New guy

[LateFan]

Sent the driveshaft off to Driveline Specialist of Texas. Lots of experience, they build custom driveshafts and DS's for regional BMW race cars. $399 incl shipping, all new, spun balanced.

http://www.driveshaftspecialist.com/Import%20html/BMW.html

Found one of those shifter mount brackets in SoCal. 20 buck for a $6 part, but I'm happy to find one.

It's tiny....


The shipping delays are killing me. Now they're telling me some of it won't be delivered until early August.

[LateFan]

This passenger floor leak is frustrating. We've pulled the carpet up, dried everything. Floors look great BTW. We're looking at the firewall grommets, the A/C grommet, the elephant trunk drain, the windshield gasket, the sunroof drains... The water dribbles out the bottom of the sills the way it's supposed to. Spraying a hose on the A/C grommet next to the passenger fender makes it leak, but how does any water get inside the hood gasket and above the battery try to spray on there? Doesn't make sense. The electrical wire boot to the door doesn't fit all that tight, but it would have to run down into the passenger speaker well and pond up in there before pouring onto the floor. The floor plug on the slope above your feet drips a couple of drips - we can reseal that with some silicone. One place that really confuses me is the well where the heater blower sits. Water from the cowling vents runs across that areas to the elephant trunk drain on the passenger side - does it run right across the gasket for the blower? Or is there a gutter or trough through there?

[LateFan]

We ordered a scary shitload of swap parts last night. Added a starter in - this has to be original. Also timing belt and tensioner with camshaft seals. Gawd it adds up! Talking to three driveshaft shops to remanufacture.

Took a look underneath to check out clearances and mounts and hardware and CPS's etc. He needs a wash.

[Vincenze]

Being "100% new" it's hard to imagine it's anywhere near the quality of an OE reman from a specialty shop for the same money. I mean...autozone 🙄

As far as I know, it's difficult to rebuild a BMW drive shaft.
So, a remanufacturer will cut out the pipes from a drive shaft and weld new u-joints to them from another car (Nissan?).

Does it provide better quality than welding new u-joints to new pipes?

[LateFan]

Wholesale Import Parts
Remanfactured and balanced early E30 $393

https://www.wholesaleimportparts.com...shaft_1986.php

[LateFan]

Driveshaft Specialist of TX seems like a possibility. They suggested a new DS for $545 - "a small series Ford Ranger type with replaceable u-joints and a center section that bolts together," but I'd like to keep it all original. It lasted 160,000 miles the first time.


EDIT - Driveline Service of Portland offers a remanufactured unit for $485 plus $100 core deposit and UPS Ground included.

[jeffnhiscars]

Dorman makes NEW drive shafts, but they are for 325i.

https://www.dormanproducts.com/p-83266-936-370.aspx?year=1991&make=BMW&model=325i&parttype=Drive%2520Shaft&origin=YMM

Autozone sells them for $522. It's possible to check them in person, I guess.

Being "100% new" it's hard to imagine it's anywhere near the quality of an OE reman from a specialty shop for the same money. I mean...autozone 🙄

[Vincenze]

Dorman makes NEW drive shafts, but they are for 325i.

https://www.dormanproducts.com/p-83266-936-370.aspx?year=1991&make=BMW&model=325i&parttype=Drive%2520Shaft&origin=YMM

Autozone sells them for $522. It's possible to check them in person, I guess.

[LateFan]

Bimmerworld:

https://www.bimmerworld.com/Driveline-Shifter/Driveshafts-Accessories/Remanufactured-Driveshaft-E30-325e-up-to-5-86-manual.html

[LateFan]

Albie has me reading up on driveshafts:

https://www.rtsauto.com/e30-bmw-and-mercedes-driveshaft-and-u-joint-rebuild-non-serviceable-u-joints/

Anyone heard of Driveshaft Specialist of TX?
http://driveshaftspecialist.com/Impo...gIVLh6tBh2ekQz 7EAAYASAAEgIX3_D_BwE

[LateFan]

I started working on the crank position sensors, which were stuck in the bores because the plastic started to melt. Slow and careful, tap away with a punch, a big punch, and a tiny screwdriver, trying not to gall the aluminum. Then I used a fine rat-tail file and just pushed once against the black plastic bumps. I believe there's a small ledge inside the bore, where the upper plastic part of the sensor bottoms. I'm trying to get that bit of plastic out of there without ruining the step. Tiny taps.

Is there an o-ring in the bore on the CPS? Interesting that it mostly made it.

[LateFan]

Well, that rubber go was not going to come off, with sprays, with wire wheels....it's just gum. So...bust out the smoke wrench!




After some wire wheeling....

[LateFan]

I see. We have some industrial driveline shops here, likely for trucking, but I could run it by one of those guys and see what they say.


EDIT - Sent a submittal to Driveline Services - thanks.

[jeffnhiscars]

While it's possible to find a shop that can and will change the u joints AND balance it as a unit, most people seem to get a replacement rebuild. Go to place to check would be driveline services in Portland, OR. I believe you just return your old shaft in their box and bobs your uncle.

[Albie325]

A guy on myE28 forum said he used an aluminum angle and an E36 trans mount....

Clever, looks like that should work pretty well! I wish I had measured mine, if I hadn't found one I was just going to make one out of some metal bar stock. Shouldn't be very difficult at all if you end up having to fab one up, and not like it's supporting very much anyway