Flex disc BMW 325i 1992 E36 Workshop Manual

Tires,
checking
inflation
pressure



Brake
pad/rotor
wear,
checking

Correct
tire
pressuresare
important
to
handling
and
stability,



Al¡
E36
cars
are
fitted
withdisc
brakes
at
al¡
four
wheels
.
See
fuel
economy,
and
tire
wear
.
Tire
pressures
change
with
temper-



Fig
.
24
.
Although
thebrakesare
equipped
with
a
brake
pad
ature
.
Pressures
should
be
checked
often
during
seasonal
tem-



warning
system,
the
system
only
monitors
one
wheel
per
axle
.
perature
changes
.
Correct
inflation
pressures
canbe
found
on



It
is
recommended
that
pad
thickness
should
be
checked
the
driver's
door
pillar
and
in
the
owner's
manual
.
Note
that
tire



whenever
the
wheels
are
off
or
brakework
is
beggg
done
.
pressuresshould
be
higher
when
thecar
is
more
heavily
loaded
.

WARNING
-

Do
not
inflate
any
tire
to
a
higher
pressure
than
the
tiress
maximum
ínflation
pressure
listed
on
the
side-
wall
.
Use
cara
when
addlng
air
to
warm
tires
.
Warm
tire
pressures
can
increase
as
much
as4
psi
(0.3
bar)
over
their
cold
pressures
.

Tires,
rotating

BMW
does
not
recommend
tire
rotation
.
Due
to
the
cars
sus-
pension
design,
the
fronttires
begin
to
wear
first
at
the
outer

shoulder
and
the
rear
tires
begin
to
wear
first
at
themiddle
of

the
tread
or
inner
shoulder
.
Rotating
the
tires
may
adversely
af-

fect
roadhandling
and
tire
grip
.

NOTE-

The
main
purpose
of
tire
rotation
isto
promote
even
wear
and
maximum
tire
life
.
Tire
life
may
be
decreased
slightly
if
the
tires
are
not
rotated
.

Wheels,
aligning

Routine
maintenance
of
the
brake
system
includes
maintain-

ing
the
brake
fluid
in
the
reservoir,
checking
brakepads
for

wear,
checking
hand
brake
functíon,
and
inspecting
the
system

for
fluid
leaks
or
other
damage
.

Check
that
brake
hoses
are
correctly
routed
to
avoidchafing

or
kinkíng
.
Inspect
unions
and
brake
calipers
for
signs
of
fluid

leaks
.
Inspect
rigid
fines
for
corrosion,
dents,
or
other
damage
.

Inspect
flexible
hoses
for
cracking
.
Replace
faulty
hoses
or
lines
as
described
in
340Brakes
.

WARNING
-

Incorrect
installation
or
overtightening
hoses,
fines,

and
unions
may
cause
chafing
or
leakage
.
This
can
lead
to
partíal
or
completebrake
system
failure
.

MAINTENANCE
PROGRAM



020-
1
7

B323

Fig
.
24
.
Disc
brake
pad
wear
can
checked
through
opening
in
caliper
.

The
brake
caliper
should
be
unbolted
from
the
suspension

strut
to
properly
inspect
the
brake
pads
and
the
rotors
.
See
Fig
.

25
.
Brake
caliper
removal
and
installation
procedures
are
given
in
340
Brakes
.
BMW
recommends
checking
the
front
and
rear
alignment

once
a
year
and
whenever
new
tires
are
installed
.
See320

Steering
and
Wheel
Alignment
for
a
more
detailed
discus-

sion
of
alignment
requirements
and
specifications
.

Brake
Pad
Lining
Minimum
Thickness

(Dimension
A)

Brake
system,
inspecting



"
Front
and
reardisc
brake
pads
....
3
.0
mm
(0
.12
in)

Brake
fluid,
replacing

BMW
strictly
recommends
replacing
the
brake
fluid
every
two
years
.
This
will
help
protect
against
corrosion
and
the
ef-

fects
of
moisture
in
the
(luid
.
See340
Brakes
for
brake
fluid

flushing
procedures
.

Parking
brake,
checking

The
parking
brakesystem
is
independent
of
the
main
braking

system
and
may
requireperiodic
adjustment
dependingon
use
.
Adjust
the
parking
brake
if
the
brake
lever
can
be
pulled
up

more
than
8
clicks
.
Check
that
the
cable
moves
freely
.
A
de-

scription
of
the
parking
brake
and
parking
brake
adjustment

can
be
found
in
340Brakes
.

UNDER-CARMAINTENANCE

2
.
Remove
fuel
tank
filler
cap
.

3
.
Remove
rearseat
cushion
and
pull
back
insulation
mats
to
expose
fuel
tank
access
covers
.
See
Fig
.
2
.

uui3140

Fig
.
2
.



Right
side
fuel
tank
access
cover
under
rear
seat
cushion
.

4
.
Remove
right
and
left
access
covers
to
expose
fuel
hoses
and
electrical
connections
at
tank
.

5
.
Label
fuel
hoses
.
Then
disconnect
hoses
and
harness
connectors
from
fuel
sending
units
and
fuel
pump
.
See
Fig
.
3
.

FUELTANK
AND
FUEL
PUMP



160-
3

NOTE-

"
If
necessary,
push
fuel
level
sender
arm
toward
fuel
pump
assembly
to
facilitate
removal
.

"
BMW
special
tool
no
.
16
1
020
should
beused
tore-
move
and
install
the
threaded
collar
.
Damage
to
thecollar
may
result
if
the
special
tool
is
not
used
.

"
Pump
out
contents
of
each
tanklobe
using
approved
pumpinglextraction
equipment
and
flexible
fuel-grade
hose
.

WARNING
-

Fuel
may
be
spilled
.
Do
not
smoke
or
work
near
heaters
or
other
fire
hazards
.

7
.
Installation
of
sending
units
is
reverse
of
removal,
not-
ing
the
following
:

"
Use
new
sealing
rings
when
installing
pump/sending
unit
assemblies
.
"
Be
sure
that
fuel
line
connections
point
in
same
direc-tion
as
they
carne
out
.
"
Fill
tank
and
check
for
leaks
by
running
engine
.

CA
UTION-

Before
starting
the
engine,
fill
the
fuel
tank
with
at
least
1.5
gallons
(5liters)
of
fuel
.
The
pump
will
be
damaged
if
you
run
it
without
fuel
.

Fuel
tank,
removing
and
installing

1.
Disconnect
negative
(-)cablefrom
battery
:

CAUTION-

Prior
to
disconnectiog
the
battery,
read
the
battery
disconnection
cautions
given
at
the
front
of
this
manual
onpage
viii
.

2
.
Remove
fuel
tank
filler
capand
drain
tank
as
described
earlier
.

3
.
Working
in
left
access
tank
access
hole
(under
rear

seat
cushion),
remove
vent
pipe
fromtank
.

4
.
Working
inside
car,
disconnectparking
brake
cable
ends
from
parking
brake
lever
.
See
340
Brakes
.

5
.
Working
underneath
car,
gently
pry
fuel
lines
away
from
retaining
bracket
in
front
of
tank
.
Remove
clamps
and
disconnect
fuel
hoses
as
shown
in
Fig
.
4
.

6
.
Remove
exhaust
system
and
heat
shield
as
described

ooisiai



in
180
Exhaust
System
.
See
Fig
.
5
.

Fig
.
3
.



Fuel
pump/fuel
level
sender
assembly
in
top
offuel
tank
(right
side
shown)
.
Disconnect
supply
hose
(A),
return
hose
(B)
and



7
.
Remove
driveshaft
.
See
260
Driveshaft
.
harness
connector
(C)
.

8
.
Pull
parking
brake
cables
backward
away
from
bottom
of

6
.
Unscrew
threaded
collars
from
fuel
tank
.
Slowly
with-



fuel
tank,
disengaging
them
from
brackets
as
needed
.

draw
fuel
sender
assemblies
from
tank,allowing
fuel
to
drain
off
.

FUEL
TANKAND
LINES

Selector
shaft
seal,
replacing

(transmission
instalied)

1
.
Raise
and
safely
support
vehicle
to
access
drain
plug
.

2
.
Support
transmission
with
transmission
jack
.

3
.
Remove
driveshaft
.
See
260
Driveshaft
.

4
.
Remove
transmission
crossmember
and
tilt
down
rear

of
transmission
.

CA
UTION--

Tilting
the
engine
to
lower
the
transmission
can
lead
to
damage
to
various
cgmponents
due
to
lack
of
clearance
.
-On
cars
with
AST
(traction
control)
remove
throt-
tle
body
before
tiltlng
engine
.
-Remove
brake
fluid
reservoir
lf
necessary
.

Locking
pin

á



Locking
clip

8
.
Reinstall
shift
linkage
to
selectorshaft
.

7
.
Coat
new
seal
with
transmission
fluid
.
Drive
new
seal
in

flush
with
housing
.
Use
BMW
special
seal
installation
tool
no
.
23
2
260
orequivalent
and
a
soft-faced
(plastic)

hammer
.
See
Fig
.
4
.

9
.
Fiaise
transmission
and
reinstall
crossmember
.

MANUAL
TRANSMISSION



230-
3

Seal
Selector

_
shaft

5
.
Working
at
rear
of
selector
shaft,
disconnect
shift
link-



Fig
.
3
.



Selector
shaft
oil
sea¡
being
pried
out
with
screwdriver
.

age
from
selectorshaft
.
See
Fig
.
2
.

Fig
.
4
.



Selector
shaftseal
being
installed
.

6542

0012020

Fig
.
2
.



Disconnect
shift
linkage
from
transmission
selector
shaft
by

prying
back
locking
clip
and
pushing
locking
pin
out
.



10
.
Install
driveshaft
using
new
nuts
.
See260
Driveshaft
.

6
.
Carefully
pry
sea¡
out
with
a
narrow
seal
remover
or



11
.
Check
transmission
oil
level,
topping
upas
necessary
.

small
screwdriver
.
See
Fig
.
3
.

Tightening
Torques

"
Driveshaftto
flex
disc/

final
drive
flange
..............
See
260
Driveshaft

"
Transmission
crossmember
to
chassis

M8
........
..
.
...
........
22-24
Nm
(16-17
ft-1b)

M10
........
.
.
...
...
.
.........
42
Nm
(31
ft-Ib)

TRANSMISSIONSERVICE

13
.
Remove
transmission
mounting
bolts
(Torx-head)
.

Note
length
and
location
of
bolts
.
See
Fig
.
13
.

Fig
.
13
.
Transmission
mounting
bolts
.

0611642

CA
UTION-

Atno
time
should
the
weight
of
thetransmission
be
supported
by
the
transmission
inputshaft
.

NOTE
-

Washers
should
always
be
used
with
Torx-head
bolts
.

Installing
bolts
without
washers
will
make
them
difficult

to
loosen
.

MANUAL
TRANSMISSION



230-
7

Fig
.
14
.
Bellhousing
alignment
dowels
(arrows)
.

16
.
Install
driveshaft
and
preload
center
bearing
bracket
.

Usenew
nuts
when
mounting
driveshaft
to
transmis-

síon/flex
disc
and
final
drive
.
See
260
Driveshaft
.

17
.
Refill
transmission
with
appropriate
lubricant
before

starting
or
towingthe
car
.
See
Transmission
Fluid

Service
earlier
in
this
repair
group
.

14
.
Remove
transmission
by
pulling
backward
until
the
trans-



Tightening
Torques

mission
inputshaft
clears
the
clutch
disc
splines,
then



"
Reinforcing
cross
brace

pulí
downwards
.
Lower
jack
andremove
transmission
.



to
chassis
(M10)
.
...
.............
42
Nm
(31
ft-Ib)

"
Rubber
mount
to
transmission

15
.
Installation
is
reverse
of
removal,
keeping
in
mind
the



or
bracket
nut
(M8)
.
...
.
...
.......
21
Nm
(16
ft-Ib)

following
:



"
Slave
cylinder
to
transmission
......
22
Nm
(16
ft-Ib)

"
When
installing
exchange
transmission,
transfer
parts



"
Transmission
crossmember
to
chassis

from
old
unit
to
exchange
unit



M8
...............
.
.
...
..
22-24
Nm
(16-17
ft-Ib)

"
Thoroughly
clean
inputshaft
and
clutch
disc
splines
.



M10
..............
.
..
..
.......
42
Nm
(31
ft-Ib)

Lightly
lubrícate
transmission
inputshaft
before
in-



"
Transmission
to
engine
(Torx-head)

stalling
.-



M8
..
..................
..
.
..
..
22
Nm
(16
ft-Ib)

"
Be
sure
bellhousing
dowels
are
correctly
located
.
See



M10
.
.................
...
.
..
..
43
Nm
(32
ft-Ib)

Fig
.
14
.



M12
.
..................
..
.
..
..
72
Nm
(53
ft-Ib)

"
Center
rear
of
transmission
in
driveshaft
tunnel
before



"
Transmission
drain/fill
plugs
.
..
.
..
..
50
Nm
(37
ft-Ib)

tightening
transmission
support
bracket
.

TRANSMISSION
REMOVAL
AND
INSTALLATION

2
.
Install
rubber
grommet
with
arrow
pointing
forward
.
In-



AUTOMATic
TRANSMISSION
stall
shift
rod
and
shift
boot
.



GEARSHIFT

NOTE-

Install
rubbergrommet
correctly
so
that
is
seals
outwa-
ter
.

4
.
Install
driveshaft
and
heat
shield
.
See
260
Driveshaft
.

Manual
valveleven
(at
transmission)

Fig
.
6
.



Automatic
transmission
gearshift
assembfy
.

Shift
cable

GEARSHIFT
LINKAGE



250-
3

The
automatic
transmission
shift
mechanism
is
shown
in
Fig
.
6
.
Use
the
illustration
as
a
guide
when
servícing
the
gear-
shift
mechanism,
including
shift
cable
replacement
.

3
.
Connect
shift
rod
to
shift
lever
.
Install
transmission

crossmember
.
Lift
transmission
and
tighten
crossmem-



Gearshift
mechanism,
adjusting
ber
bolts
.



(automatictransmission)

NOTE-



1
.
Position
selector
lever
in
Park
.

Beforeconnecting
the
shift
rod
to
the
lever,
be
sure
the



2
.
Raise
vehicle
to
gain
access
to
shift
linkage
.
gearshift
leven
is
facing
the
correct
way
as
illustrated
in
Fig
.
1
.
WARNING
-

Make
sure
thecan
is
stable
and
well
supported
at
all
times
.
Use
a
professional
automotive
lift
or
jack
stands
designed
for
the
purpose
.
5
.
Reinstall
exhaust
system
.
See
180
Exhaust
System
.
Connect
oxygen
sensor
harness
connectors
.



3
.
Loosen
selector
cable
clamping
nut
.
See
Fig
.
7
.

6
.
Lower
vehicle
.
Insta¡¡
shift
boot
cover
.
Push
shift
knob



4
.
Push
shift
lever
forwardtoward
engine(Park
position)
onto
lever
.



while
applying
light
pressure
on
cable
end
.
Tighten
ca-
ble
clamping
nut
.

Tightening
Torques



NOTE-
"
Driveshaft
to
final
drive



Do
not
overtighten
the
nut
so
that
it
twists
the
cable
.
flange
(with
U-joint)
.
..
.
.....
.
.
See
250
Driveshaft

"
Flex-disc
to
driveshaft
or

transmission
flange
...
.
.......
See
250
Driveshaft



Tightening
Torque
"
Transmission
crossmember



"
Shift
cable
clamping
nut
.......
10-12
Nm
(75-9
ft-Ib)
to
body
(M8)
.
.
.
...
..............
21
Nm
(16
ft-Ib)

/S
r\
1
1

Gear
position/
neutral
safetyswitch

Automatic
shilo
solenoid
id

AUTOMATIC
TRANSMISSION
GEARSHIFT

DRIVESHAFT
SERVICE
.
...
.
.
.
...
.
..
.
.
.260-3

Driveshaft,
aligning
...............
.
...
.
.
260-3

Driveshaft,
removing
..............
.
.
.
.
.
.
260-4

260
Driveshaft

DRIVESHAFT
260-1

GENERAL
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.....
.
.
.
........
.
...
.
260-1



Driveshaft,
installing
.
....
.
..
.
............
260-4

Flex-disc,
replacing
.....
.
.
.
.............
260-5
TROUBLESHOOTING
..
.
.
.
...
.
.........
260-1



Center
bearing
assembly,
replacing
.
......
.260-6
Frontcentering
guide,
replacing
..
.
.......
.
260-7

TABLE

a
.
Driveshaft
Troubleshooting
.
.
...
......
.
....
..
.
.
260-2

GENERAL



NOTE-

For
rear
drive
axlerepair
information,
see330
Rear
The
two-piece
driveshaft
is
joined
in
thecenter
by
a
sliding



Suspension
.
splined
coupling
.
This
coupling
compensates
for
fore
and
aft
movement
of
the
drive
line
.
The
driveshaft
ís
connected
to
the



Driveshaft
noise
or
vibration
may
be
caused
by
worn
or
transmission
bya
rubber
flex-disc
and
to
the
final
drive
by
a



damaged
components
.
Check
the
universal
joints
for
play
.
universal
joint
.
It
is
supported
in
the
micidle
by
a
center
support



With
the
driveshaft
installed,
pull
and
twist
the
driveshaft
while
bearing
.
The
bearing
is
mounted
in
rubber
to
isolate
vibration
.



watching
the
joint
.
The
BMW
specificationfor
play
is
very
See
Fig
.
1
.



small,
so
almost
any
noticeableplay
could
indicate
a
problem
.

TROU
BLESHOOTING



Check
thetorque
of
thefasteners
at
the
flange
connections
.
Check
therubber
of
the
flex-disc
and
center
bearing
for
dete

The
source
of
driveline
vibrations
and
noise
can
be
difficult



rioration
or
tearíng
and
check
for
preload
at
the
center
bearing

to
pinpoint
.
Engine,
transmission,
rear
axle,
or
wheel
vibra-



with
a
visual
inspection
.
Check
the
driveshaft
for
broken
or

tions
can
be
transmitted
through
the
driveshaft
to
the
car



missing
balance
weights
.
The
weights
are
welded
tabs
on
the

body
.
Noises
from
the
rear
of
thecar
may
be
caused
by
final



driveshaft
tubes
.
In
addition
to
inspecting
for
faulty
driveshaft

drive
problems,
orby
faulty
wheel
bearings,
drive
axies,
or



parts,
the
installed
angles
of
the
driveshaft
should
also
be

evenworn
or
improperly
inflatedtires
.



considered
.

Flex-disc

Center
universal
joint

Fig
.1
.



Driveshaft
and
final
drive
assembly
.

Rear
section
Splined
shaft



of
driveshaft
Center
support



`



Clamping
sleeve
bearíng
assembly

Differential
inputflange

0013110

TROUBLESHOOTING

260-2
DRIVESHAFT

Further
inspection
requires
removal
of
the
driveshaft
.

Check
the
front
centering
guide
on
the
transmission
output
flange
for
damage
or
misalignment
.
Also
check
runoutatthe

transmission
outputflange
and
output
shaft,
and
at
the
final

drive
input
flange
.
Check
the
bolt
hole
bores
in
theflange
for

wear
and
elongation
.

Driveshaftflange
runout
(max
.
allowable)

"
Transmission
outputflange

axial
play
...
.
..
...
..
.
.......
0
.10
mm
(0
.004
in
.)

radial
play
.......
...
.
.
.......
0
.07
mm
(0
.003
in
.)

"
Final
driveinput
flange
radial
play
(measured
at

driveshaft
centering
lip)
..
......
0
.07
mm
(0
.003
in
.)

Spinthe
center
bearing
and
check
for
the
smooth
operation

without
play
.
Check
that
thesplines
of
the
sliding
coupling

move
freely
.
Clean
and
lubricate
the
splines
with
molybdenum

disulfide
grease
(Molykote
®
Longterm
2
or
equivalent)
.

Check
the
universal
joints
for
wear
or
binding
.
If
any
joint
isdif-

ficult
to
move
or
binds,
the
driveshaft
section
should
be
replaced
.

Table
a
.
Driveshaft
Troubleshooting

NOTE-

With
the
driveshaft
installed,
theactual
amount
that
the
universal
joints
pivot
is
limited
.
For
the
most
accurate

test,
check
universal
joints
in
their
normal
range
of

movement
.

If
inspection
revealsnothing
wrong
with
the
driveshaft,
it

may
need
to
be
rebalanced
.
This
can
be
done
by
a
speciality

driveshaft
repair
shop
.
Also,
check
the
alignment
ofthe
drive-

shaft
as
described
below
.

NOTE-

Minor
driveshaftvibrations
can
often
be
correctedsim-

ply
by
disconnecting
the
driveshaftat
the
finaldrive,

and
repositíoning
the
driveshaft
90°,
180°
or270°
inre-
lationto
the
final
drive
input
flange
.

Table
a
lists
symptoms
of
driveshaft
problems
and
their

probable
causes
.
Most
of
the
repair
information
is
contained

within
this
repair
group
.

Symptom



Probable
cause



Corrective
action

1
.
Vibration
when



a
.
Incorrect
preload
of
center
bearing
.



a
.
Check
preload
of
center
bearing
.
Readjust
preload
.
See
Fig
.
6
.

starting
off
(forward



b
.
Center
bearing
rubber
deteriorated
.



b
.
Inspect
center
bearing
and
rubber
.
Replace
if
necessary
.
orreverse)
.



c
.



Flex-disc
damaged
or
worn
.



c
.



Inspect
flex-disc
.
Replace
if
necessary
.

TROUBLESHOOTING

d
.
Engine
or
transmission
mounts
faulty
.
I
d
.
Inspect
engine
and
transmission
mounts
.
Align
or
replace,
if
nec-

essary
.

e
.
Front
centering
guide
worn,
or



e
.
Check
front
centering
guide
and
replace
if
necessary
.
Check

driveshaft
mounting
flanges
out
of



runout
of
driveshaft
flanges
.

round
.

f
.



Universal
joints
worn
or
seized
.



f
.



Check
universal
joint
play
and
movement
.
Replace
driveshaft
if

necessary
.

g
.
Sliding
coupling
seized
.



g
.
Remove
driveshaft
and
check
movement
of
sliding
coupling
.

Clean
coupling
splines
and
replace
parts
asnecessary
.

h
.
Driveshaft
misaligned
.



h
.
Check
driveshaft
alignment
.

2
.
Noise
during
on/off



a
.
Finaldrive
components
worn
or



a
.
Remove
final
drive
and
repair
.

throttle
or
when



damaged
(excessive
pinion-to-ring-

engagíng
clutch
.



gear
clearance)
.

b
.



Drive
axleor
CV
joint
faulty
.



b
.



Inspect
drive
axles
and
CV
joints
.
Repair
or
replace
as
neces-
sary
.

c
.
Sliding
coupling
seized
.



c
.
Remove
driveshaft
and
check
movement
of
sliding
coupling
.

Clean
coupling
splines
and
replace
parts
as
necessary
.

3
.
Vibration
at
25
to
30



a
.
Front
centering
guideworn,
or



a
.
Check
front
centering
guide
and
replace
if
necessary
.
Check
mph
(40
to
50



driveshaft
mounting
flanges
out
of



runout
of
driveshaft
mounting
flanges
.
km/h
).



round
or
damaged
.

b
.
Universal
joints
worn
or
seized
.



b
.
Check
universal
joint
play
and
movement
.
Replace
driveshaft
if
necessary
.

c
.



Flex-disc
damaged
or
worn
.



c
.



Inspect
flex-disc
.
Replace
if
necessary
.

d
.
Center
bearing
rubber
deteriorated
.



d
.
Inspect
center
bearing
.
Replace
if
necessary
.

e
.
Sliding
coupling
seized
.



e
.
Remove
driveshaft
and
check
movement
of
sliding
coupling
.
Clean
coupling
splines
and
replace
parts
asnecessary
.

f
.



Misaligned
installed
position
.



f
.



Check
driveshaft
alignment
.

Fig
.
6
.



Preload
center
bearing
toward
front
4-6
mm
(arrow)
.

5331
5
.
Tightenthreadedsleeveondriveshafttopropertorque
.

6
.
Insta¡¡
heat
shield
and
heat
shield
crossmember
.

Tightening
Torques

"
Driveshaftcenter
mount
to
body
.
.
..
21
Nm
(16
ft-Ib)

"
Driveshaft
clamping
sleeve
.....
.
.
.
10
Nm
(89
in-lb)

"
Driveshaft
to
final
drive
flange

With
CV
joint
(M8)
............
...
32
Nm
(23
ft-Ib)

Wth
U-joint
(M10
ribbed
nut)
....
...
80
Nm
(59
ft-Ib)

With
U-joint
(M10
compressed
nut)
..
60
Nm
(44
ft-Ib)

"
Flex-disc
to
driveshaft
or
transmissionflange

M10
(8.8
grade)
.........
.
....
..
.
48
Nm
(35
ft-Ib)

M10
(10
.9
grade)
........
.
....
...
64
Nm
(47
ft-Ib)

M12
(8.8
grade)
........
.....
..
.
.
81
Nm
(60
ft-Ib)

M12
(10
.9
grade)
.
.
....
......
...
100
Nm
(74
ft-Ib)

M12
(10
.9
grade)
(M3
models)
..
.
.
.
115
Nm
(85
ft-Ib)

"
Transmission
crossmember

to
body
(M8)
.
....
...........
....
21
Nm
(16
ft-Ib)

NOTE-

Bolt
grade
is
markedon
the
bolt
head
.
When
replacing
bolts,
only
use
bolts
of
the
same
strength
and
hardnessas
the
originalsinstalled
.

Flex-disc,
replacing

The
flex-disc
between
the
front
section
of
the
driveshaft
and

theoutputflange
of
the
transmission
should
be
checked
for

cracks,
tears,
missing
pieces,
or
distortion
.
Check
for
worn
bolt
hole
bores
in
theflange
.

1
.
Remove
driveshaft
as
described
in
Driveshaft,
remov-
ing
.

NOTE-

¡t
is
possible
to
only
partially
remove
the
driveshaft,
leaving
it
connected
to
the
final
drive
.
The
driveshaft
canbe
tilted
down
in
thecenter
and
slidoff
the
trans-
mission
flange
once
the
clamping
sleeve
is
loosened
and
the
center
bearing
bracket
is
unbolted
.
Suspend
the
driveshaft
using
stiff
wire
in
as
close
to
the
installed
position
as
possible
.
If
the
driveshaft
hangs
unsupport-
ed,
the
rear
universal
joint
may
be
damaged
.

2
.
Unbolt
flex-dísc
from
driveshaft
.

DRIVESHAFT
260-
5

7
.
Install
exhaust
system
.
See
180
Exhaust
System
.

Connect
wiring
harness
to
oxygen
sensors
.



NOTE-

Removaland
installation
of
the
boltsmaybe
made
eas-
8
.
Road
test
vehicle
to
check
for
noiseor
vibration
.



ier
by
placing
a
large
hose
clamp
around
the
flex-disc,
and
tightening
the
clamp
slightlyto
compress
the
cou

WARNING
-



pling
.

"
Do
not
reuse
self-locking
nuts
.
These
nuts
aredesigned
to
beused
only
once
.



3
.
Insta¡¡
new
flex-disc
using
new
self-locking
nuts
.
Mold-

"
Avóid
stressing
the
flex-disc
when
torquing
the



ed
arrows
on
coupling
should
face
flange
arms
.
See

bolts
Do
this



holding
the
bolts



Fig
.
7
.
steady
and
.



uy
turning
the
nuts
on
theflange
side
.

5
:132

Fig
.
7
.



When
attaching
flex-disc,
molded
arrows
must
point
toward

flange
arms
.

DRIVESHAFT
SERVICE

260-
6
DRIVESHAFT

4
.
Insta¡¡
driveshaft
as
described
in
Driveshaft,
install-

ing
.

Tightening
Torques

"
Driveshaft
center
mount
to
body
.
...
21
Nm
(16
ft-Ib)

"
Driveshaft
clamping
sleeve
.....
...
10
Nm
(89
in-lb)

"
Driveshaft
to
final
drive
flange

With
CV
joint
(M8)
............
...
32
Nm
(23
ft-Ib)

Wth
U-joint
(M10
ribbed
nut)
......
.
80
Nm
(59
ft-Ib)

With
U-joint
(M10
compressed
nut)
.
.
60
Nm
(44
ft-Ib)

"
Flex-disc
to
driveshaft
or
transmission
flange

M10
(8
.8
grade)
.
...
.............
48
Nm
(35
ft-Ib)

M10
(10
.9
grade
.
...
.............
64
Nm
(47
ft-Ib)

M12
(8
.8
grade)
..
..
.............
81
Nm
(60
ft-Ib)

M12
(10
.9
grade)
.
..
............
100
Nm
(74
ft-Ib)

M12
(10
.9
grade)
(M3
models)
.....
115
Nm
(85
ft-Ib)

"
Transmission
crossmember

to
body
(M8)
......
...
.
..
........
21
Nm
(16
ft-Ib)

5
.
Remove
center
bearing
circlip
and
dust
guard
.
See
Fig
.

Center
bearing
assembly,
replacing



10
.
Remove
bearing
from
driveshaft
using
puller
.

To
replace
thecenter
bearing
assembly,
the
driveshaft

must
be
removed
from
thecar
.
The
center
bearing
assembly

consists
of
a
grooved
ball
bearing
in
a
rubber
mount
.
The

bearing
assembly
is
pressed
onto
the
front
section
of
the

driveshaft
and
securedby
a
circlip
.
See
Fig
.
8
.

Circlip

NOTE
-

Torque
only
the
nuts
while
holding
the
bolt
heads
.
Thís
will
prevent
damaging
or
fatiguing
the
rubber
.

Dust
cap

Fig
.
8
.



Exploded
view
of
driveshaft
support
bearing
assembly
.

1
.
Remove
driveshaft
.
See
Driveshaft,
removing
.

DRIVESHAFT
SERVICE

0012594

5333

Fig
.
9
.



Before
pulling
apart
driveshaft
sections,
make
matching
marks
as
shown
.

4
.
Inspect
condition
of
rubber
bushing
for
splined
cou-

pling
.
Replace
worn
or
damaged
parts
.

2
.
Make
matching
marks
on
front
and
rear
driveshaft
sec-



NOTE-

tions
.
See
Fig
.
9
.



Install
puller
so
that
it
pulls
on
inner
hub
of
bearing
.
Pulling
on
outer
ring
of
mount
may
tear
rubber,
and
en

3
.
Loosen
clamping
sleeve
fully
and
pull
driveshaft
sec-



tire
bearing
assembly
will
need
to
be
replaced
.

tions
apart
.
Remove
rubber
bushing,
washer,
and
clamping
sleeve
from
front
section
.

5334

Fig
.
10
.
Center
bearing
circlip
(arrow)
to
be
removed
.
Driveshafl
shown
installed
.

300-2



SUSPENSION,
STEERING
AND
BRAKES-GENERAL

Steering

INTEGRATED
SYSTEMS

The
steering
linkage
connects
the
rack-and-pinion
unit
through
tie
rodsto
the
steering
arms
.
The
tie
rod
ends
allow
the
wheels
to
pivot
and
react
to
suspension
travel
.

Rear
Suspension

The
rear
axle
carrier
is
the
main
mounting
point
for
the
final

drive
housing
and
the
rear
suspension
components
.

Trailing
arms
locatethe
rear
wheels
and
anchorthe
springs,

shocks
and
stabilizer
bar
.
Driveaxies
with
constant-velocity

(CV)
joints
at
both
ends
transfer
power
from
the
differential
to

the
road
wheels
.
The
differential
is
mounted
to
the
rearaxle

carrier
through
rubber
mountsand
bushings
to
hele
isolate

drivetrain
noise
and
vibration
.

Brakes

E36
cars
areequipped
with
power
disc
brakes
with
an
inte-
gral
antilock
brakes
(ABS)
.
The
parking
brake
is
a
dual-drum

system
integrated
with
the
rear
brake
rotors
.
See
Fig
.
3
.

Power
assist
is
provided
by
a
vacuum
booster
when
the
en-

gine
is
running
.
The
brakepedal
pushrod
is
connected
directly

to
the
master
cylinder,
so
failure
of
the
vacuum
booster
does

not
normally
result
in
total
brake
failure
.

0012124



Each
disc
brakeuses
a
caliper
with
a
single
hydraulic
cylin-
Fig
.
2
.



Front
suspension
control
arm
(arrow)
.



der
.
Brake
pads
in
the
left
front
and
right
rear
contain
wear

sensors
.
When
the
padsneed
replacement,the
sensors
illu-
The
front
suspension
is
designed
with
minimum
positive



minate
a
light
on
the
dashboard
.
steering
offset
.
This
geometry
contributes
to
stability
when

traction
is
unequalfrom
side
to
side
.
Suspension
travel
is
lim-



Tires
and
Wheels
ited
by
rubber
bump
stops
.

The
three
point
mounting
of
each
L-shaped
control
arm
ere-



Tiresize
is
critica¡
to
the
proper
operatíon
of
the
E36
ABS
or

cisely
controls
the
front-to-rear
and
side-to-side
position
of
the



ABS/AST
system
.
Severa¡
different
styles
of
wheels,
in
15,16

strut,
while
the
flexibility
of
the
joints
and
mounts
alsoallows



and
17
inch
diameters,
are
available
from
an
authorized
BMW

the
movement
necessary
for
suspension
travel
.
The
control



dealer
.

arm
mounting
points
are
designed
with
anti-dive
geometry
.

The
suspension
reduces
the
normaltendency
for
the
front
of



NOTE-
the
vehicle
to
dive
under
hard
braking
.



Aftermarket
wheelsshould
be
selected
wlth
care
.
Im-
properly
fitted
wheels
can
contact
anddamage
sus

Control
arm
position
is
fixed,
with
no
adjustment
provisions



pension,
brakeorbodycomponentsandmayadversely

on
the
control
arms
for
alter¡ng
front
wheel
al
ignment
.
A
stabi-



affect
vehicle
stability
.

lizer
bar
mounted
to
both
control
arms
heles
to
reduce
body
rol¡
whencomering
.



INTEGRATED
SYSTEMS

Antilock
Brake
System
(ABS)
is
standard
on
all
E36
cars
.

The
variable-assist
power
steering
system
consists
of
an



Standard
on
some
models
and
installed
as
optional
equipment
on

engine-driven
hydraulic
pump,
a
rack-and-pinion
type
steer-



others,
is
All
Season
Traction
(AST)
.

ing
gear,
and
connecting
linkage
to
the
road
wheels
.
TheE36
utilizes
an
engine-speed
dependent
variable
effort
steering



Antilock
Brake
System
(ABS)

system
.
At
low
speeds,
maximum
power
assist
is
provided
to
ease
parking
and
city
driving
.
Athigh
speeds,
assist
is
re-



The
electronically-controlled
ABS
maintains
vehícle
stabili
duced
to
ensure
stability
.



ty
and
control
during
emergency
braking
by
preventing
wheel
lock-up
.
ABS
provides
optimum
deceleration
and
stability
dur-