ARGH! Got a bad feeling...

[Kevlar]

I'm getting that 'needs new clutch' feeling. Actually, I've been getting it for the past couple of days. I was thinking it was just the extreme heat and humidity, but it seems to be getting worse.

The effort required to shift into 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th seems to be growing. 5th is fine... and reverse hasn't given me any problem until today for the first time. Odd.

So now I have make the decision...

OEM Clutch (doubt it)
Sachs Sports Clutch (maybe)
AA Turbo Capable Clutch (definite possibility ... figure I'll need one anyway).

I've heard of clutches going 100k+ miles without problem... and I got 47k out of mine.

Sorry... just venting, not looking forward to spending major $$$ to replace and install the item. :(

[rpM]

Brings back bad memories. A few years back in my 89 325i, I was stuck in stop and go traffic for almost 4 hours on the commute home (about 25 miles) because of major flooding. The next day on the way to work, I had the same symptom as you described. by the time I got to work, the tranny was grindin' in each gear, and with the tranny in gear and the clutch fully depressed, the car would still move! Man, almost no warning or time to get it fixed before the clutch crapped out...

[EuroKRN]

Originally posted by Kevlar
The effort required to shift into 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th seems to be growing. 5th is fine... and reverse hasn't given me any problem until today for the first time. Odd.

Hey Kev, can you describe what you mean by "effort"? i kinda have some issues with my clutch and I'm trying to figure out whether it's the clutch or one of the belts... never had a car long enough for the clutch to go out on me so I don't know what it feels like when a clutch begins to go bad..

[M26]

How long i the stock clutch supposed to last? I'm at 39k miles. How do i know if i need a new clutch? if it's slipping? ...how do i know if it's slipping? :)

thanks!



marwan

[rpM]

Originally posted by EuroKRN


Hey Kev, can you describe what you mean by "effort"? i kinda have some issues with my clutch and I'm trying to figure out whether it's the clutch or one of the belts... never had a car long enough for the clutch to go out on me so I don't know what it feels like when a clutch begins to go bad..

For me it felt like extra force was needed to get it into gear, and a strong tug was needed to get it out of gear into neutral.

[M26]

i have the UUC SS installed, so it's notchy anyways! kindda hard to tell, i think im fine though, friend of mine says i dont need a clutch!

[Stockman]

Originally posted by M26
How long i the stock clutch supposed to last? I'm at 39k miles. How do i know if i need a new clutch? if it's slipping? ...how do i know if it's slipping? :)


Trust me
you will know when its slipping

You hit the gas.. your in gear... the rpms climb.. and you dont go anywhere

Most noticable I think is go about 30mph and put it in 5th... floor the car.. if the cars rpms dont climb w/o accelerating.. your fine for now.. if the rpms jump like your out of gear you got a problem

[jayhudson]

Kevlar -

If you have a clutch stop, you may just need to adjust it down some. I'm replacing my clutch this weekend. Only have 40K on my '97, but don't know what was done to it during the first 28K. A clutch should last way longer than 40K unless it was abused. I'm also doing Stygar SS and UUC Enforcers. Jay

[Kevlar]

EuroKRN

Hey Kev, can you describe what you mean by "effort"? i kinda have some issues with my clutch and I'm trying to figure out whether it's the clutch or one of the belts... never had a car long enough for the clutch to go out on me so I don't know what it feels like when a clutch begins to go bad..

I noticed it mostly when I missed a 3->4 shift. That never happens, that's like the easiest shift. I went to go slide it into 4th and it's like there was a gate there that said "NO SALE". So I've been routinely trying the gears and I noticed they are significantly harder to get into that a couple months ago.


M26

how do i know if it's slipping?

RPMs increase and your MPH do not. Somebody answered that already so I'll leave it at that.


RPM

For me it felt like extra force was needed to get it into gear, and a strong tug was needed to get it out of gear into neutral.

Yup... but mine only happens going into gear... going to neutral is OK... so far.


M26

i have the UUC SS installed, so it's notchy anyways! kindda hard to tell, i think im fine though, friend of mine says i dont need a clutch!

I have one too... but the effort has increased dramatically since. When I installed the SS, I never missed a shift under casual driving... now I'm getting locked out of 2->3->4 and 1st sometimes (but I think that's a normal manual tranny issue).


LUNI2NZ

If you have a clutch stop, you may just need to adjust it down some.

No clutch stop... my clutch pedal is already on the floor for engagement. I couldn't install a clutch stop if I wanted to... I know, I have a clutch stop sitting on my desk at home as a paperweight cause I can't use it in the car.

[Canatro]

hey kevlar

i'm having a similar issue with my clutch. definitely not as pronounced as your. when i go from 2 to 3 and 3 to 4 it feels like it's sticking. i also hear a cliking noise when i press the clutch, like the spring is doing something not right. i've gotten several opinions and it's a bit confusing. it could be as simple as the bearings in the clutch or the tranni itself. i have no idea what to do now but going to the dealer is now an option. i really don't want to but it seems that it's more of a possibility now. maybe you should do the same consifering the magnitude of what "could" happen.

[Kevlar]

Originally posted by j.c. estoril
maybe you should do the same consifering the magnitude of what "could" happen.


I will end up at AA... the dealer charges too much to install a clutch. Plus, I figure if I'm going to have something replaced, I might as well have it replaced with something better.

The guys at AA think that it's the pressure plate in the clutch that is going bad. I doubt it would be the tranny because I just had a new tranny installed in my car a 5-6 months ago.

The only thing I could think of that would be broken outside of the clutch/pressure plate combo would be the fluid that was installed in the transmission. However, BMW claims that the fluid that is installed in the tranny is a lifetime fluid and never needs to be changed. If I change it, it will void the warranty on my new tranny.

[Canatro]

just had the tranni replaced? welp, that closes the book on that one. you have a supercharger right? if you go with a clutch upgrade, you are talking a huge differnence in clutch comfort-assuming you'd get the sport clutch. in my opinion, i think the oem clutch is great but if it can't handle all the pressure of the sc then my point is moot.
when are you going to do this? let us know what happens.

[Kevlar]

No supercharger or turbo ... yet.

The thing is, if I have to have it replaced anyway... then I might as well replace it with something better. When I get the operation done, I will keep everyone informed.

I'm just stuck right now... cause if it is the tranny fluid and I drop $1k for a clutch replacement, I'm gonna be pissed.

[jayhudson]

Kevlar -

You should be able to come off the floor by at least a half inch before engagement. I'd agree with your mechanic....clutch disc. The other possibility is something to do with the slave, but I doubt it. Jay

[Jim O.]

My clutch engagement was all the way down to the floor, and then it started dragging so I couldn't always get it into gear. Ended up having to change both the clutch MC and the slave. Dead giveaway was that if I pumped the clutch pedal 20 or 30 times, it would work OK for a few shifts, then start to get lower and softer.

Anyway, you might as well do the tranny fluid - it's fairly easy, cheap, and a normal maintenance item anyway...

Jim

[Kevlar]

Originally posted by Jim O.
Anyway, you might as well do the tranny fluid - it's fairly easy, cheap, and a normal maintenance item anyway...


Thought about that... but BMW says it's a lifetime fluid that should not be changed if I want to keep the warranty on my tranny.


You should be able to come off the floor by at least a half inch before engagement. I'd agree with your mechanic....clutch disc. The other possibility is something to do with the slave, but I doubt it.

Engagement starts very close to 1/2in to 3/4in off the floor.

[Sam L]

damn i notice my clutch slipping sometimes lately too. i was merging onto a highway, downshifted, and i hear the revs climb, but i'm not accelerating! went back into neutral, then back into gear, and it worked. weird.

i have 72k miles on my '95 m3. time for an AA clutch, and turbo to go with it i guess.