E39 528i DMF from Rock Auto.. Cheapest LUK DMF? But is it the same?

[Shedtastic]

So I bought another E39, since i missed my old one. But it needs a new clutch.
And at 233,000 miles it seems wise to replace the DMF at the same time. Which I didn't budget for, so I'm looking for a cheap option.

I've decided to stick with keeping the DMF rather than going to a Valeo solid flywheel conversion.
Rock Auto implies I need the LuK 019 DMf (under $300) and the LuK 03-041 clutch kit.

I'm a bit confused as to why there are other LuK products that claim to fit but cost more? Is the LuK 019 the cheapo version?

What else should I ask to get done while we are in that state of disassembly?

(I'm not doing the job myself but having a trusted mechanic do it..)

Thanks all.

[edjack]

Rear main seal.

[pleiades]

What model year? If 99 or 00, I believe the DMF-019 flywheel is correct for your car (probably what's in there now). The LuK clutch kit you listed is also probably stock.

When I bought these for my car, the best prices were on partsgeek.com, oftentimes with free shipping. Amazon is often the place to beat, though.

List of while-you're-theres ....

- Flex disc (giubo)
- Center sleeve (small metal-cased rubber bushing, interference fit in the front center of the driveshaft, cheap but worth replacing together with the flex disc; many folks are not schooled on it ....)
- Pilot bearing (if the one in the LuK kit is not the sealed type)
- Rear main seal; This is something you can't get to without removing the flywheel, so that's why many folks recommend replacing it (I did as instructed.) But if it's not leaking, some will say leave it alone.
- Clutch fork pivot (probably not in the LuK kit)
Center support bearing (if you are going whole-hog and doing driveshaft parts, too; trusty mechanic needs to mark the front/rear halves of the DS, tho', to ensure he puts it back together same and avoid creating new vibrations for you.)
- You don't have to remove the exhaust entirely, some people get by just dropping it from the rear hangar supports, but if mech drops it out entirely, replace the gaskets and copper nuts at the interface with the headers.
- All the bushing parts in the shifter linkage assembly (visit realoem.com for P/Ns); easy to do this with the trans out.
- If your trans is a ZF 320z, you -might- want to have the detents replaced (there's a kit, and tools for this) but only if your shift lever has trouble springing back to center-neutral position from reverse and 5th gears ...

oh yeah .... trans mounts (and engine mounts too if they're old)
Slave cylinder

Enough for me, could probably think of more (repacking the diff CV joint etc.)

[effduration]

What model year? If 99 or 00, I believe the DMF-019 flywheel is correct for your car (probably what's in there now). The LuK clutch kit you listed is also probably stock.

When I bought these for my car, the best prices were on partsgeek.com, oftentimes with free shipping. Amazon is often the place to beat, though.

Did they use a different DMF for ‘99 & ‘00 than they did for ‘01 and later ?
RealOEM Seems to show compatibility (though maybe different part numbers) between ‘01 (&later) and ‘99-‘00 cars.
Rockauto (not an authority) also shows the same DMF-019 fitting both sets of years

I ask because I am doing a manual swap on a 530i and have a DMF flywheel from an M52TU and an M54 engine. I was going to try and pick the one with the least slop in it.

[pleiades]

eff, no the OP didn't specifically say which model year of 528i he has. My understanding is things changed clutch-wise from the early-e39 models (97-98) but I'm not clued in. The '99 and '00 528i cars share the same clutch bits as all the M52TU and M54 engines I think ... (not counting S engines).

BTW, how do you plan to measure the slop? LuK had a video somewhere of their slop-gauge in action.

[effduration]

eff, no the OP didn't specifically say which model year of 528i he has. My understanding is things changed clutch-wise from the early-e39 models (97-98) but I'm not clued in. The '99 and '00 528i cars share the same clutch bits as all the M52TU and M54 engines I think ... (not counting S engines).

BTW, how do you plan to measure the slop? LuK had a video somewhere of their slop-gauge in action.

Thanks. Yes I think I saw on RealOEM anything post 9/97 production may be the same.

In the Bavauto clutch replacement video linked below, my man Otto (as in Otto Parts!) encounters a bad DMF with a lot of slop in it at approx the 8:00 minute mark.

https://youtu.be/8qZskpXW9t4

EDIT: This video is certainly worth watching, but it turns out the slop (movement) in the DMF may not be that bad. See post #13 below for a better way to measure play in a DMF.

[blarf]

eff, no the OP didn't specifically say which model year of 528i he has. My understanding is things changed clutch-wise from the early-e39 models (97-98) but I'm not clued in. The '99 and '00 528i cars share the same clutch bits as all the M52TU and M54 engines I think ... (not counting S engines).

BTW, how do you plan to measure the slop? LuK had a video somewhere of their slop-gauge in action.

1999 and 2000 MY are M52TU. Later (03?) BMW changed to a different input shaft.

[pleiades]

1999 and 2000 MY are M52TU. Later (03?) BMW changed to a different input shaft.

That appears to be right. I just browsed through realoem and the clutch kit for the M54 engines seems to be different.

The cross-reference for the DMF though includes the e39 M54 (2.5 and 3.0 L) models (as well as a bunch of e46, z3 and x5 engines).

[geargrinder]

Yeah somebody said something the other day about a spline-count change? Not an I6 clutch eggspurt.

[Shedtastic]

Thanks for all the advice, my new (to me) E39 is a 528i, M52TU, Prod.date: 2000-02-01.

Have since found out a few more things wrong with the car, might be the end of the road for it..
It was cheap ($1500) because I knew it needed what I figured would be a $1000 clutch job.. But now it also turns out that the ABS fault may not be the reluctor ring damage as hoped (PO said the ABS module had been rebuilt, and it has, but my mechanic is unable to communicate with it..)
Plus of course there's the usual oil leaks..

I think I may have been blinded by the stick shift and sport pack.. Most near me are basic spec autos..

I need to think about it..

[TerraPhantm]

Yeah somebody said something the other day about a spline-count change? Not an I6 clutch eggspurt.

I don't think that applies to the E39.

Looking at RealOEM, September 2003+ and newer E46 325 5-speeds got the spline count change (as did all 6-speed 330s). I made the comment in the other thread since he was sourcing a 250g from an E46



vs

[Shedtastic]

Aw stuff it, I'll get him to fit the clutch and flywheel, plus rear mainseal, ordered just now off Amazon (thanks pleiades) and the apparently dangerous balljoint. I'll play with the ABS and monitor the oil leaks..

I was impressed with how nice the shift linkage was and how clear the shift detents felt (previous 530i didn't feel so nice, and my X5 needs a very careful shift to reliably get the right gear between 3rd and 5th..)

[effduration]

eff, ......BTW, how do you plan to measure the slop? LuK had a video somewhere of their slop-gauge in action.

I just installed a used DMF yesterday. I had two to choose from in my parts bin. Both had quite a bit of rotational movement, which was a concern. I found a better video, linked below, that measures the movement of the DMF by rotating it and marking the range of movement on the flywheel teeth. According to the Video, LUK says if the range of movement is within 5 teeth, it's within spec. The video shows both a new and used DMF. In re-watching the Bavauto video I linked above, the DMF He (Otto) says is bad doesn't look too bad after all.

https://youtu.be/58nU-f0azb8

[geargrinder]

innerblasting. I will say these cars don't seem to crap out the DMF's as often as some other cars do. The very nature of that diagnosis seems a bit imprecise so its not surprising that the mark could be flexible...

[Shedtastic]

Well, new clutch and flywheel are in, main seal done..
Now just have to work out why the car wants to pop out of 2nd and 4th gear at low load..
In fact, if I put my foot on the clutch, put the stick into 2nd and let go of the stick, (keeping the clutch pressed) it just slowly pops back into neutral..
Hmm..
Once in gear, and under some load, it doesn't pop out..

Any ideas what's gone wrong?

[geargrinder]

This is same tranny that shifted great before? Where you were impressed with how it felt? If so then I'm guessing mechanic got something wrong w/ the linkage. Normally popping out of gear - on an otherwise unmolested car - is a BAD sign, but given he just had it apart, I'm guessing he got something wrong on the reassembly. Could he have put the stick in backwards maybe? (it will go in that way, just be in a screwy position).

[Shedtastic]

This is same tranny that shifted great before? Where you were impressed with how it felt? If so then I'm guessing mechanic got something wrong w/ the linkage. Normally popping out of gear - on an otherwise unmolested car - is a BAD sign, but given he just had it apart, I'm guessing he got something wrong on the reassembly. Could he have put the stick in backwards maybe? (it will go in that way, just be in a screwy position).

Interesting.. The gear shifter doesn't feel like it's in a bad position, but I've not had the car long enough before the clutch job to get used to it, so I guess could be..

Current thought is that the engine mounts are pretty tired, and in the pushing and shoving process to get the gearbox back in, the whole assembly is not quite in the same position, so the linkage is not aligned ideally, and perhaps not fully engaging 2nd and 4th..

But the mechanic said the transmission mounts are healthy.

There were some threads that suggested that non - OEM gearbox oil could cause gear pop outs. I can't believe that, but he did drain and refill the transmission.. (But with the recommended grade of oil)

Hmm..

[geargrinder]

Are you sure trans is fully / proper installed against block? People have gotten things caught under the bellhousing or otherwise mis-aligned before...

[blarf]

Popping out of gear = bad synchros. You could certainly R&R the transmission to make sure it's not binding on anything, but if your clutch engages smoothly and without noise I'd be betting on the transmission being toast. Second gear is generally the one that's going to get the most abuse. Transmission mounts are easy to check and can probably be replaced without even lifting the car if you're kinda skinny and the car is at stock ride height.

[geargrinder]

Yep.... Syncros or gear wear or shift forks... 'stuff inside the box' sadly... Like I said normally a 'BAD' sign.

Just hoping since he said it shifting mint pre-clutch-job that there's something that didn't go back together correctly...

[Shedtastic]

Well, it does have 230k miles.. But there was no popping out of gear before the clutch went in.
This may turn out to have been one of my less well thought out purchases. I figured $1400 for the car (nice looking 528i, sport pack, heated seats, really clean interior, new tires and battery, working AC) would be okay if I could get a new clutch in it for $1k. I underestimated the cost of the clutch job, and of course there are other issues still to be addressed (that I downplayed in my mind)..

I am (foolishly) optimistic that the engine mounts will fix it.. Or than when those are being swapped, they may see what they did wrong..

I assume no-one buys into the logic that the gearbox oil has any influence on the pop outs..?

Ho Hum, I will probably end up proving the adage 'buy the best you can afford.. the cheap one will cost you more in the end.."

[geargrinder]

I don't buy the motor mounts. I would buy either dead old tranny, or ,some mistake on reassebly....

[pleiades]

Maybe the mech installed a different tranny while he was in there ....

Well, it does have 230k miles.. But there was no popping out of gear before the clutch went in.
This may turn out to have been one of my less well thought out purchases. I figured $1400 for the car (nice looking 528i, sport pack, heated seats, really clean interior, new tires and battery, working AC) would be okay if I could get a new clutch in it for $1k. I underestimated the cost of the clutch job, and of course there are other issues still to be addressed (that I downplayed in my mind)..

I am (foolishly) optimistic that the engine mounts will fix it.. Or than when those are being swapped, they may see what they did wrong..

I assume no-one buys into the logic that the gearbox oil has any influence on the pop outs..?

Ho Hum, I will probably end up proving the adage 'buy the best you can afford.. the cheap one will cost you more in the end.."

[Shedtastic]

Well, I've been away for a week or so and my friendly mechanic has been tinkering. I've not collected the car yet, but it seems that he feels a combination of two things has pretty much fixed it, the new mounts fitted to engine and transmission, but also 'correcting' the position of the mass damper on the gearshift. I think when he disassembled to do the clutch, he also checked over the shift mech for wear, and was reasonably happy with what he saw, but reattached the mass damper / vibration absorber too low, so it slightly fouled something and wasn't allowing full engagement.
Anyone know at what 'height' it should be installed, so I can check it when I get the car home?

shifter.JPG

I will be happy of course if this is the source of the issue and not a shot transmission (and I will tell myself the engine mounts needed doing and weren't a red herring..)

[effduration]

I mounted mine like this. Note how the rubber boot is not compressed.

There are other images of shifter in this thread:

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...pictures/page2