Re: Transmission rattle in neutral. Mechanic says normal.

[Evan Arnerich <arnerich@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Neil Deshpande wrote:

> My 1988 325is makes a rattling sound from the transmission when it is
in
> neutral.  It is clearly audible at idle at 600 RPM.  Any higher and it

> either goes away or is drowned out by the engine noise.
>
> One mechanic I took it to says it is normal backlash noise.  This
sounds
> reasonable to me.

My mechanic also gave me this same advice. My car's been making that
noise for the 9 years I've owned it. It also gives one last louder
rattle if I switch off the ignition while the clutch is out and the
trans is in neutral.

> It never did this before, but I have cured a high idle problem only
> recently by cleaning out the idle control valve and put in Redline
MTL.
> The MTL, being thinner(?), might not damp out the rattle as well.  Any

> opinions?

MTL in hte idle control valve?  ;)  I've also got MTL in the trans (was
ATF per the owner's manual). The MTL is quieter. I've never had
non-sythetic non-ATF gear lube in mine, so I don't know if MTL is
louder.

Back to the idle control valve, how did you clean yours? I've just
experienced a higher-than-normal idle speed that I can't figure out.
After checking everything per Bentley (and I do mean _everything_), I'm
almost ready to replace the valve.

Evan
'87 325

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