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Originally Posted by mohaughn  But even if a halfshaft was disconnected he would still be grinding gears trying to shift without the clutch engaged... Not really something that should be diagnosed over the internet. Take it to a mechanic and you will know within an hour or two what the problem is.. |
He is not grinding gears because the output shaft of the trans has no real solid connection to the ground through the wheels. It is as though the output of the trans is spinning freely. When that is the case, you would not necessarily grind the gears because there is very little inertia for the synchros to overcome to mesh the gears properly. Trust me. I am a mechanic, BMW specialist, and mechanical engineer. That part he found should be attached to the car, and I am willing to bet money that it is related to his problem. Of course, he will still need to take it to a shop unless he can swap out the halfshaft on the side of the road, which is doable with the right tools and knowledge.
mrnine, the bolts may have sheared off, too, so you may see them sticking in the holes.
-Paul