# Manual transmission question



## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

Do you have a metal rattle noise from the transmission when the engine/transmission is warm ?

The reason why I'm asking is that I have this noise on my car. I have talked to engineers at Alpina and BMW (Yes, I have called Munich and got an engineer on the phone), they both told me that the noise is *normal* on the Getrag 6 Speed. It can not be eliminated totally but can be reduced by using a special gear oil.

Any comments/observations ?


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## Mr. The Edge (Dec 19, 2001)

not that I have ever noticed


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## JST (Dec 19, 2001)

When do you notice it? 

Mine has a whirring metallic rattling sound when the car is in neutral and my foot is off the clutch. This is flywheel rattle, I think. It's what people complain about when they go to lighter flywheels. That said, it's very, very subtle, and the only reason I noticed it was after listening for the same sound in TD's car after he got a lightweight fly.


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## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

JST said:


> When do you notice it?
> 
> Mine has a whirring metallic rattling sound when the car is in neutral and my foot is off the clutch. This is flywheel rattle, I think. It's what people complain about when they go to lighter flywheels. That said, it's very, very subtle, and the only reason I noticed it was after listening for the same sound in TD's car after he got a lightweight fly.


Exactly the same, car in neutral, foot is off the clutch. However the sound disappears when I press the clutch.


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## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

RS2 said:


> So what gear oil did they recommend instead?
> 
> /RS2


By next week I'll know more about the oil. I'll keep you updated.


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## FlyingDutchMan (Jul 18, 2003)

*I have something similar*

After installing the short shifter with the metal ball bearing I notice a little "gear noise." Although it got my attentention, after listening more closely it sounds like normal mechinical gear noise. Depending on how the gears themselves are cut in a given transmission there maybe more or less noise. Any that has heard a Jerico on a race car will know what I mean.

The tanny noise I get worried about is the when the gear box whines under load, and then when you lift off the throttle it goes away. That was usually the warning sign of a transmission on the fritz. This same warning sign can come from the rear end as well.

Just for laughs, I have a stethoscope(the thing doctors used to listen to your heart) and I put it on different parts of the engine while it is idling. You would be amazed how loud an individual injector is, or how well you can hear the air rushing through the throttle bodies. Don't let anyone see you doing this, they'll think your a complete geek. It is nontheless a common tool used to diagnois engine trouble.

FDM


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## Moderato (Nov 24, 2003)

Alex Baumann said:


> Do you have a metal rattle noise from the transmission when the engine/transmission is warm ?
> 
> The reason why I'm asking is that I have this noise on my car. I have talked to engineers at Alpina and BMW (Yes, I have called Munich and got an engineer on the phone), they both told me that the noise is *normal* on the Getrag 6 Speed. It can not be eliminated totally but can be reduced by using a special gear oil.
> 
> Any comments/observations ?


http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69833

I have this same "problem", well maybe it's not a problem but my tranny does the same thing. I'm trying to determine if it's normal or not (dealership says it's normal, but they've said that before and been wrong  ), and it seems like it is, but I'd like to hear it on another car before I take the dealerships word for it. In addition to steping on the clutch to make the sound go away, I've found that I can also make the sound go away if I don't step on the clutch, but gently press on the gear shifter towards 1, 2, 3 or 4. Could you try that and tell me if that works for you also? Do you still have the noise, have you had any issues? If it really is normal and the tranny is operating properly and is durable and strong then this noise really won't bother me at all.


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## glaws (Feb 21, 2002)

No sir, no rattles at all. I *do* have several different kinds of "whines" though.


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## TeamM3 (Dec 24, 2002)

too much loading, that's what happens when you fill the trunk up with Free Kick, plus pack Barney and those [email protected] Teletubbies into the passenger compartment all in one joyriding trip :angel:


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## car_for_mom (Jul 15, 2002)

FlyingDutchMan said:


> After installing the short shifter with the metal ball bearing I notice a little "gear noise." Although it got my attentention, after listening more closely it sounds like normal mechinical gear noise. Depending on how the gears themselves are cut in a given transmission there maybe more or less noise. Any that has heard a Jerico on a race car will know what I mean.
> 
> The tanny noise I get worried about is the when the gear box whines under load, and then when you lift off the throttle it goes away. That was usually the warning sign of a transmission on the fritz. This same warning sign can come from the rear end as well.
> 
> ...


Pssst...Glad to know *our* M3 is doing okay! :thumbup:  How have you been? I still remember driving *your* M3 through the streets of Santa Barbara!


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## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

TeamZ4 said:


> too much loading, that's what happens when you fill the trunk up with Free Kick, plus pack Barney and those [email protected] Teletubbies into the passenger compartment all in one joyriding trip :angel:


Isn't it sweet ?


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

Yeah they can whine. Part is the gear tooth angles. Some rattles from the torque pulses hitting the gear mesh lash setting.

The reason it stops when you push in the clutch is becuase you are disconnecting the engine from the tranny by doing this, eliminating the rotation and pulsing.

My LTW has a wicked off throttle diffy whine that bothered me, but seems it is OK> Only really hear it when you have the back seat bottom out.


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## webguy330i (Jan 9, 2002)

Hey Alex, not a bimmer, but the evo has the same issue. It's been attributed to the throw-out bearing. I remember hearing the sound faintly on my 330, but the evo's lack of 'real' sound deadening makes it much more apparent.


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