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Repair Summary
Performing a BMW E46 target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">E46 differential fluid change is one of the most overlooked maintenance items in the drivetrain...and arguably one of the most important. The rear differential has a heavy work load of transmitting the power generated by the engine and delivering it to the rear wheels.
See all vehicles this article applies to
E46 3 Series 325ti
E46 3 Series 318td
E46 3 Series 320td
E46 3 Series 318ti
E46 3 Series 330xi
E46 3 Series 330i
E46 3 Series 330xd
E46 3 Series 330d
E46 3 Series 316ti
E46 3 Series 328i
E46 3 Series 325xi
E46 3 Series 325i
E46 3 Series 320i
E46 3 Series 323i
E46 3 Series 320d
E46 3 Series 318i
E46 3 Series 318d
E46 3 Series 316i
E46 3 Series M3 CSL
E46 3 Series M3
E46 3 Series 330Ci
E46 3 Series 330Cd
E46 3 Series 325Ci
E46 3 Series 323Ci
E46 3 Series 320Ci
E46 3 Series 320Cd
E46 3 Series 318Ci
E46 3 Series 328Ci
E46 3 Series 316Ci
E46 3 Series 323i 2.4
E46 3 Series 316i 1.9
E46 3 Series 316i 1.6
A BMW E46 differential fluid change should be part of a regular maintenance schedule on your 1998-2006 3 series.
This power from the engine (delivered to the differential by the vehicle's driveshaft) is proportionally sent to the rear wheels depending on whether the vehicle is turning or driving in a straight line. The differential allows the rear wheels to spin at different speeds, adjusting the power to them and maximizing stability to the vehicle. If there wasn't a differential on the rear of your BMW, you would lose control of the car every time you sharply turned the steering wheel.
All of this power conversion puts an enormous amount of stress on the differential's internal gears. If the internal gears are not continually lubricated in a fresh, high-quality synthetic oil, they can fail. Signs of a failing BMW E46 differential are handling difficulties, grinding or "whining" noises, and rear-end vibration. Unfortunately, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you will probably require a differential rebuild or replacement. Performing a BMW E46 differential fluid change on a regular basis will help avoid drive-line failure and a costly repair.
View the detailed parts diagram for this repair.
Includes detailed part diagrams, part numbers and links to purchase all of the required components needed to complete this repair.
Section 1 - Draining and Refilling the BMW E46 Differential
- Jack and support your vehicle using the Four Corner Wheel Stand Method as shown in our article BMW Jacking and Supporting for Repairs and Maintenance.
- Locate the differential and its fill and drain plugs at rear of vehicle.
- Use a 14mm hex socket to remove the BMW E46 differential fill plug located at the top of the differential. Always remove the fill plug first when servicing your differential - you don’t want to drain it then find out you can't remove it.
- Remove drain plug with 14mm hex socket. Allow differential to completely drain into 5 gallon drain pan.
- Install a newe drain plug and torque to 65 Nm (48 ft-lb).
- Using a good fluid pump, fill the differential with 75W-90 synthetic gear lubricant until it overflows out of the fill hole. The differential will take approximately 1.5 quarts to fill.
- When differential is full, Install a new fill plug. Torque plug to 65 Nm (48 ft-lb).
BMW E46 Differential Service Finished
