E46 transmission whine...

Mango · 11-27-2010, 02:38 AM

Wondering if any of you have a whine with the 320z 5-speed ZF transmission. I have a whine that is a high-pitched hum which kind of sounds like a supercharged whine (but very faint). The noise happens under load whether slight or heavy, at pretty much any speed over 15mph. If I manipulate the gas to where theres no load on the transmission (coasting) the noise goes away but returns as soon as i let off the gas or get on the gas. The noise also goes away when at speed and the clutch is pushed in.

Any ideas? The transmission seems to operate flawlessly other than the noise.

CBell330 · 11-27-2010, 09:05 AM

Maybe check your rear diff fluid....i know mine whined just like you said in my old car when it needed changing. I though it was the trans for a while.

Snik · 11-27-2010, 09:33 AM

maybe yours has straight cut race gears.
try shifting without the clutch and see if its sequential also.

whats a 320z anyway?

Mango · 11-27-2010, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snikwad

maybe yours has straight cut race gears.
try shifting without the clutch and see if its sequential also.

whats a 320z anyway?

no.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CBell330

Maybe check your rear diff fluid....i know mine whined just like you said in my old car when it needed changing. I though it was the trans for a while.

Diff fluid has already been changed. It's not that anyway, the sound is coming directly from under the mid-section of the car.

Snik · 11-27-2010, 11:16 AM

is the tranny leaking, maybe a seal is busted, or a bearing in the tranny is shot.

is it the same whine sound a car makes when u reverse?

Stickbuilder · 11-27-2010, 02:09 PM

Oops. Yours is a manual. Have you checked the fluid level?

Many330i · 11-27-2010, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snikwad

is the tranny leaking, maybe a seal is busted, or a bearing in the tranny is shot.

is it the same whine sound a car makes when u reverse?

I believe this guy is right-on! This, I suspect is your real problem. I had prolly the same 'whine' for a while until the dealer spotted the leak, had them fix it 4 weeks ago and the whine has been gone since...

rfier · 11-28-2010, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E46Mango

Wondering if any of you have a whine with the 320z 5-speed ZF transmission. I have a whine that is a high-pitched hum which kind of sounds like a supercharged whine (but very faint). The noise happens under load whether slight or heavy, at pretty much any speed over 15mph. If I manipulate the gas to where theres no load on the transmission (coasting) the noise goes away but returns as soon as i let off the gas or get on the gas. The noise also goes away when at speed and the clutch is pushed in.

Any ideas? The transmission seems to operate flawlessly other than the noise.

Might be your throw out bearing

11-27-2010, 02:38 AM	#1
Mango Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Southern California Posts: 16,553 My Ride: M54B30 View My Garage	E46 transmission whine... Wondering if any of you have a whine with the 320z 5-speed ZF transmission. I have a whine that is a high-pitched hum which kind of sounds like a supercharged whine (but very faint). The noise happens under load whether slight or heavy, at pretty much any speed over 15mph. If I manipulate the gas to where theres no load on the transmission (coasting) the noise goes away but returns as soon as i let off the gas or get on the gas. The noise also goes away when at speed and the clutch is pushed in. Any ideas? The transmission seems to operate flawlessly other than the noise. __________________ Cooling \| Maintenance \| Vacuum \| Suspension \| Costs "Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected." -Steve Jobs

11-27-2010, 09:05 AM	#2
CBell330 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 430 My Ride: '01 330ci ZSP View My Garage	Maybe check your rear diff fluid....i know mine whined just like you said in my old car when it needed changing. I though it was the trans for a while. __________________ -ZSP- Clear Corners- Blackout Grills- ACS Spoiler- ACS Roof Spoiler-Much more to come

11-27-2010, 02:09 PM	#6
Stickbuilder Registered User Join Date: May 2010 Location: Nashville TN/Central FL. Posts: 1,085 My Ride: Touring, and others View My Garage	Oops. Yours is a manual. Have you checked the fluid level? __________________ [/SIGPIC]I'm fluent in 3 languages: English Sarcasm Profanity Last edited by Stickbuilder; 11-27-2010 at 02:11 PM.

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