Throwout bearing just went out. How difficult is it to replace?

Well what happens if you don't mark the driveshaft before you pull it out? I thought I got chalk marks on all the pieces but I obviously missed where the front of the driveshaft connects to the tranny, got it marked on the back of shaft and diff...

You may be okay here. If you have not turned the output shaft of the transmission, then you can place the driveshaft back at the differential and line up the marks (you may need to run a bolt or two through to hold it), then you should be able to hold up the end that connects to the transmission and mark it.

Otherwise you risk it being slighlty off balance, but I don't think it would give any noticeable vibration, but can't say for sure.

I think that it being off balance would almost certainly make it vibrate... or shudder, no?

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Originally Posted by Monsignor

I think that it being off balance would almost certainly make it vibrate... or shudder, no?

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I guess it depends on how much it is off balance. If only very slightly, then it shouldn't shudder much ... or hopefully so. Otherwise, you would have to bolt it up, see how it drives and, if it shdders, unbolt it, rotate it one bolt and drive it again until the shudder went away and repeat as necessary until it has been rotated to the correct spot

Unless there's some other way that I don't know about (which is entirely possibe).

Originally Posted by BMR_LVR

You may be okay here. If you have not turned the output shaft of the transmission, then you can place the driveshaft back at the differential and line up the marks (you may need to run a bolt or two through to hold it), then you should be able to hold up the end that connects to the transmission and mark it.

Otherwise you risk it being slightly off balance, but I don't think it would give any noticeable vibration, but can't say for sure.

Well it got moved so that's out...and for the record I HATE that shifting arm pin that connects it to the transmission.

Originally Posted by BMR_LVR

You may be okay here. If you have not turned the output shaft of the transmission, then you can place the driveshaft back at the differential and line up the marks (you may need to run a bolt or two through to hold it), then you should be able to hold up the end that connects to the transmission and mark it.

Otherwise you risk it being slighlty off balance, but I don't think it would give any noticeable vibration, but can't say for sure.

Originally Posted by Monsignor

I think that it being off balance would almost certainly make it vibrate... or shudder, no?

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You WILL notice it, and it will prematurely wear out your centre hanger bearing as well, not the bearing itself but the rubber will tear. I do not know for sure but logically it should damage the output bearing in the transmission and/or input of the differential.

a few teeth out MAY be okay, but any more than a 60 degree turn and its not going to be any good. but you should be able to get it balanced at a transmission shop or engineering outfit etc for a box of beers, so all is not lost yet.

Wow i better get a fsm on 530 because i always thought the driveshafts were indepedently balanced and all you had to worry about was the yokes lined up right if you rebuild them. So they are balanced on the car complete

Originally Posted by cutter67

Wow i better get a fsm on 530 because i always thought the driveshafts were indepedently balanced and all you had to worry about was the yokes lined up right if you rebuild them. So they are balanced on the car complete

correct.

Originally Posted by cutter67

You will most likely really hate the bellhousing bolts

..........I'm having a blast with these. I got 5 out...these things take a lot of torque to remove

Originally Posted by BMR_LVR

You may be okay here. If you have not turned the output shaft of the transmission, then you can place the driveshaft back at the differential and line up the marks (you may need to run a bolt or two through to hold it), then you should be able to hold up the end that connects to the transmission and mark it.

Otherwise you risk it being slighlty off balance, but I don't think it would give any noticeable vibration, but can't say for sure.

Originally Posted by _Ethrty-Andy_

You WILL notice it, and it will prematurely wear out your centre hanger bearing as well, not the bearing itself but the rubber will tear. I do not know for sure but logically it should damage the output bearing in the transmission and/or input of the differential.

a few teeth out MAY be okay, but any more than a 60 degree turn and its not going to be any good. but you should be able to get it balanced at a transmission shop or engineering outfit etc for a box of beers, so all is not lost yet.

My thinking in the first quote was if OP had not separated the two sections of the driveshaft. I agree who heartedly that, if he did separate them and didn't index the sections, then he will need to have the driveshaft re-balanced.

Originally Posted by BMR_LVR

My thinking in the first quote was if OP had not separated the two sections of the driveshaft. I agree who heartedly that, if he did separate them and didn't index the sections, then he will need to have the driveshaft re-balanced.

The drive shaft is still together, I just didn't mark where it connected on the yolk ( I guess thats the term for that y looking piece on the rear of the transmission. I just have to get those last 2 torx bolts out the top of that transmission now. So I still need to go get it balanced correct? Was trying to figure out if I should replace the center bushing while its off...I'm trying to do maintenance but also get the car back on the road for the wife. Will post some pictures of it in a while.

Does anyone have a picture reference as to the bolt removal on removing the transmission? I thought I got all of them out, counted 10 so far 9 on back side and 1 small one on the front, Bentley book shows 11 but the transmission is not pulling away easily like it says it should.

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Originally Posted by Monsignor

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You see that little small picture in the bottom corner? Well it appears that the smaller bolt of the two on mine is missing/broke off in there. I can see the bolt in there. It looks like someone used a grinder or something near it. What in the world...

Why do you only have one of those two? And it doesnt seem threaded, it should just pull off of it. Then you can replace it once the tranny is off. And those two arent a part of the larger picture's 11 I believe. So you still may be missing some...

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Originally Posted by CJ74753

You see that little small picture in the bottom corner? Well it appears that the smaller bolt of the two on mine is missing/broke off in there. I can see the bolt in there. It looks like someone used a grinder or something near it. What in the world...

thats a drift pin i think you will find out. these help guide the transmission. if is a broken bolt dont worry about it the tranny will still come of. if you are sure you have gotten all the bolts, sometimes the tranny hangs up on the pins or the pilot bearing. (it just doesnt slide out easy all the time).

as far as the driveshaft goes i have removed hundreds and never marked them. someone will have to explain how replacing a rotating object on a fixed axis changes the balance if rotated to a different location. but i can be stupid. i wonder how tires are balanced and put back on.

need pictures please and it sounds like things are going good

The tranny weighs about 85lbs. It is not to bad to take out, I have done it by myself with a regular floor jack. I just put a board on it and slowly lower the tranny. It is much easier then the auto tranny that weighs 142lbs after being drained(that is with out the converter)


You might think about going to a single mass flywheel. You can use a m20 one from either a 528e or a 325i/e. It is lighter. You do also have to replace the starter for a m20 starter. But you can get the fly wheel for 60 to 70 dollars and the starter from 35 to 55.


Andy

Here are some pictures...you can tell my transmission bushings were shot, my cats holding the car down so it don't move, these are all of the bolts I pulled off the transmission and it still seems locked down...as you can see I got it to move a little but its not wanting to come off. My slave cylinder leaked some fluid when I removed it, is that normal if the plunger gets moved? Was a tight fit to remove it. Kinda messed up the head of 1 bolt, my breaker bar let it slip off.

EDIT: I don't think I removed enough of the transmission mount to pull it off now that I look at it

i only see one bolt with a nut i think there should be two one on both sides of bellhousing right across from each other. are you using a torx socket or a 12 point socket if you are using a 12 point socket dont buy a set of torx sockets. if the transmission is not moving there still has to be a bolt somewhere if one side is moving check other. when all else fails get out from under the car and pet the cat holding the car down take some deep breaths and clear your mind and then dive back under there and find the bolt..repeat as needed. dont let this piece of metal out think you

edit: the slave cylinder will seep a little and in colects in the boot when you pulled it away it freed the passage for it to leave the boot. replacement is a judgement call. it might last another 100k or it could fail pulling out on the test ride...the question is do you feel lucky

Originally Posted by cutter67

i only see one bolt with a nut i think there should be two one on both sides of bellhousing right across from each other. are you using a torx socket or a 12 point socket if you are using a 12 point socket dont buy a set of torx sockets. if the transmission is not moving there still has to be a bolt somewhere if one side is moving check other. when all else fails get out from under the car and pet the cat holding the car down take some deep breaths and clear your mind and then dive back under there and find the bolt..repeat as needed. dont let this piece of metal out think you

edit: the slave cylinder will seep a little and in colects in the boot when you pulled it away it freed the passage for it to leave the boot. replacement is a judgement call. it might last another 100k or it could fail pulling out on the test ride...the question is do you feel lucky

Yeah I dropped the 2nd nut on the engine side while removing it. Yeah I got a set of torx for the job e10 and e14 are the sizes should anyone care. It appears stuck together at the top by that drift pin as you called it.

I would check again for a bolt up there 90% of the time thats where they are missed

I'm 99.999% sure there are no more bolts up there, I bear hugged the transmission and felt all empty holes...is there anything that could bind it up and not let it loose? I can see it wiggle as I yank on it...I am stumped here

Have you tried a prybar between the engine and bellhousing yet

I have been slowly prying around it with a long flat head and have got it spaced apart some...guess I might just need to keep working it apart

If its coming even then its stuck on the alignment pins. Just keep doing it from side to side