1998 E36 has been sitting for 2 years and now the clutch is stuck, any ideas/

[Meat Evo]

Have a 98 MT E36. clutch feels good when you press the pedal, however, when you start it, you cant put it in gear, and if you put it in gear and then start it, even with the clutch pushed in, it lunges forward.

any suggestions before i pull the transmission and change the clutch....

Thanks.

[kgvickers]

Sounds like the clutch is fine but not completely disengaging. Your car has a clutch master cylinder (attached to the clutch pedal) and a clutch slave cylinder (attached to the transmission bell housing). I'd try bleeding the system.

Do you have the Bentley service manual for the e36? It has the bleeding procedure directions in it.

Cheers.

[BradR127]

Bleeding the system is cheap and easy... Might as well start there before disassembling the clutch and transmission and throwing new parts at it.

[raptor4568]

Yep bleeding it is a good idea, and not hard. You can also see if it allows the car to roll on an incline, while in gear with the engine off, to see if it's releasing in a less potentially damaging way.

There are also inspection holes in the bottom of the bell-housing. It's possible you could see movement, or some other damage, through one of them.

[capebmw]

on another German car I have, that is a 1959, so no hydraulic clutch, when it happens,I start it in gear in a safe spot that I have some room. When it starts I step on the brake pedal pretty hard and that forces it to break free. Sounds a little dramatic but it always works and car no worse for wear.

[Brutality]

I had an old soviet made automobile which had sat for 4 years and had the same problem. Got few friends to help me push the car slightly downhill and when there was enough momentum a friend who was sitting in just rammed in first gear. Also starting in gear and then suddenly braking would help you aswell, I couldn't try that because the battery was dead.

[Meat Evo]

I started it in gear and it lunged forward of course, I slammed the brake but I didnt do it trying to brake it loose. only to turn the car off, lol. I do have all the origional books that came with the car but I get the fluid changed.

Thanks for the ideas/suggestions.

[jmo69]

I had the same thing happen on my 68 Camaro. I just had some friends rock the car with it in gear and the clutch depressed and just before the engine turned over it broke loose. You might want to pull the slave to make sure it works. Starting in gear usually works, maybe a little more throttle when you push the clutch and brake pedal. Just my $0.02