Q: My BMW M6 is making odd noises in either the transmission or differential
Hi, thanks for writing in. I tried doing a burnout the other day and since this car has plenty of power to do so, I went a head and turned off all the electronic assist options, pressed the M button, and stood on the brake while hammering down the gas pedal.
I thought this is how its done, but as it turns out. It is not.
As I pressed the brake pedal and tried to gas up, the wheels didnt spin but the RPM gauge went up for a second or two and I smelt a STRONG odor which reminded me of a burning clutch smell.
From there, I'm seeing these issues: - Low tone, grinding noise at under 10 mph, and especially when I'm turning sharp. (sounds like its coming from the rear dif) - Shifts from gear to gear are more abrupt and a bit aggressive (like you're hitting a hear against each another) - Also when at speed, usually above 40 mph and you place it into neutral, place it back into drive and there's a brief whining noise as the rpm needle catches up with the transmission.
Though at highway speeds, it drives fine.
My car has 45000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Hi, thanks for writing in. Almost certainly, what you were smelling was the clutch as you suspect. And, both the clutch and the limited slip mechanism in the differential may be damaged. The 2006 M6 Sequential Manual Gearbox ("automatic") is a very complex mechanism managing tremendous power in a heavy vehicle, and the software may not have adequately protected the clutch, gearbox and differential during your aggressive "burnouts", given the power of the V10. I recommend having your BMW dealer or service center thoroughly inspect the clutch, gearbox and differential for damage.
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