Do I have a bad diff?

[Herr Faust Schinken]

Ok guys my car is an 88is that the previous owner did a manual swap on. The problem is that when ever I go on and off power in gear there's a fairly load clunking sound , this also happen when going into 1st and 2nd aggressively , the driveshaft also has a slight bit of side to side play maybe a half of an inch, is this a bad diff or a bad Center support bearing ?

[_r2h]

Probably bad u-joints, especially if your shaft has side to side play.

[Herr Faust Schinken]

I didn't think e30 u joints were rebuild able , so should I be looking in to getting a new drive shaft?

[e30leigh]

not the driveshaft. its the subframe or diff bushes. id almost put money on it.

id also check the diff bolts that mount it to the subframe are tight too.

[absolutdog]

Any Descent car shop (read not sears, or dealer) can cut the flanges off you drive shaft and weld on a servicable style u joint if you don't wanna buy a whole new DS

[Holland]

Check your axles as well.

[Herr Faust Schinken]

not the driveshaft. its the subframe or diff bushes. id almost put money on it.

id also check the diff bolts that mount it to the subframe are tight too.

I'll check those next time I have the car on stands , the diff bushing is one of those solid rubber ones from the Z3 I think that looked to be in good condition last time I looked

[e30leigh]

most likely the subframe bushes then

[Herr Faust Schinken]

Ok thanks for helping guys,
Maybe I was wrong about that diff bushing it seems really soft and has a bunch off little rips on the surface , the CVs seem to be in good condition a little dirty but I was trying to move them with my hand and they didn't have any play.

[e30leigh]

that diff mount is stuffed. id check your subframe too. bet they are bad too. or not far behind.

[Herr Faust Schinken]

I couldn't get that great of a photo but I still got one

So there's about and inch of space from the red which is the top of the subframe too the yellow which is where the subframe meets the chassis.