Rear diff is toasted!!!
 

Yep heard a sound while driving last night.....left off the gas and had a nasty vibration followed with a metal winding sound.
Looked under the car to see it leaking out the input flange.

Seems like the pinion bearing went out.

So.....will a non XI different fit my car

Yes.

Do you have an MT or AT?

If it's manual you will need a diff from another xi. If it's auto, a rear diff from any automatic 325 or 323 will work.

yeah i experienced that too, but my wheels locked up on the highway and my car spun. i then replaced the diff with a used one. two weeks later when driving i heard a thump in the rear and clanking and vibrations occured. so i replaced it gain with another used one and it vibrates a little when rippin it in second gear

As far as I know any/all diffs will fit as long as you get the proper gear ratio. Shouldn't have to come from an xi the rear diffs are all the same.

Excellent I found one local for 200 out of a 04 325i and mine is auto tragic

........and pulled out. Turning that input flange feels all messed up
http://184.72.239.143/mu/b8faaf99-14df-fea1.jpg

It was most likely leaking and ran out of fluid. When did you change the fluid last?

I assure you it wasn't leaking. I changed fluid a month ago and it was very low. Previous didn't seem to keep up with maintenance well.

Fluid I used was Mobil 1 75w90ls

Well if it was low before you changed it there had to be a leak.

See if you can figure out what failed- the rear cover unbolts and the output flanges pop off.

How hard us it to change the gear sets out with these diffs. I was tempted to swap the gear into a 293 diff I got laying around but never did it before

It's not easy.

I swapped all the flanges on my diff. Input/output. Not hard just take your time. Use a punch/welding marker to mark the input flange with the nut. That way you can re tighten the input flange to spec. I put a brutal 4k on my diff since then. I used a shock proof diff fluid that was recommend (name escapes me atm) Blue something iirc

This incident has given me no more hope with this car. My next worry was the tranny with the little gear light coming on once a month.

So......I sold it for 5k within 3 hours of posting it on Craigslist

My next bimmer will be a e30 and will be a project

"Hey y'all new xi owner here. I just got a great deal on this car off craigslist. Anyway which sponsor sells the cheapest black grills? I saw a set on eBay. Oh and my transmission light is flashing should I bring it to the dealer?"

I give it two weeks.

Classic noobs......fortunately it already had black grills. And that tranny should hold up until they decide to swap fluids