Vibration at idle in Drive solved.

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by zonefive

The engine mounts were replaced with BMW mounts 30,000 miles ago, and then at 15,000 miles ago, just to make sure it wasn't the mounts. The transmission mount was also changed with OEM with no difference.

This is a major problem with the M54 engine on the E46 forums, and no one has been able to figure it out there either.

I did find a couple places that sell ECUs that have them reprogrammed to raise the rpm to 900, vs 650, and I think I'll try that.

Has anyone ever used a tuned ECU? I searched for ECU in this forum and it said the search term was too short.

https://revmatchmotorsport.com/tunes/p/e46-tune

https://www.redline-motorsport.com/product/ms43-tuning/

My scan tool will allow me to raise the rpm's to 800, I think. I have it a t about 790 now. It helps, but it doesn't go away. It is far more noticeable when idling in gear. Makes me wonder if it might actually be a torque converter issue?

[zonefive]

It isn't the torque converter. I replaced the transmission with a rebuilt one, including the TC, and it made no difference.

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by zonefive

It isn't the torque converter. I replaced the transmission with a rebuilt one, including the TC, and it made no difference.

Any discussion on the E46 forums about changing the harmonic balancer?

[Effduration]

Originally Posted by Fifty150hs

Any discussion on the E46 forums about changing the harmonic balancer?

Not much...I am on the E46 forums and it does not come up often...

[Bdc101]

Originally Posted by Effduration

Not much...I am on the E46 forums and it does not come up often...

Yep - anything rotating that's out of balance will typically cause increasing vibration as RPMs increase. Something that causes vibration at only low RPMs is either something that stops turning at higher RPMs, or an issue with an engine mount, which only transmits low-RPM vibrations through the engine into the chassis. That's why I still think this is engine-mount related.

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by Bdc101

Yep - anything rotating that's out of balance will typically cause increasing vibration as RPMs increase. Something that causes vibration at only low RPMs is either something that stops turning at higher RPMs, or an issue with an engine mount, which only transmits low-RPM vibrations through the engine into the chassis. That's why I still think this is engine-mount related.

I changed my engine mounts. It didn't really help.