Clutch slave reinstall / fork alignment

[goestoeleven]

OK . . . . so I've bled the brakes and the clutch slave following the Bentley procedure, which means the clutch slave is currently pulled off the transmission. However, when I try to reinstall it, it's pretty difficult to push back into position. I think this is a good thing - and means the piston is engaging the fork, and I'm getting back pressure from the hydraulics. If I'm getting significant resistance on the install - is that good? (enough that I'm having quite a hard time getting the nuts threaded while lying on my back with zero clearance). How do you know for sure that it lines up with the dimple on the fork (other than luck)? I've seen several other threads where people have blown the slave plunger right into the bell housing . . . and obviously I want to avoid that happening.

Second (newbie) question - In case you can't tell, this is the first time I've done this procedure . . . and it seems like the plunger on the slave has a bit of "wiggle" in it when I was pushing it back into the cylinder / bleeding it. i.e. it can move around a bit other than straight in and out. Is this normal?

If anyone has any tips, I'd appreciate the help. . . . man, do I wish I had a lift . . . so I could have some room to work.

Here's some threads I already found . . . . . somewhat explanatory . . . but still basically "put it in straight or bad things happen"

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=734521

and

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=851932

[happycamper]

suscribed im doing this on an m3 tommorrow

[Mekihead]

For starters, get a light under there so you can see. I've done this so many times in the past couple months that I can do this blindfolded.

You're going to want to press really hard on the slave. The fact that it's resisting like that is good. The plunger wiggling is normal. So your issue is that you're having troubles getting it on and keeping it there for any length of time. Give it a good shove so that you can at least get the bottom bolt sticking through. There's that bracket that holds the hard clutch line to the slave. When you get a little bit threaded, apply a slight twisting motion to that bracket in the direction where the top part should be pushed forward and the bottom part pushed back. This will use the bolt threads as grip and it won't pop back out so easily. Keep this pressure applied with one hand.

With your other hand, (which you will have prepared the bolt and socket attached to some extensions), put the nut on the bolt and screw a little in place. The angle is a bit funny. I was using about 12-15 inches of extention and had it run on top of the tranny brace to get the proper angle.

The first time I did this it took me damn near an hour to get it on and I was on my back with my arms above my head. Now, I can do it in less than the length of a commercial break.

[Blanco]

^^^Yep, I can pull/reinstall the slave in under two minutes now.

It's not that hard to hold in but it does take some force. In fact, it takes just about as much force as it took to push the plunger in when you bleed the slave. :)

[goestoeleven]

Update . . . . thanks for the help guys . . . once again bimmerforum FTW . . . I got the slave back on tonight with a bit of coaxing and a better position under the car. I had pressure on the clutch pedal , so I think I'm OK. I'll fire it up tomorrow and see if I popped it back into the fork correctly. Thanks again.

[Blanco]

If there was resistance when you were pushing it in, it's lined up. :)

[goestoeleven]

Oh yeah, there was plenty of resistance over the last inch or so, so I think it's all good. And once I got a few threads of the first nut started, the rest was easy.

[sctrini]

I followed the DIY on pelicanparts and it worked like a charm and that was my first time. I bled the slave after I installed it but there was still a bit of resistance when installing. To make sure I lined up the plunger with the dimple on the fork I stuck my little finger in there and felt for it. It seemed pretty easy. The install and bleeding took about 1 hour.