Diff noise help

[NC318e30]

Ok so my 4.10 open diff went out on me so I replaced it with another one I got from a friend (4.10 open) got it cheap and he said it didn't make any noise. Well got everything swapped out and fluid changed but I have a slight noise. I was thinking over the past month that I've been driving it that there is nothing I can do and ill just swap for an limited slip next summer. It's deffinetly livable as it's not loud.

Well after some reading, I found that to adjust the driveshaft there is a big nut? anyway when I swapped my diff my driveshaft just kinda pulled out and I bolted it on. So I guess my question is should that have happened? or is there a bearing that might be bad to make this noise I'm having? Thanks for y'alls help ahead of time. car is a 91 318is

[E30Gus]

When you say the DS pulled out, does that mean the 2 halves of the DS came apart? If so then the DS needs to be put back in the same orientation it was initially.
If you are talking about the flange to the diff, then it just bolts up, there isn't any adjustment or orientation that you need to worry about.

It is possible the noise is from your DS or center support bearing and not the diff. If thats the case then search, you will find the answer...which in a lot of cases is a new DS.

[NC318e30]

Thanks for the reply. I'll be doing a little more searching to figure out if I can find the answer. possibly DS or support bearing. When I said the driveshaft pulled out I mean when I was jacking the diff up to install I was truly to orient the driveshaft to line it up and it pulled out a few inches... at the time I didn't question this cause I was already becoming annoyed with lining stuff up cause I did this by myself and a small floor jack. now I'm wondering if the DS shouldn't have pulled out a few inches and if I somehow messed up the center support bearing.