Steering spindle sqeak! Horrible!

[88ixHerper]

I bought my 88 325ix on last week, and it is great. The sunroof motor is shot and I need ti buy one of those. But the most unbearable issue as of right now is the steering wheel squeak. I pulled the wheel and lubed the spring that is at the top of the spindle assembly, and that did nothing. Does anybody have a diagram for the removal and dissasembly of the 1988 3 series 325ix? Or any tips on stopping the noise? Thanks. Heres the car:


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[jalopi]

Are you 100% positive it's the steering wheel that's making noise? I've seen BJ's and tie rods squeak when the wheel is turned when they're on their way out.

[ELVA164]

^ Haha, BJs.


...sorry. To help narrow it down, have someone sit in the car and turn the wheel left and right while you kneel next to each front wheel.

[88ixHerper]

I had a stethoscope and listened to the spindle, it sounds like it is coming from in there. From the engine bay, I can here it also coming from the steering spindle area

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[jalopi]

Step 1: Buy a syringe

Step 2: Convince your parents that you're not doing heroin if they see it

Step 3: Fill said syringe with PB blaster or some kind of penetrating lube. With this, you can inject the BJ/tie rod with lubricant (provided the boots aren't torn to all hell). I'd do them one at a time and re-check for squeaks.

[88ixHerper]

Haha nice. So you think thats the issue? It just really sounds like its in the spindle. Im no expert though and ill check into what you say. It only happens withing the first 30 or so degrees of turning the wheel, beyond that it stops

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[restart]

faik pb blaster is a penetrant not a lube?

[jalopi]

It's like a lube/penetrator. There's something like acetone in it (I think) - the idea being that the acetone/ether will thin out the lubricant so it can get into tighter spaces, then the thinner evaporates and you've got straight lube.

[restart]

ok,thanks, interesting, i will check my sources and stand corrected. for now ;-)