P38 DSE auto idle vibration

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Although it is as smooth as silk in the Omega and also the BMW 325 (I have owned/driven both)..... suspect that L/R's engineering on the engine mounts is not too clever. Not that a straight six should be hard to make smooth!

Cheers,

Jerry
 
jerrytlr said:
Although it is as smooth as silk in the Omega and also the BMW 325 (I have owned/driven both)..... suspect that L/R's engineering on the engine mounts is not too clever. Not that a straight six should be hard to make smooth!

Cheers,

Jerry
Click to expand...

As it was installed on BMW's watch you would think the engine mounts would be up to the job, typical LR I suppose, crap engine mounts join all the other crap quality features:rolleyes:
 
Now then gents. The more I have stood and crawled over the car the more I also think it could be engine mounts. Worth changing? What do you think?

I have nearly got the whole car working as I would like after 6mths, but this would be really nice to fix.
Next thing will be the CC.
So engine mounts is there a better /upgrade?
 
donp38 said:
Now then gents. The more I have stood and crawled over the car the more I also think it could be engine mounts. Worth changing? What do you think?

I have nearly got the whole car working as I would like after 6mths, but this would be really nice to fix.
Next thing will be the CC.
So engine mounts is there a better /upgrade?
Click to expand...

Perhaps you could adapt the electronically controlled hydraulic engine mounts from the L322 then you could have another ECU to go wrong:rolleyes:
 
Interesting thread this, have spoken to a few people about this including clarky at recent meet, i have same problem with my 97 auto DSE. and have been unable to pinpoint. as with DONp38.working my way through small list of jobs to be done. have had mechanics listen to this crawled underneath and looked at everything could think of but with no joy, other than to find i need to replace radius arm bushes and track rod ends, but don't think that these are causing it in any way. Just made list of things to do bit longer:mad: . The noise comes and goes in mine luckily not to frequently can be hot or cold and at any height, and is not unbearable just more annoying when happens.:confused: dissapears as soon as lift rev's. The engine mount suspicion is interesting certainly worth looking into. lets hope someone can pinpoint it.
 
Datatek.

Yet another item that scares me regarding the L322......
So that is not an option.
New mounts maybe worth a try. I remember far to many years ago the BL stuff had a really poor mounts and new ones would fix loads of problems. But as you say, this was under BMW stuardship. so should be good.

Might be a punt for simple /cheap/effective.
I will think a bit more over the weekend.

thanks guys ..
 
kaisermax said:
Interesting thread this, have spoken to a few people about this including clarky at recent meet, i have same problem with my 97 auto DSE. and have been unable to pinpoint. as with DONp38.working my way through small list of jobs to be done. have had mechanics listen to this crawled underneath and looked at everything could think of but with no joy, other than to find i need to replace radius arm bushes and track rod ends, but don't think that these are causing it in any way. Just made list of things to do bit longer:mad: . The noise comes and goes in mine luckily not to frequently can be hot or cold and at any height, and is not unbearable just more annoying when happens.:confused: dissapears as soon as lift rev's. The engine mount suspicion is interesting certainly worth looking into. lets hope someone can pinpoint it.
Click to expand...

Engine mounts were the first thing I thought of when I noticed it. Reminds me of a problem I had many years ago with an old Maxi - I started stripping the engine bay out to remove the engine, convinced the main bearings were shagged because of the vibes... Until I discovered metal-to-metal contact in one of the crappy engine mounts. Changing this made it all go away.

I've been planning to pull the acoustic covers off underneath to have a butchers at the gearbox mounts - my engine mounts appear sound so not convinced it's them...
 
donp38 said:
Datatek.

Yet another item that scares me regarding the L322......
So that is not an option.
New mounts maybe worth a try. I remember far to many years ago the BL stuff had a really poor mounts and new ones would fix loads of problems. But as you say, this was under BMW stuardship. so should be good.

Might be a punt for simple /cheap/effective.
I will think a bit more over the weekend.

thanks guys ..
Click to expand...

Don't make me laugh, BMW stuff is designed to last until it gets out of the showroom, I rarely see a really old BMW over here.:rolleyes:
 
BMW stuff lasts just fine, as long as you look after it... Needs lots of maintenance and fiddly little jobs when it gets old. I've had a number of older BMWs and they've needed a lot of work, but have all been great cars, tbh.

Back to vibrations... The other thing that comes to mind is the crank harmonic damper. I think of it in the same terms as suspension bushes - just because it isn't perished and hanging off, doesn't necessary mean it's good! It's possible they degrade over time without actually falling apart. Trouble is, it's far too expensive a part for someone to 'give it a try and see'...
 
so. anyone willing to have a punt?
So far we have the options.
1. live with it
2. Crank pulley
3. Engine mounts

I have noticed it seems to be most prominent under laod in second gear (auto) on power or on engine braking. when 'coasting' it is less. So??
 
donp38 said:
so. anyone willing to have a punt?
So far we have the options.
1. live with it
2. Crank pulley
3. Engine mounts

I have noticed it seems to be most prominent under laod in second gear (auto) on power or on engine braking. when 'coasting' it is less. So??
Click to expand...

That would suggest engine/gearbox mounts to me:)
 
Hi Gents.

I have got the mounts and ready to go.

Does anyone know if there is enough slack to simply raise the engine (after removing radiator) and change these or do I need to go through the work involved in removing the engine?

Plan to do the job on Sunday.

Best wishes.
 
I have been suffering the same problem rattle at idel from bell housing . We have had the gearbox off and it is the boss between the fly wheel and flex plate. Ours is because when a 93 year BMW engine was fitted it has got the wrong boss causing the noise finally getting it sorted.
 
Chaps undo inspection plate under bell housing put a small hose just inside as there are moving parts when running hold to your ear and listen if your flex plate is knackerd you will hear it ps you can only see the bolts that bolt to the torq converter unless you have an endescope to look for cracks.if your engine mounts are suspect get underneath with a torch light look to see if rubber is split or put a block under sump and (slightly) jack up if the mounts are gone your see them separating ok hope this helps
 
Looking at mine, I can actually see that it is the engine itself that is vibrating - the dipstick shakes rapidly at idle.

On changing my alternator a few days ago, I had a chance to get a good look at the crank damper without the belts on - and although not obviously knackered, I could quite easily get the rubber-isolated section of the pulley to move by prying it with a screwdriver - with not alot of force, either - suggesting it has softened and degraded over time.

My money is on that being the culprit... in the absence of firm evidence otherwise...
 
i have had the crank shaft damper pulley go twice 1st one sounded like the water pump impellor had come over and was rattling around and the 2nd one rattled on tick over and got quieter when you reved engine up so after the 2nd one went i welded the pulley up and been ok ever since, as for the vibration pulley being welded up it hasnt made it vibrate any more then it did before.
 
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