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Thread: Clutch won't disengage

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    peekskill, ny
    Posts
    113
    My Cars
    97 M3 91 525i

    Clutch won't disengage

    Clutch wont disengage.

    Have an 89' e30 325is. I swapped an s52 and zf 5spd from an 00' Z3M. Rebuilt the motor and used new e6m3 clutch kit. Car ran fine. 1k miles later started getting engine vibrations above 3000 rpm. The dual mass flywheel was going. Bought a clutch master single mass lightened flywheel spec'd to work with the motor and clutch kit installed. The engine vibrations above 3k rpm went away while revving in neutral. Could not get the clutch to disengage.

    If the car is in neutral and idling I can not get it into any gears (no grinding sound just impossible to shift into gears). Turn off the car and it rows through the gears smoothly (so no shift linkage issues). Turn the car on with it in gear and it will start rolling.

    Tried everything next one step at a time so I could isolate what was the error is.
    Bought a new e36 m3 clutch slave and bled.
    Bought a new e30 325 clutch master and new clutch feed line and new ss braided clutch line and bled.
    Replaced the clutch fork and pivot pin and bled.
    Returned the single mass flywheel and bought another oem e36 m3 dual mass flywheel spec'd to work with the combo and bled.
    Every time I had the transmission and clutch off I double and triple checked that friction disc was facing the correct direction.
    The clutch alignment tool slides in out out smoothly.
    The pressure plate was torqued correctly at multiple stages and cross pattern.

    Did research and people with similar issues wound up using a taller throw out bearing.
    I bought the euro e21 320 throw out bearing (no luck).
    Also researched the difference in diameters between e30 325 master and e36 m3 slave and bought a new e36 325 clutch slave with same diameter as master and bled (no luck).
    I have been using a combination of reverse bleeding and two man (no luck). Have pressure in the pedal.
    Have bled salve in the trans, out the trans no difference.

    Anybody had similar issues? Any ideas?
    Last edited by davidflrs; 01-19-2019 at 03:36 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Toronto
    Posts
    492
    My Cars
    e30s
    Quote Originally Posted by davidflrs View Post
    Clutch wont disengage.

    Have an 89' e30 325is. I swapped an s52 and zf 5spd from an 00' Z3M. Rebuilt the motor and used new e6m3 clutch kit. Car ran fine. 1k miles later started getting engine vibrations above 3000 rpm. The dual mass flywheel was going. Bought a clutch master single mass lightened flywheel spec'd to work with the motor and clutch kit installed. The engine vibrations above 3k rpm went away while revving in neutral. Could not get the clutch to disengage.

    If the car is in neutral and idling I can not get it into any gears (no grinding sound just impossible to shift into gears). Turn off the car and it rows through the gears smoothly (so no shift linkage issues). Turn the car on with it in gear and it will start rolling.

    Tried everything next one step at a time so I could isolate what was the error is.
    Bought a new e36 m3 clutch slave and bled.
    Bought a new e30 325 clutch master and new clutch feed line and new ss braided clutch line and bled.
    Replaced the clutch fork and pivot pin and bled.
    Returned the single mass flywheel and bought another oem e36 m3 dual mass flywheel spec'd to work with the combo and bled.
    Every time I had the transmission and clutch off I double and triple checked that friction disc was facing the correct direction.
    The clutch alignment tool slides in out out smoothly.
    The pressure plate was torqued correctly at multiple stages and cross pattern.

    Did research and people with similar issues wound up using a taller throw out bearing.
    I bought the euro e21 320 throw out bearing (no luck).
    Also researched the difference in diameters between e30 325 master and e36 m3 slave and bought a new e36 325 clutch slave with same diameter as master and bled (no luck).
    I have been using a combination of reverse bleeding and two man (no luck). Have pressure in the pedal.
    Have bled salve in the trans, out the trans no difference.

    Anybody had similar issues? Any ideas?
    It still sounds to me like a release bearing issue. It must be hanging up.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    peekskill, ny
    Posts
    113
    My Cars
    97 M3 91 525i
    Forgot to close this out earlier but I wound up returning the flywheel and clutch kit. I ordered the stuff through FCP.. Got a whole new set and worked properly right away. Something was slightly out of spec and clearance was off.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2020
    Location
    Bolingbrook
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    3 series

    Clutch pedal very hard won’t disengage

    Did a Manuel swap on my 323i e46. Bled my slave cylinder while car was off when I went to test drive the clutch pedal is real hard and the clutch won’t disengage fully. What can be the issue

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Wake Forest
    Posts
    353
    My Cars
    2004 525i, 1985 325E
    A few thoughts, did you get the slave cylinder on the fork correctly? Fork slipped off the pin or not installed properly and finally the throw out bearing binding on the shaft. Maybe, as mentioned earlier in this thread, there is a mismatch of the clutch / pressure plate or flywheel. Unfortunately, I think your headed for disassembly.

    BTW, you're in the E30 form. Maybe folks in the E46 forum will have other model specific ideas.
    2004 525i Sport, Manual - 1985 325E Coupe Manual

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