multiple bowling balls in gearbox ?

[panzertank]

background: I bought a 1990 325i convertible as a DD and 5 hours later i was getting it towed home.
the problem : an extremely loud grinding and clunking noise and feeling whenever i try to engage the car into any gear from a standstill. the car rolls just fine in nuetral and the clutch still feels good.i can actually get it into gear but cant drive it.. the problem grinds until you push the clutch in. it just starts inching forward and then it sounds like an explosion of metal and the rear wheels freak out like there binding and releasing.
originally thought it to be the differential, so i put in a new diff and that didnt fix the problem. so then i turned to the axles or the driveshaft. i took off the exhaust and checked the flex disc and center support bearing which both seemed to be in fair condition. the u joints also looked to be in good condition. i pulled the axles and they have seen better days and felt dry altho the boots werent ripped. i replaced both cv axles and the problem is still there. also, when i had the rear up on jackstands, i turned the car on and put it into gear with the wheels in the air. it went into gear fine and i even got it high in first with no problem. but the second i started applying the ebrake the noise came and i pushed the clutched in to save whatevers left of whatever this is. so the problem is only when theres pressure/tension in the drivetrain. i dont think it can be the trans because it went into gear just fine when it was on jackstands.

i really appreciate any help i can get before i take it to have a shop look at it. thanks

[panzertank]

bump!

I don't think it can be bearings because it only clunks when its in gear, no clunking when its rolling in neutral.

I don;t think its the transmission because the clunk didn't happen when i put it into gear with the rear end jacked up.

New diff.

New axles.

driveshaft looked decent, bearing wasn't acting up and u joints looked clean.

guibo/flex disc looked in good shape.


I'm out of ideas.

[E30Gus]

Hate to say it but it sounds like your tranny is causing this.

[panzertank]

:sad:


really?
even though when i had the car up on jackstands, i was able to start it up, and put it into first gear with the wheels rolling 15 mph in the air and there was no problem/clunk.

what do you think in the trans is causing it?
what should i look for without having to drop the trans?

[Thizzelle]

make a video of sound and what's happening and post it on youtube and link it here.

[panzertank]

I can post a video when i get home in a couple hours, but it wont be of the car driving because its in my garage now, it doesn't drive haha. i'll post a video of it in first gear on jackstands with me slowly applying the ebrake to "simulate" it driving(edit: the torque on the drivetrain). It makes the noise and shakes the rear wheels the same.

[panzertank]

i took the video, but we were able to pinpoint the noise to the tranny tonight. so ill be looking for a g260. if anyone wants to still here the video i can post it up but its not too helpful. dont know exactly what happened in there but its with every gear only under torque.

[panzertank]

turned out to be the guibo BOLTS, not the actual flex disc. thanks for all ya help