Mike04

For the past several days I have been hearing a squeak coming from what I thought was a pulley bearing going out.

Finally tracked it down tonight to the area were the torque tube bolts to the engine. I can tell for sure exactly where it is though. It gets louder when hot and gets even louder when RPMs drop like when stopping at a stop sign for about a second or two.

At this point I'm guessing the problem is the bearing at the front of the torque tube. Anyone had something like this happen? I guess I have no choice but to pull the torque tube out and try to find something damaged, unless someone has another idea.

Also, anyone have a good sources for the bearings in the torque tube, If I remember right GM doesn't sell the bearings short of buying a whole new torque tube.

I have had the torque tube apart in the past to install a solid rear coupler..... I can't remember now if the bearing was pressed in to the housing or on the shaft.


Turns out that Randy@DRM had the answer to my squeak. I reinstalled my breather and the squeak went away. I never would have thought that excess crank case vacuum could cause a squeak that sounds like a bearing going out. A whistling main seal.....

willyfastz

I had one on a customer car that did the same thing, replaced the bearing and the squeal was gone

0Randy@DRM

What catch can do you have??? I think maybe something fishing is going on. If you have a stock breather system then it's the tube front bearing.

Randy

Mike04

Not sure I understand what you are saying.... I don't have a catch can. I do have an ECS breather. Torque tube and catch can/ breather?

0Randy@DRM

The rear seal leaking can sound like a bearing going bad. If the motor isn't breathing right this will occur. Drysump motors are known for this, because they have a pull on them all the time. When you lift off the gas there is a ton of vacaum. And it could be whisling your rear main seal.

Randy

SteveDoten

could be worse

C5R motor, F1R fed; pics from one of Slowhawks winter projects

tstar

If you're talking about the rubber couplers, you can order couplers through BMW, I believe you want to ask for the 318 ones.

Mike04

That is serious carnage...

Mike04

I think my problem is going to be with the bearing at the front of the torque tube. I just need to check into how hard it is to track them down.

John Shiels

that is how mine was. I was at VIR 13 hour trip one way and mine failed. I heard a clunking as I came off track. Packed it away for winter. Then in the spring I remember the noise and found the same as you have in the pictures. To make an event I had to next day a torque tube. While I was in there I next day shipped LGM headers and a clutch I spent a ton on shipping. Mine was the smaller 99 version and it had about 50,000 on it.

Mike04

OK, that makes sense now. I have actually ran the engine with the stock oil cap on instead of the ECS breather cap do to another mod in work. I have also noticed my vacuum gauge at 20lbs at idle when it is usually a few lbs less with the breather installed. You have given me hope that this is my problem. I can't wait to get home and try it.

DALE C

Gm sells the bearings they do not sell the couplers

Mike04

Problem fixed. Check original post for edit