Quote:
Originally Posted by Factory6speed
Not sure about the V8. But I know with the M54 and with my 340ix f30, you can't get to all 4 diff bolts without raising the engine and/or lowering the subframe. And even if you could get to the bolt there's not really any room to move it. On this car I was able to get to two out of four but the other two were obstructed by the engine mount area etc. I don't know for certain though, perhaps it can actually be done in a certain way, hopefully somebody else will chime in.
There's also a little protective ring they added to use when installing the diff. I wish I had ordered this when I did it but I didn't know about the part until late and sent it in anyway without it.
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...14#11137506632
I think it's number 9 in the diagram which is greyed out. When I called my local dealer about it, he said it showed is not applying to the VIN. I don't think that's right but i didn't bother holding up the whole show for it. Not really sure what's going on in the parts catalog with it. Factory manual says it is intended to protect that o-ring from dirt as you slide it in.
I just got everything super clean with the microfiber brake cleaner and compressed air. It was a little awkward to bench press up and get seated in there perfectly without messing that ring up but it was more doable than I initially expected. I would say it weighs about 50 lb maybe. Also make sure you fully mark both ends of the front prop shaft->diff flange so you get everything installed in the same orientation. |
I agree. That little metal protective ring is needed to protect the new seal when muscling the diff into position. You don’t want to cut the o-ring and find out after the car is back together that it’s leaking.
The diff is quite heavy and it’s a tough job to get it into place without some inadvertent contact and banging around. I’d recommend a helper to, at a minimum, slide the bolts in as you muscle the diff around and into place. I did it on my back with the car on jack stands. Even following the Bentley procedures (impossible otherwise, unfortunately I tried to short cut the process and wasted a lot of time and bloody knuckles), the 50 lb diff has to be threaded into place via room created by dropping the subframe a bit and lifting the motor a few inches.
If I do it again I’d have the car on a lift, the diff on a jack or other support stand and a helper to help maneuver it and slide the bolts home.
I recall that I ordered the seal/o-ring and protective ring from another x-drive car. I think FCP recommended it when I put the part numbers in? I may have the pn of the one I used in some old notes. Let me know if you need me to dig around for it.