Metal part drained out of trans

[smiller]

Maybe what's left of the wave washer... although the piece on the right looks a little wide for that...

[boatzo]

 

holy crap......is that in inches? Those are some serious chunks. What is the thickness of the metal? Are the pieces flexible, or are they pretty sturdy?

 

Keith, the metal is thin and tempered like spring metal, not really flexible.

 

Seth's idea of a wave washer sounds like the right consistancy. I assume the piece got crunched between the gears on its way to the bottom of the trans. I rode the bike yesterday and it is running fine and shifting smoothly.

[OoPEZoO]

The scary thing is.....if that is part of the wave washer......where is the rest of it . If it is part of the wave washer, then something is starting to go wonky with your input shaft.

 

If it was me, I think I would refill the transmission. Then take it out for a good hour long ride to heat up the tranny oil. When I got back I would put it up on the center stand with something under the left side of it to tilt the bike to the right side to aid draining. Then pull the plug and drain the oil again to see if anything else comes out.

 

I think I would also consider putting a few $$$ away for a future repair.

[boatzo]

I agree Keith, the ride was my next step. I also wonder if it could have been a chunk of gear material that went through the grinder?

 

When you rebuilt your trans, did you get a kit for rebuilding or just take it apart and order what you need?

[OoPEZoO]

I took it apart and just ordered what I needed. I am not aware of any sort of rebuild "kit". It would be impossible for them to do it considering you never know what you are going to find once you get in there. I knew I had a trashed input shaft, but I was also expecting to have to replace a shift fork or two. Turns out that they looked great and I ended up only ordering a new complete input shaft, new seals, and the shims I needed.

[boatzo]

 

This is what I got out of the trans after 100 mi. run. Doesn't look good I didn't have the bike tilted to the right the first time I drained the trans.but I did this time and as you can see, there is lots of stuff.

[smiller]

Hard to tell with such a small image but that looks more and more like a disintegrated wave washer (which we have heard of happening before), especially the long piece. If a bearing had failed completely enough to spew that many parts I'd think you'd be having obvious running problems with the transmission. Do you notice any more noise than usual when idling in neutral with the clutch out? That would be one possible result of a missing wave washer.

 

If that's all it is then you are not in any immediate danger of failure but I'd definitely get it looked after sooner rather than later. I've been removing the wave washer when I rebuild M97s as my personal opinion is that it causes more problems than it solves, but none of my creations have seen enough miles to prove anything yet.

[boatzo]

Seth,

 

No unusual noise and everything runs smooth.

[jcguin]

[jcguin]

OK, I guess you could get lucky for a very little while. But seriously if you tear it out now and your shaft is fine, your only looking at bearings and shims. Continue riding and you will be out a couple grand. It's your call, it's your wallet. I would not risk it any further if it were mine. Besides, no one has even mentioned a catastrophic failure at speed. That is worst case, for your body and your pillion if you double up.

 

You are a hundred miles ride to one of the best BMW Tranny people in the US. Anton in Charlottesville, VA.

 

I would trailer it though.

 

Play it safe man,,,, please

 

Jim

[kiwiaudio]

Seth,

 

No unusual noise and everything runs smooth.

 

Then leave it alone as you have the only one of these things without extraneous noises !

 

Just kidding ! I believe you need to get this looked at pronto before this gets ugly. There are several cases of mass destruction posted where input shaft failures are concerned, and without that wave washer you are slamming up against the front case bearing.

Check "chocolate oil" posts for more disheartening reading.

[Anton Largiader]

I just thought of something, took a look through the scrap pile and came up with this. There's a big circlip on the input shaft shock coupling; about 1.75mm thick with ears about 5mm wide. Picture below.

 

If this is broken and the circlip were to come out, I can't honestly say that anything would be compromised other than the problem of bits of metal in the tranny. This assembly is shimmed to a tiny gap (same function as the wavy washer gap in the M97 input shaft) and if the circlip were gone the main spring would take up the slack.

 

However, the fact that this happened is probably indicative that something is going on in there, and that would be pretty hard to predict. I think it should be looked at IF this looks like a viable source for those bits.

 

I have never heard of this actually happening. The pictures are such that I can't really tell that much about the broken parts.

 

 

 

[E30TECH]

Anton -

 

I would have to assume that the piece came off of the clip you have pictured.

 

[E30TECH]

This is a picture of the oil that was drained after ~ 500 miles. There appeared to be some metallic particles in it - similar to what metallic paint would look like

 

[smiller]

If there is concern send an oil sample off to Blackstone, that usually tells the story one way or the other. But I kind of agree with Anton, the optimal solution would be to tear it down and take a look. The choice between the two is a judgment call that only the owner and the wallet can make.

[Anton Largiader]

I think that needs to come apart. Something's rubbing on something else more than it's supposed to.

[E30TECH]

Anton -

 

I sent you an email regarding rebuild.

[mbelectric]

Something's rubbing on something else more than it's supposed to.

 

 

......not gonna touch that....

 

MB>

 

[E30TECH]

We ended up taking the Cat off to access the magnetic drain plug on the bottom of the trans. This is what was on the plug....