SOLVED: Flywheel reference pin sheered off..

[blockerb]

So I’ve had the pleasure of a stick getting lodged in the transmission bell housing and the reference pin/tab sheered off and now it won’t start. So it appears that I’m gonna need to have the flywheel repaired/replaced. Seems the cover for the bell housing viewing port disappeared before I acquired the car 5 years ago. I didn’t even know it had one.

My questions:

1. Does anyone know a good shop in Atlanta that would do this work
2. Does anyone know a good shop on the Atlanta area that would do the weld repair where they just weld on a new tab rather than dropping the entire tranny to replace the flywheel? Car ran almost flawlessly prior to this happening.
3. Does anyone in the Atlanta area have experience doing this repair/replace and would be willing to help me diy it. I’d pay in pizza, beer, return the favor, and/or hugs.

1986 528e stock with m20 engine

[Shawn D.]

Dang, that stinks.

1) Yes. Ask German Car Repair in Alpharetta. Not an inexpensive shop, but they do good work.
2) No.
3) Maybe. Is your car at a house on a flat surface where jack stands can be properly placed? I have a shoulder issue and cannot do any physical work in this regard, but I could advise.

[blockerb]

Yes it’s in a clean full sized garage on a concrete surface and I routinely put it up on stands to work on it so not an issue at all. I’ll PM you.

[blockerb]

Dang, that stinks.

1) Yes. Ask German Car Repair in Alpharetta. Not an inexpensive shop, but they do good work.
2) No.
3) Maybe. Is your car at a house on a flat surface where jack stands can be properly placed? I have a shoulder issue and cannot do any physical work in this regard, but I could advise.

Follow-up question. Is a used flexplate/flywheel suitable (assuming the tab is in place) or do I need to get a brand new one? ECS and FCP seem to have them but of course they're expensive.

[Shawn D.]

Yes, a used part in good condition is acceptable. These are not individually balanced with each engine.

[Mike W.]

If it has all 3 pedals you might be able to drill, tap and install a specially shaped bolt. If it's missing a pedal and only has 2 I wouldn't even think about trying to do a repair weld on it. Especially if you don't have the broken off part.

[41magfan]

This would be fun to observe repairing Shawn. Wish I was still in Ga…at one time I would have been there, but in Jack stands , the clearance under the car will be tight

[blockerb]

So the "grid" looking cover appears to be the cover that was missing that led to the stick incident. RealOEM doesn't show this as a separate part so wondering where i would source another one, other than finding a used coverter housing that still has the piece intact.

Any ideas where i can source one of these? Or have folks used an alternative method???

[Mike W.]

I'd forgotten just what they looked like under there. It's pretty well protected with the sway bar, stiffener and steering linkage. That plastic grid is more to keep leaves and stuff out and allow ventilation, not as a physical barrier to protect the reference tab. But the tabs do fail, regardless if that vent grid is there or not. Not a whole lot, but it's not rare either.

Now I don't blame you, there is the once burned, twice shy frame of mind, but I suspect it was natural failure, not due to the missing plastic grid. Nice if you can find one, I'd post a WTB in the parts subforum, but I wouldn't sweat it if you don't find one.

[gadget73]

yeah no real structure to that plastic thing. It will just pop out or in with fairly light pressure. If whatever got in there was strong enough to break a welded thing off, it would have had no issue smashing that plastic part.

I honestly have a hard time believing a stick could break loose a piece of steel welded to the flexplate in the first place unless it was all but ready to fall off anyway.

[blockerb]

Well since I’ll have to drop the transmission so do this repair. What else should I inspect of plan on replacing while I’m in there. At what signs of other failures should I look for. Rear main seal comes to mind. It’s an automatic so I don’t think I have throw out bearings, etc. new to this part of the vehicle.

[Mike W.]

Yeah, some people have had rear main seals go. I've seen more leaky fronts myself, but YMMV. Might want to do a fluid change on the tranny if you haven't done one lately, but it's really unrelated.

[Shawn D.]

I would install a new torque converter seal. It's what the converter snout seals against in the bellhousing.

[blockerb]

I would install a new torque converter seal. It's what the converter snout seals against in the bellhousing.

thanks Shawn....Realoem has this part number, 24311422671. is that what you're referring to?

[Shawn D.]

I would install a new torque converter seal. It's what the converter snout seals against in the bellhousing.

thanks Shawn....Realoem has this part number, 24311422671. is that what you're referring to?

Yes.

[blockerb]

Perfect thanks!

So I’m waffling between doing this repair or trying to got the motronic 1.1 upgrade route. List of parts for the motronic upgrade seem like they may be difficult to find these days. Not sure. But I’ve read it’s all done from above the car not under. And maybe cheaper form parts.

Benefit of repair this, other than the learning opportunity would be to get it back to baseline before making major alterations, inspection of the bell housing and replacing the converter seal. I can source a Flexplate on eBay for around $120.

Questions:

- thoughts on one solution or the other?
- hard to tell from realoem but is there an I second pin or something to ensure that input the Flexplate on on the right position? Other than that, from my research it’s pretty much just bolting it back on on the correct position?

[Shawn D.]

- hard to tell from realoem but is there an I second pin or something to ensure that input the Flexplate on on the right position? Other than that, from my research it’s pretty much just bolting it back on on the correct position?

One of the six bolts to the crank has a sleeve that indexes the flywheel/flexplate.

[blockerb]

I found a couple flex plates on eBay. One was this one, part 11221287081:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/255921439092?m ... media=COPY

I checked ecstuning and it said this part would not fit my 1986 528e m20 automatic. Realoem shows that this part was on 533i and 535i with M30 motor.

However, It looks identical to the part for my car according To realoem, 11221287079. Both show on realoem as four hole versions but I think in reality, they are three hole versions (I think there is some question about whether the diagram is accurate or not).

Will this work on my e28, or is it a different diameter, tooth count, etc.? The listing says it compatible with the 4HP22 transmission.

I’d rather use this one than another listing as it looks newer/better condition.

As always thanks.

[Mike W.]

M20 and M30 engines are similar, but virtually nothing interchanges, including I'm sure the flywheel. Dollars to doughnuts it will not fit. Check Realoem and see if there is any compatibility between M20 and M30 flywheels. I'll bet not.

[blockerb]

Ok got the tranny out and used flex plate is on the way. i can't find solid info/part numbers about the torx bolt sizes for the torx bolts that attach the bellhousing to the engine. I have a total of 2 M14x45 (the top two), 2 M14x75 (one on each side), 2 M12x65 (that mount the starter), and 4 M10 that attached to lower cover (the access cover for the converter bolts). Realoem doesn't specify any M14 bolts, or M10 bolts, at all and the mounting diagrams for my tranny (4HP22) seem inconsistent with my bellhousing/engine situation and I can't find replacements, as i'd like to use new bolts if possible.

1. Anyone know where i can find M14 replacements? I've checked the usual spots ecstuning, fcpeuro, pelicanparts, etc.

2. Also having trouble finding torque specs for the M14 torx bolts. I don't have a bentley but do have Haynes (I know, not as good) and it doesn't specify M14 or M10 torx bolts either. Anhyone know the torque specs for the M14 and M10 torx bolts? It does specify 46-53 ft-lbs for the M12 torx bolts.

3. when reaataching the flext plate with the 8 (?) hex head bolts, should i use locktite on those? Also what are the torque specs for those? Haynes sadly, doesn't really even cover this area very well.

[Mike W.]

Hex vs E torx doesn't really matter. On M30 cars they used hex thru 81 and the E torx starting in the E28 era. I actually use hex whenever I have one out just because I fear stripping them less than the E torx. Torque should be the same.

Yes on locktite on the flex plate. Red locktite, not blue.

If you really want e torx I'd suggest the dealer, McMaster Carr or just doing a search. I'm sure BMW used good stuff, but for the bellhousing to engine the strength rating of the bolt is not critical. The flywheel yes, but bellhousing, no.

[gadget73]

I wouldn't expect the bellhouse to engine bolts are a TTY / single use fastener. Flywheel / flexplate could be though. Should be specified in the manual if it is. Generally unless its a TTY or damaged, I re-use original hardware. It tends to be very good quality, and you know it fits right.

[Shawn D.]

Moved because this is becoming more of a technical thread, not an "I need assistance" thread.

[blockerb]

Ok thank you.

What are positions of the selector lever that attaches to the selector cable on the side of the gearbox? I had it in park when I took everything out and didn’t make a note of the position of the lever. It got moved when pulling out the gearbox and I want to make sure I reinstall with it in the park position. Are there any pointers on which position is park and reattaching the cable? Haynes mentions a couple notes but it’s somewhat cryptic.

[gadget73]

pretty sure that has internal stops, so just full travel one way or the other ought to get it. I don't happen to know which direction the lever moves without looking at it though. Ought to be pretty obvious if the shifter is in park, one position on the lever will connect, the other ought to be nowhere close.