is there any damage/foreign objects stopping the outer races from seating perfectly in the carriers (a small high spot like a raised dent can stop the bearing races seating properly and put too much load on the bearings).

[@armenianman5826]

@@ManSeeksCivic do you think it's be ok to replace the diff unit 3.15 to 3.91?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Certainly, it will give better acceleration with less top speed. But a 3.91 would be fine.

[@gavinendsley]

How did you get the old bearings and bearing races out? Aren't they a press fit?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

They are but a little careful pursuasion and they will come off.

[@gavinendsley]

@@ManSeeksCivic Ended up putting the flanges between 2 pieces of wood and using a sledgehammer and a flathead to tap them out. Thanks!

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Now that's my kind of shit! Well done sir 👍👍

[@gavinendsley]

@@ManSeeksCivic One more thing: was yours somewhat hard to turn after reassembling everything? I can still turn it with one hand, but it seems to have a good bit of resistance when trying to turn it.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

It was a little tighter yes, if you can still turn it with one hand - that sounds good

[@fabrice-_-8982]

Thanks for that great tutorial☑️

[@BeetleJuice1980]

whats the part you are installing at 15:51? you don't have a link for that part. how did you remove the old one?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

That's the outer race of the taper roller bearing. The old one is gently tapped out from the other side - when you get the part on the bench you will see that you can use a punch to gently work the old one out.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

BMW part number 33131204568 - Google the number and you will see pictures of the bearing in 2 parts.

[@BeetleJuice1980]

@@ManSeeksCivic oh it's the bearing with the race as one part? I have a z3 I guess it's the same procedure and parts?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

It should be similar yes.

[@jackcornick8017]

Pamo, how did you get the roller bearings off the crown wheel in the first place? Did you have some sort of pulled tool or was it a case of destroy them to remove?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Chop them, very carefully. Snip the baskets with some side cutters and then use a dremel with a cut off wheel to go 90% of the way thru. A drift and a hammer will crack the race, bingo - they'll slip off.

[@ARRYPARRY123]

Thinking of replacing these bearings on my small case diff as they are rough when i rotate the output cups. Just worried if I will have to set backlash back up or anything like that. How is your diff holding up now?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

It's great, a job well worth doing and relatively easy. Just keep the parts in the order they were removed.

[@morskipas21]

Pamo, when is needed to do the backlash and it stops being plug n play diff unit in/out? How to best diagnose when the backlash is off ?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Mainly when changing the front pinion bearing, or if you mix up the parts. It's quite an involved process of fitting parts, marking gears and testing hoping that it's correct. If it's out, it requires tearing back down and rebuilding

[@morskipas21]

@@ManSeeksCivic Big thanks. So i dont have to worry if i only changed clutch discs and seals. Thanks.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

No you should be fine

[@negusplox]

hey mate, great video! super helpful. i'm actually replacing the clutch packs in my e30 LSD currently, and had a question if you could answer it. you mentioned not to mix up the shims, which I haven't, but it seems as though i may have mixed up the stub axles. i marked which side was left & right but I might have mixed it up for the stub axles, but the actual seals/shims i marked correctly and know for sure. my question is, do you know if the stub axles are the same on both sides or is there a slight difference to them as well? thanks

[@ManSeeksCivic]

I believe the shims are in there to allow for variance in tolerances of the stub axle machining therfore yes, they could be slightly different and would have to be placed back in their original positions. Sorry to be the bearer of undesirable news 😞

[@negusplox]

@@ManSeeksCivic hey thanks for the reply, turns out it actually doesn't matter because the spider gears in my small case LSD grenaded themselves anyway lmao must be cumulative effect of previous owners, as when i got my car i had to swap out the left half-shaft since the boot broke and seized up the cv joint. the diff stopped working shortly after, and long story short i put on an open diff for the time being and only recently was able to investigate my LSD. oh well, i found a medium case LSD to swap for anyway. thanks for your video!

[@ManSeeksCivic]

That's sad news but I'm glad you've got to the bottom of it.

[@paulgallagher1376]

cool vid as usual buddy, but i have a question you may be able to help me with, i too have to wonderful maxspeedingrod arms but my drop link on the passenger side hits the arm, just a touch but its annoying, any ideas on why or is my next step adjustable drop links??

[@ManSeeksCivic]

That's odd, it shouldn't touch Paul. Are you sure the arb d Bush mounting point on that side isn't slightly bent towards the front of the car 🤔

[@paulgallagher1376]

@@ManSeeksCivic not that i know of, but youve planted the seed in my head so i will deffo check that out! thanks buddy! :-)

[@ManSeeksCivic]

@@paulgallagher1376 it's somewhere to start, then check the upper control arm alignment. After that, maybe the mounting point (upper) for the droplink. Good luck, let us know what you find 👍

[@paulgallagher1376]

@@ManSeeksCivic both drop links renewed, 8 nuts and bolts to do both sides.... every single one of the buggers gave me grief! top end of the one giving me trouble had perished to that could be cause, also found the top outer bush of my top arm has excessive play so that needs replacing, its only 18 months old at most! oh joy!

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Oh the love of cars, keep grinding away mate 👍. Today I bought a new trailing arm...The axle didn't want to come out of the hub for love nor money. No hammer beating or 10 tonne pressing did the trick. Sometimes you have to love it to want to do it.

[@GregoryVeizades]

The bearing cap bolts should have thread sealant on them.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

2 of them did when removed and reassembled, the others didn't. I believe to seal the caps from the diff oil. It would do no harm to do them all.

[@ytbb123]

Thanks, very helpfull

[@MrMakkara035]

I was idiot and mixed those shims. I have no clue how they were...

[@ManSeeksCivic]

We all make errors!

[@tongck8694]

Good video

[@MrSasaIC]

4:56 what is that sensor for?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

That's the speed sensor 👍

[@MrSasaIC]

@@ManSeeksCivic yeah,i have the same sensor on my mercedes w201 but the speed sensor goes from gearbox 😳

[@otacon4065]

you shouldn't be using any sealant on the diff bro. that causes leaks. just use the factory paper style oem gasket or failing that one from motor factors you cut to size drawing a template round. my m3 lsd's gasket along with the other 2 diffs ivs had in the car have had zero leaks using this method. also with silicone it ends up getting in the fluid if you're not careful too. that's why they don't use silicone/rtv from factory

[@becomematrix]

Otacon I used grey sealant one year ago and it’s still dry. Mostly because (I think) I used the right sealant. It’s victor reinz grey reinzosil. I very sparingly put a thin bead around the circumfrence and smeared it out to a thin paste. If it leaks I will put the paper gasket in.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

I thought this would be a topic of conversation, to explain my choice - 1. The only proper paper seal I could find in the UK at the moment with the covid problem was £18. 2. I quote ". BMW stopped using the paper gasket and the BMW procedure to seal the diff cover to the diff says to use sealant now." and 3. The sealant I've used is the same stuff used to seal the cylinder head and gearbox on the FTO so I decided if it's good enough for that, it's good enough for my diff cover. If it leaks, I'll change it.

[@becomematrix]

Pamo true and the diff side seals will weep too after a while. The spring inside loses tension and will give.

[@otacon4065]

ah fair enough bro, wasn't being a dick or anything just seems to be the route of many leak problems for a lot of my friends who've done it this way that's all. I didn't realise they'd discontinued the gasket that's sucks then mate.however using the universal template one you draw around and cut out works I can confirm. as have done that before.

[@SiggsGBR]

I bought the lsd for my car with the previous owner having just done a new oem paper gasket...and it weeps from the rear cover. I've checked the bolts too and they're all tight. If I were to rebuild it myself, which I may do, I'd probably use some sealant as well. A small amount, smeared out using a finger. None of this bead stuff, that's too much and ends up real messy.

[@imnota]

I always thought changing the bearings was enough to have to redo the shims...

[@ManSeeksCivic]

The bearings should all be machined to the exact same tolerances. I'm hoping this is the case... Hence the instruction to keep the shims and carriers marked so they can all go back the same way. Also, Ive not changed the pinion bearing here... That would require a new crush sleeve, new shims and all the setting up that goes along with it.

[@imnota]

@@ManSeeksCivic I wasn't questionning your knowledge, I was questionning my own knowledge lol I for sure hope everything will be fine and that you'll be able to fix the noise.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

@@imnota Not at all! I fear you may be right, but hope you're not 😂😂. From looking at the castings and other parts - I figured the bearings are the least likely to be variable. I'll be honest. There's a little finger crossing going on.

[@andrewmarriott4033]

You’ve got a whine are you sure it’s the diff 🤔🤔🤔

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Not now.... See the end of the video where I mention the axle. 🤗