It aint got any drive shaft

[conkitchen]

Okay, This thread is not for those not in the know. It's off topic for 2002's However I believe others like myself possess knowledge and passion for the brand and it's brethren-Namely the venerable BMW EURO spec E21! 

 

Imagine reading the above in the voice of Jeremy Clarkson. 

 

Okay, 

 

I have a 1981 323i with a four speed.

I do not have a drive shaft-yet. 

I found one that measures per the blue shop manuals only measurement provided @ 60.625"  

SO one would think cool it's the proper shaft and should fit. 

To date I don't have the trans back in the car so I can't measure the flange to diff yet. Plan to soon just need to schedule time. Right?

 

Question is this: 

 

The manual shows only one dimensional length for the 8 bolt flex disc (as above) and what I've read the "standard" 323i & 320-six trans is a 4 speed with the 5 speed being an option I suppose. The blogosphere tends to favor the belief that all 323i-not 320-six, would have a 5 speed and not a 4 speed. 

Enter the information source. Blue manuals ONLY provide the one dimension for the shaft end to end. Have to assume it's for the 4 speed. 

 

I believe that the Getrag 5 speed unit is longer than the 4 speed. Makes me think the 5 speed drive shaft dimension would be "shorter" than the what's printed in the manual. No? Or, like the 83 320i's 5 speed the Getrag unit is small? 

 

What did BMW do here? They shipped cars with 5 speeds, yet the service manuals do not have any dimensions for that shaft. Were they just shortened upon order/assembly. 

 

Anyone out there know what I'm talking about? 

 

Edited December 15, 2017 by conkitchen

[dbmw2002]

Easy one. Drink lots of German Beer, think like German.....the real Q, why would BMW engineers design something future owners would be totally frustrated by ?    ......drink more German Beer.....call South America BMW dealer, that's where all these gas guzzlers landed.  Round 3

 

The moral?  Nothing is easy with BMWs

The mantra, repeat 3 times. It's worth it!

[conkitchen]

10 hours ago, dbmw2002 said:

Easy one. Drink lots of German Beer, think like German.....the real Q, why would BMW engineers design something future owners would be totally frustrated by ?    ......drink more German Beer.....call South America BMW dealer, that's where all these gas guzzlers landed.  Round 3

 

The moral?  Nothing is easy with BMWs

The mantra, repeat 3 times. It's worth it!

Pure poetry 

[Preyupy]

The correct OD 5 speed for the 323 M20 engine is exactly the same length as the 245/5 used in the E21 320 with the M10.  The internal parts are exactly the same the only difference is the front section of the transmission case because of the difference in the bolt pattern where it attaches to the block.  If you can't find a correct box I do have a couple of front case sections that you can use to convert a 245/5 to fit on a M20. 

[conkitchen]

Byron,

 

You are correct on the M20 case.  I have a 4 speed box now. Just looking for info on the drive shaft length's since the manual only shows one for ALL cars. Actually two but the one is for an Auto.

To me it seems odd that there is not a dimension specific to the 5 speed or 4 speed.  However there is depicted a 5" difference in lengths for the 8 bolt flex disc over the 6 bolt. Could that be the actual difference between a 4 speed and a 5 speed? 

 

See attached.

Edited December 15, 2017 by conkitchen

[Preyupy]

The 245/5 is 512 mm (20.18")  long from the bell housing mounting face to the guibo mounting face of the output flange. I believe the difference between the 4 and 5 speed is 89mm (3.503").  I don't know why they don't show the difference in the drive shafts in the repair manual.  They show a part number of 26 11 1 208 611 for the 4 speed driveline and 26 11 1 208 613 for the 5 speed.   

[conkitchen]

Byron,

 

Thanks anyways, I'll figure it out one way or another. 

 

BTW I bought a shaft from Steve Worthington in Shelton WA. Do you know him? 

[Preyupy]

Hope it all works out. I have not seen Steve in many years.