driveshaft trouble

[jakeb]

I have the engine in and am now trying to fit the drive shaft. I have a m50, 240 trans, e36 drive shaft with the e30 CSB and then a 3.73LSD. I cannot get the shaft around the output shaft on the trans. I have the guibo bolted to the driveshaft and then connected at the diff and trying to get the drive shaft onto the trans and push the CSB up and I cannot get it in.

Any suggestions how to make this work. The driveshaft came out of a swapped e30 with the same setup that I can running.....not sure what the deal is.

[FredK]

Is there any more play in the spline joint? Can you unscrew the nut and slide the halves closer together at all?

[jakeb]

It was in two pieces when I got it and it is pushed all the way together and then tightened. I can pull it apart and try to get it closer but....not sure if I will get much.

[BigD]

It was in two pieces when I got it and it is pushed all the way together and then tightened. I can pull it apart and try to get it closer but....not sure if I will get much.

Don't tighten it until everything is bolted up.

How exactly can you not get it in? You can't get it square enough to line up the flange with the transmission, or it doesn't fit in the transmission?

[jakeb]

It seems as if it is too long. I cannot get the hole of the drive shaft into the trans output shaft. I just took the guibo off and I cannot get it in that way either. Something needs to move...either the engine forward or the diff back. Can the diff move a little forward and back? I know a 2002 does that but didn't think an e30 did. i did replace the diff while the engine was out.

to top it all off while I was just trying it the drive shaft fell on my face, cheekbone... Nothing bad but it did hurt...

[BigD]

Get a bandaid, make sure your diff flange is bolted up properly, loosen the coupling nut, compress the DS as hard as you can while lining up the trans flange. Let it bend at the center bearing joint (like let it hang down like an elbow), and bend the the flex disc joint down, so it's like a snake, that should give you the clearance you need.

You could also try to get it into the trans first, and then dick around with the diff end...

[jakeb]

whew I got it....

What was happening was the ebay headers were touching on the sub frame so I could not pull the trans down enough as well when I started to get the shaft up in there the trans would move up. So I put a floor jack under the AC compressor bracket and raised the engine just a little bit. This also made it so it couldn't move. That gave me enough space to get the shaft on the flange.

I have a e30 326 shifter linkage and it seems a bit short so I am going to have to modify my stock one to the right length.

[mattdk318i]

i was under the impression you could use a stock driveshaft if you were using the 240. At least thats what i did when i used my 260 with the M50.

[jakeb]

nope...240 is from the m42 and the m50 ends up pushing the trans back about 3" or so

[mattdk318i]

ah ok.