X5 transmission issue - HELP!!!

[ScottyP]

Well, thought I was close to finishing my X5 tonight. Guess again!

With the transmission all assembled, there's a growling sound when the spur is rotated, as if the teeth on the belt are catching somewhere along the way. I've disassembled and checked everything, especially the transmission tunnel, which I thought may have been the cause. In fact, I reassembled the transmission without the tunnel just to be sure! Growl was still there.

The only thing I can think of that I had to build up the layshaft and idler gear assembly without the two washers. PLUS I had to remove some material from the alloy spacer that sits next to bearing. The instructions say you should not have to do this, but I had to in order to give the tiniest bit of end float in the layshaft. So, the idler gear is now perhaps more off-centre than it should be. Could this be the cause?

Incidentally, my kit came with a poxy two piece black idler gear, not a one piece one shown in the instructions.

Throw me a bone guys and help me get this thing running!

Cheers,
Scotty P.