E34 Flex Disc Replacement

[devinwwu]

Alright guys this is going to be a multiple post deal just cause i'm trying to get over strep throat and install it at the same time. this is my third time doing this so i have it down fairly well. hope this helps some of you guys out...

here are some pics for ya.
Here you can see the Driveshaft coming from the right side of the pic, the transmission output is just down and to the left of center.
you can see the rips i put through the flex disc while doing donuts, also you can see the initial source of the problem; the worn transmission mounts in the middle left and bottom right of the pic.


Here is a close up of the same pic. (don't buy flex discs off of ebay. they don't put nearly as much threading inside the rubber. i will try to find a pic of my last torn up one and show you what i mean.


1. First thing you have to do is jack up the car and remove the exhaust.
2. i usually take the front of the exhaust off first, remove the heatshield that is underneath where the manifolds meet the exhaust. see photo of bolts and heatshield below.

then remove the four nuts connecting the dual exhaust pipes to the manifolds. (they are all spring loaded and you can see the springs and nuts from the exhaust above)

this is a pic from beneath the car of the exhaust bolts with heatshield in place

3. then remove the mount on the transmission housing,
4. remove the two rubber hangers after the catalytic converters and before the rear muffler
5. make sure you have someone holding up the front of the exhaust or put it on top of a box or a stand, then remove the two mounts on the rear muffler. the exhaust should be loose at this point. you will have to pull it towards the rear of the car to get it out. then slide it out or move it to the side, it is much easier to get at the transmission and flex disc if you move it out from under the car though.
here is a pic of the exhaust where it hooks up to manifold. this is after it is disconnected.


here is a pic of the exhaust on the ground


This is a pic from the rear to the front of the exhaust on the ground


Then just for fun this is the custom part of my exhaust. you can see where the welds are that was where the stock muffler was before i removed it and welded in dual 2.5" straight pipes

[devinwwu]

this is what the flex disc should look like...


i will post the rest when i finish tomorrow...

[xsperf]

dude that not right, 3 times already? on the e36, it was only once b/c it had been sitting for maybe a month before it was used again, from the pics of the broken one, it looks like you tightened the bolts way, way too much.. but that shouldnt cause it, interesting tho

oh and on the e36, it wasnt broken, it was sheared and basically no rubber, just threads coming out of it

[devinwwu]

i know its not right and i went over this in my post, my transmission mounts are worn (see pics) and the stress from those is too much for the flex disc when i'm burning out and such.

this is not the third one i have put on (sorry slightly misleading) i replaced my clutch and flywheel with a stage 3 spec clutch and JBracing lightweight flywheel and had to remove the flex disc and put it back on then as well making the 3rd time. this is the second time i've had to replace it.

bolts are tightened to tq specs, and there are metal sheaths around each bolt which are in perfect shape. it looks overtightened because the rubber has been pushed together in a coupole spots bulging above the bolt.

[mzbmw325i]

where is the rest of the DYI and pics on this. maybe i can't find it

[Dudesky]

There's really not much to it. Take a look at Pelican's DIY, or my writeup on clutch replacement. There's a section about the guibo.