Advice on new clutch, flywheel, pressure plate.

[Sick540i]

Hey everyone. I have been searching through alot of different threads and forums about replacement clutches and flywheels. Some people said to machine the flywheel, some said buy brand new to avoid balance issues. I have a 1999 BMW 540i m sport 6 speed with 129k on it still on the stock clutch, flywheel and everything else. I am in the process of replacing everything and i am not on the stage of purchasing. Who and where can i purchase this from? I have heard some horror stories from certain vendors. Whos safe and reliable? Not looking for a racing clutch, just a decent daily driver. Thanks

[edjack]

I'd stay with BMW original equipment. The flywheel is a matter of preference: are you going to keep the car another 129k, or plan to sell it before then? If the former, I'd replace the flywheel, too. It's a two-piece affair, and may wear out before the clutch does, although I've read no reports to substantiate this.

While in there, replace the rear main seal, too.

Is the clutch now slipping? If not, why replace it?I have 126k on mine, and no slippage yet.

[deathwarden5]

You cannot resurface dual-mass flywheels, it has to be replaced. Pelican Parts or EAC sell clutch kits. You have to buy the flywheel separate. I'd recommend buying a rear main seal too, since you're gonna be right there anyways when doing a clutch job.

[ElleShooTiger]

Whats your budget?

At the minimum, you'll need the clutch kit (clutch, pressure plate, pilot bearing), along with the clutch fork pivot and throwout bearing, and you may need a new sleeve around the input shaft. It may be a good idea to go ahead and replace the flywheel, its not cheap, but if it goes bad, you'll be paying labor all over again. While you're in there, definitely have the flywheel removed and the rear main seal replaced.

If your budget allows, you may also replace any leaking seals on the trans, the guibo, and driveshaft center bearing. If you can spare another 100 bucks or so, replacing the clutch master and slave cylinders would be a good investment too.

Remove the CDV valve right at the clutch slave cylinder, this is a very worthwhile mod.

LUK is the OEM manufacturer of your clutch, and they can be found online or even AutoZone. Same thing as the BMW dealer part, just in a different box.

[bchengwa]

I bought mine on Ebay when I replaced the clutch on my 98 528i two years ago. I got all components (clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing, pilot bearing, alignment tool) for a good price. They will sell you the kit on Ebay cheaper than other online retailers. Just look for the OEM part and check with them to make sure. I'm pretty sure it will be LUK but may also be Sachs. Search for "clutch kit, 1999 bmw 540i". I did not really have to replace any seals as they all looked in pretty good condition. Some of those seals can get pretty tricky to replace so just be careful not to break anything if you're going to replace them. My car has 200K miles now and still no leaks. Good luck

[Sick540i]

Thanks for the responses. My budget is whatever will get the job done the best and most reliable way possible so im buying a new flywheel. Thanks everyone!