Car will not go into gear (M30 Manual)

**theBMWbeast** · 11-03-2018, 01:11 PM

Just wrapped everything back up, brand new e28 m5 clutch and pressure plate kit in, mated to a RHD lightweight flywheel. New throw out bearing, new pilot bearing, new silicon brass pilot pin, new shift fork, greased and installed with clutch alignment tool. Clutch facing correct direction, per notation on the disk itself. All new shift bushings, all linkage attached.

Car refuses to go into gear while on, like you are shifting into a wall. Off, the car shifts through all the gears just fine. I’ve looked up this problem before posting here, some people said it was a hydraulic problem,in some cases an instance of clutch fusing to flywheel, requiring some interesting methods to break it free. I’ll mention I didn’t disconnect the slave cylinder, simply unbolted it from the bell housing. Pedal feels firmer than I remember, but no spots of weird resistance, or falling to the floor. Goes up and down just fine, from what I can tell.

The only thing I did wrong, that I know of, are two things. #1 the new pivot pin I put in did not seat all the way flush, and although I didn’t measure, may be in position a bit longer than the original plastic pin. I would imagine this to have the opposite effect of the clutch not engaging, but thought I would mention it.
#2 I accidentally started the car in gear, for the first start. Car lurched forward, and I managed to get it into neutral. Upon trying to shift it into reverse, is when I found out the car would not shift into any gear, at all.

Seems like I just have a hard time getting things to separate

**south42** · 11-03-2018, 01:34 PM

I had this happen where the fingers on the pressure plate broke off and got stuck causing the no shift problem.

Andy

**theBMWbeast** · 11-03-2018, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by south42

I had this happen where the fingers on the pressure plate broke off and got stuck causing the no shift problem.

Would the pressure plate be prone to break even brand new?

**ross1** · 11-03-2018, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by theBMWbeast

Just wrapped everything back up, brand new e28 m5 clutch and pressure plate kit in, mated to a RHD lightweight flywheel. New throw out bearing, new pilot bearing, new silicon brass pilot pin, new shift fork, greased and installed with clutch alignment tool. Clutch facing correct direction, per notation on the disk itself. All new shift bushings, all linkage attached.

Car refuses to go into gear while on, like you are shifting into a wall. Off, the car shifts through all the gears just fine. I’ve looked up this problem before posting here, some people said it was a hydraulic problem,in some cases an instance of clutch fusing to flywheel, requiring some interesting methods to break it free. I’ll mention I didn’t disconnect the slave cylinder, simply unbolted it from the bell housing. Pedal feels firmer than I remember, but no spots of weird resistance, or falling to the floor. Goes up and down just fine, from what I can tell.

The only thing I did wrong, that I know of, are two things. #1 the new pivot pin I put in did not seat all the way flush, and although I didn’t measure, may be in position a bit longer than the original plastic pin. I would imagine this to have the opposite effect of the clutch not engaging, but thought I would mention it.
#2 I accidentally started the car in gear, for the first start. Car lurched forward, and I managed to get it into neutral. Upon trying to shift it into reverse, is when I found out the car would not shift into any gear, at all.

Seems like I just have a hard time getting things to separate

Clutch isn't being actuated, bleed the clutch hydraulics.

**theBMWbeast** · 11-03-2018, 06:43 PM

Will do, thanks Ross

**demetk** · 11-03-2018, 07:02 PM

Minimum slave piston travel is about .75", spec is .9". I have never seen .9" on mine. There is a simple procedure described in the TIS manual to verify travel. Might be something you should check before tearing anything apart.

**theBMWbeast** · 11-03-2018, 08:03 PM

I'll look into the slave cylinder itself too. Thanks demetk. Just suprised it would be a hydraulic problem, never had any issues before the new clutch kit...

**cirrusblau** · 11-04-2018, 05:11 AM

If you feel the pedal is firmer than before, doesn't that mean something is resisting the clutch fork's movement?

**theBMWbeast** · 11-04-2018, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by cirrusblau

If you feel the pedal is firmer than before, doesn't that mean something is resisting the clutch fork's movement?

It’s definitely not soft and spongy, I’ll tell you that. However I have had this car down for a couple months at this point, so it could just be me going crazy. I would assume a firm pedal would mean that the slave is working and pushing the clutch fork, pushing the TOB, the pressure plate fingers, all that jazz. However I’m still going to try and bleed the system, and see if I can measure piston travel. My worry is maybe some how because I didn’t seat the new pivot pin all the way, the stock slave cylinder can’t extend to the length needed to engage the clutch, or something akin to that. I’m going out on a limb here, because everything else is pretty straight forward, and the car ran fine last time I messed with the clutch components.

Unless it’s some sort of surface corrosion between flywheel and clutch. I had the clutch assembly exposed to the elements for a day or two, before I got the tranny to slip back on. No closed garage to work in, unfortunely.

**theBMWbeast** · 11-04-2018, 11:36 PM

Haven't gotten around to the bleeding and measuring of the slave cylinder yet, but I borrowed a borescope and had a look from the top of the bellhousing, where you can see some of the teeth of the flywheel through a hole. Jamed the camera in there, and from what I can see, the pressure plate is actuating, and it appears the clutch stays stationary. Idk if I can link video, if I figure it out I'll edit the post. Thoughts?

**theBMWbeast** · 11-04-2018, 11:43 PM

Haven't gotten around to the bleeding and measuring of the slave cylinder yet, but I borrowed a borescope and had a look from the top of the bellhousing, where you can see some of the teeth of the flywheel through a hole. Jamed the camera in there, and from what I can see, the pressure plate is actuating, and it appears the clutch stays stationary. Idk if I can link video, if I figure it out I'll edit the post. Thoughts?

https://gfycat.com/VainSneakyHypacrosaurus

**masterdeth1** · 11-07-2018, 01:07 AM

I had this problem when i installed my RHD flywheel and new clutch what it ended up being was the bolts for the pressure plate were too long so the pressure plate wasn't disengaging the clutch properly. the bolts were bottoming out on the flywheel so the pressure plate wasn't mating to the flywheel properly

**theBMWbeast** · 11-07-2018, 02:48 PM

Originally Posted by masterdeth1

I had this problem when i installed my RHD flywheel and new clutch what it ended up being was the bolts for the pressure plate were too long so the pressure plate wasn't disengaging the clutch properly. the bolts were bottoming out on the flywheel so the pressure plate wasn't mating to the flywheel properly

Okay, this sounds interesting. Do you know what pressure plate bolts you used to remedy this problem? I reused the pressure plate bolts from my old dual mass clutch kit. Could you physically see the bolts weren't flush or something to that effect, because I want to say mine looked nice and tight.

**masterdeth1** · 11-07-2018, 03:39 PM

I just went to my local hardware place and got some shorter bolts. They were alittle bit shorter than the 16mm long ones that you probable have. The pressure plate wasn't flush with the flywheel.

**The Chauffeur** · 11-07-2018, 06:29 PM

Maybe not at all related to your problem, but the same happened to me last year: unable to get into gear while running, pedal felt normal. It happened right after a couple of very cold days; turned out to be the old master cylinder's seals imploded with the cold temperatures.

As I said, maybe not related but the exact symptoms, so that might support being a hydraulic problem. Hope this helps.

**yukon101** · 11-07-2018, 10:06 PM

Its possible on install the pilot bearing got upset and seized into place causing the trans to always have input shaft speed. Ive only seen it happen once however.

**theBMWbeast** · 11-10-2018, 10:49 PM

https://ibb.co/hEmsFA

I think you might be right deth, first thing I could see.

**Old525i** · 11-11-2018, 12:54 PM

Capture.JPG

Please click on this note from FCP Euro about clutch installations. Could this be the cause?

**theBMWbeast** · 11-11-2018, 01:37 PM

What is a “shipping plate”. I’ve replaced my unsprung dual mass clutch kit with a sprung clutch kit from an m5. Does this still apply?

**masterdeth1** · 11-11-2018, 02:11 PM

Yep thats what mine did! You want that flush then it should work

**theBMWbeast** · 11-11-2018, 04:54 PM

I went and got 13mm replacement bolts, because I measured the gap at 3mm. Any memory if those measurements sound about right to you?

**masterdeth1** · 11-11-2018, 05:25 PM

Yeah 13mm sounds about right let us know how it goes!

**Old525i** · 11-11-2018, 06:10 PM

I wish I knew. I have never seen anything that gets removed once clutch and pressure plate are bolted down. Any clutch experts out there?

**ross1** · 11-12-2018, 08:06 AM

Originally Posted by theBMWbeast

What is a “shipping plate”. I’ve replaced my unsprung dual mass clutch kit with a sprung clutch kit from an m5. Does this still apply?

"shipping plate" doesn't apply to our clutches.
Do I understand correctly, you have a 3mm gap between the PP and the flywheel? Too long bolts could sure do that. I don't know correct length but just measure the depth of the hole and go with that. The PP thickness will keep you from bottoming. A specific size may be hard to source locally, not so important to be exact. Thread engagement of 1 1/2 times the bolt diameter is considered sufficient. So an M8 bolt should be in 12mm minimum

**Old525i** · 11-12-2018, 11:03 PM

Capture.JPG
The shipping plate is that circular plate stuck in the middle of the pressure plate. It seems you remove it with a hex wrench, turning it CCW. I really don't know how center the clutch and bolt the pressure plate with that thing in the middle.