Vibration and engine firing in a BMW without a pulley – what are the risks?

BMW driver question

My car is experiencing vibration in the engine and shift lever when idle. As a test, I had the engine ignited without the pulley, but the vibration did not stop. The injectors are fine, the engine cushions too. What could be the cause of the malfunction? Previous mechanics spread their hands.

The problem affected a BMW 320d E90, but it may also occur in other models.

Response from BM Cars website

Vibrations of the engine transmitted to the body can be caused not only by its erratic operation – misfiring, injectors. The cause can also be:

• gearbox cushions that are too soft (dissolved rubber)
• damaged engine cushions (oil cushions).

In addition, vibrations are also caused by rotating components, namely the pulley and the dual mass wheel. Attempts to start the engine without the pulley are very dangerous, as they can cause permanent damage to the engine (crankshaft breakage) or damage to the dual-mass pulley.

The pulley and dual-mass pulley are a pair intended to protect the shaft from excessive torsional moments. If one of these components is missing, the other is under considerable strain. Correctly checking all the components requires a visit to a service center.

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