What Driveshafts can I use with a 6/86 325e dual mass flywheel

[Marvin_Hecht]

I need to replace my Driveshaft & CSB. My parts car came with both
a spare shaft AND an installed one--I sent the spare one to South Bay
Driveline and he'd like $340 to put in new U-joints because the current
ones are marginal (and he will press on the CSB).

OK now I am realizing that instead I may have to take off my own
driveshaft, because parts car and mine don't match part numbers:
My Eta has the dual-mass flywheel (I can confirm that also from
my clutch job), and my own car's build date is 06/86.

My parts car's build date is 10/85. Searching RealOEM, there are
different part numbers:

------------------------------------------------------------
** Parts car **
P E30 2-T 325e M20 USA 19851000 L M
Production Code: 1254, batch ID: 47308
01 DRIVE SHAFT ASSY 5 SPEED(OVERDR.)TRANSM L=1483MM
up to 06/1986
Part 26 11 1 225 635
$675.18
------------------------------------------------------------
**My car** (confirmed with VIN also)
You Have Selected: P E30 4-T 325e M20 USA 19860600 L M
Production Code: 1554, batch ID: 47321
ONLY APPLIES TO
TWIN MASS FLYWHEEL
01 DRIVE SHAFT ASSY 5 SPEED(OVERDR.)TRANSM L=1483MM
from 06/1986 to 09/1987
Part 26 11 1 226 210
$652.86
------------------------------------------------------------

Although my Guibo is fine, it also appears there was a mid-year
change in Guibos in 86, the month earlier...

-up to 04/86
107/110mm Guibo / Flex Disk 26 11 1 225 624

-for 05/86 and later
133/135mm Guibo / Flex Disk 26 11 1 209 168

--------
Conclusion -- it seems my parts car and my car have different
guibos and driveshafts (both) ---thus I'd be safest removing
my own current driveshaft and sending it in for the new u-joints.

I am also curious how much later I could go, it seems doubtful
that I could use an 1989- 1991 325i shaft or a 1991 4-door 318i driveshaft, or one from an i, because by then they probably had a different configuration...

any help appreciated. Thanks Marvin.

[Marvin_Hecht]

I am still dealing with this issue and trying to figure out what
driveshaft I need. I have determined that on all E30s its not
the length of the driveshaft that matters (at least between e
and i manuals), but the tranny "flange" that mounts to the guibo--
the thing that has the 3 bolt-holes in it.

This is a pic not from my car but an e36 how-to article on Pelican:


I have measured the bolt size on my guibo and the 6 bolts are all 19mm
for sure. This is really wierd, because I was expecting either 10mm
(smaller E30 flexdisc) or 12mm (larger e30 flexdisc)...is 19 correct?
Two years ago my mechanic had my tranny out to replace the clutch,
perhaps he used a tranny output flange and/or guibo from a different
model of bimmer?

[DEV0 E30]

My 87 Manual E has 19MM bolts and a larger guibo than the other 2 E30s I've worked on (84 Auto E, 87 Manual iS), both of them had 17MM bolts and a little bit smaller of guibos. Supposivly it has the largest, which may be the flange/guibo you have. I'd say go original if you can just so you don't have any fitment problems if you can.

[rs4pro3]

ya only on the 87 eta's BMW put in a larger guibo, which means the driveshaft flange and tranny flange are larger. FYI You can put a small flanged driveshaft, in if you just swap the tranny flange for a small one, and the smaller guibo. I'd stick with the larger one as it's stronger. I'm currently running an 87 driveshaft, and bigger guibo on my 2.7 stroker in my 85 chassis.

[DEV0 E30]

^ That's good news, since it is the driveshaft/guibo that will eventually be spun by an S50 in my car.

[cbake82]

I cant get my driveline apart to remove the Center support bearing and tricks?