constant, intermittent grinding noise from rear end ONLY going forward.

[Rukus]

i ahve a 1984 318i

my car makes a grinding/clunking noise from the rear end, but NEVER in reverse. Does anyone have any idea what this could be? my axles seem to be kinda loose around the differential.... i have no idea what its suppsoed to be like, or what is happenning.

Also, lets say you have your wheels of the ground, and you spin them, are they suppsoed to turn in opposite differential? i understand my car has limited slip differential... What i the normal behavious of that? i fear that maybe my rear end is going.

why would it make noises going forward and not in reverse tho?!?!?!

The sound also gets more noticerable when you decelerate, or accelerate. kinda almost dissapears when drving at constant speed, but its still there.

Also, when i had i jacked up, i started the car and both wheels spun normally forward, so i then pulled the e-brake and the grinding/clunking noise got WAAY noticeable. The drive shafts also seemed to have a sort of wobble to them at the diff! that to me, wouldn;t seem normal!


anyone?


Jared

 

[jrt67ss350]

Sounds to me like your rear end (differential) is going.

If your car truly does have a limited slip rear end and if the clutch discs and springs are in good condition, when you spin one wheel, the other wheel should turn in the same direction (i.e., if you spin the driver's side wheel forwards, the passenger's side wheel should also spin forwards). If you have a standard open differential or the limited slip parts are worn in your limited slip diff, then the other wheel will spin in the opposite direction. If you have a limited slip diff in your 318, the friction parts are shot. This wouldn't be surprising, as the excessive noise and half shaft wobble makes me thing your differential is shot.

Sorry!

 

[Rukus]

yeah, i spun the wheels one time, and they would almost spin indepdently of the other. the other would want to spin the opposite directions, but would spin and kinda not spin. it would stand still, while the other spun.

then after i ran the car jacked up to see what the wheels spun like in action... i then stopped the engine and spun them by hand again and they spun opposite of each other no problem


this sucks... cuz it seems to only make this sound whilst going forwrd, not backwards while driving.
whats up with that?

 

[jrt67ss350]

I think constant noise from the rear end and grinding/clunking sounds could be caused by excessive backlash when moving forward - probably due to excessive wear on the ring and pinion or worn out differential carrier bearings that are allowing way too much slop in the carrier. How many miles do you have on your car?

 

[Rukus]

the car has 300,000 KMS on it.

thats about 186,000 miles.