Longest serving original clutch

[elebub]

Reluctantly dismantling one-owner 1986 320i Bronzit 2-door for scrap and parts as finally the head overruled the heart. Rust in all the usual places, wrong colour, comfort seats, keep fit windows, limited spec. Parts of the front bodywork going to a good cause - rebuilding a 1988 E30 M3 Evo II. Anyway, took the clutch off and took a pic. Remembering this is 22 years and 156,000 miles old, is this normal, good or exceptional wear for an E30 clutch? Would a modern clutch last this long? What's the longest serving original E30 clutch that you have come across?

[MarkF]

This has nothing to with E30's i know but my mates dad had an 'E' reg nissan vannette van which he bought new and used for work daily. He kept it fully serviced up until he scrapped it. It had covered 150k and all that had been changed were the brakes, once!!! original everything else!

[hubble]

I'm still on the same clutch, 244,000 miles.

[siddiqi1]

thats surprisingly thats the same clutch! surely clutches give however they have been driven; hard or soft. surely that cant be right

but thats quality BMW parts for you!

[1an]

I'm still on the same clutch, 244,000 miles.

i sport has done 244,000 miles wouldnt of guessed by the condition

[elebub]

I'm still on the same clutch, 244,000 miles.

Got to take the clutch out and photograph the date stamp to win the coconut

[e30_Turbo]

My STOCK clutch has been taking boost for over three years!

It handled 23psi for about half an hour too, It's only ever slipped in 3rd gear when booting it large around 4k.

I guess having slim tyres helps prevent too much abuse, would imagine it would die at the site of a set of slicks!

It's coming out soon to be replaced by a 6 puk organic with uprated plate and lightweight flywheel, so will check the date on it when I do.

Fozz.

[dimebag_from_hell]

I'm still on the same clutch, 244,000 miles.

Got to take the clutch out and photograph the date stamp to win the coconut

I agree

[hubble]

I'm still on the same clutch, 244,000 miles.

i sport has done 244,000 miles wouldnt of guessed by the condition

Hi Ian. When it starts slipping I'll let you know LOL

[1an]

i was commenting more on the condition of your car, would never guess that was the mileage.

[hubble]

i was commenting more on the condition of your car, would never guess that was the mileage.

Thanks.

It does make a lot of people go white when they ask "What Mileage has it done"

I always say have a guess and then you get 20, 30k followed swiftly by this expression

Makes me chuckle every time

[harry_p]

thats surprisingly thats the same clutch! surely clutches give however they have been driven; hard or soft. surely that cant be right

but thats quality BMW parts for you!

not really, if treated gently there's no reason why they wont go on for 300k+

the plate only wears when there's slip between it and the grip surfaces, which in normal driving is when you pull away and a very small amount during gear changes.

if you do a lot of motorway journeys you can do a lot of miles with very few gear changes and not many stops.

on the other hand, live and commute in a city with a lot of hills, which means lots of stop starts, lots of hill starts, lots of gear changes and you could need a clutch in under 50k miles.

[siddiqi1]

i see harry p; didnt see it from that perspective; and also depends i suppose on driving style; a drifter will kill a clutch in no time; a granny i suppose wont as quik!

[harry_p]

all depends on the granny, i've seen plenty in micras with the engine bouncing off the rev limiter and the clutch being eased out so gently it takes 5mins to pull out of a parking space

but yeah, it's slip that causes the wear, when theyre clamped up solid in normal driving there's no slip, and no wear. eventually they wear so much the spring's can't make up for the wear so clamp force reduces and you start to get slip, which wears the plate more. usually it doesnt take long for a clutch that has started slipping to wear completely. usually theyre designed so you notice theyre slipping and do something about it before the friction surface wears down to the rivets and scores the flywheel.

a clutch usually has a torque rating, which should be a safety margin above what the engine makes. bung on a turbo and suddenly give the engine more torque than the clutch is rated for and it will start to slip as it can't clamp the friction plate tight enough to keep everything locked up.

[MarkF]

Quick question which slightly goes off course... Can anyone recommend an uprated/heavy duty 325i clutch and where it is available from?

Cheers

[Brianmoooore]

Quick question which slightly goes off course... Can anyone recommend an uprated/heavy duty 325i clutch and where it is available from?

Cheers

I take the 'normal' lifespan of an E30 clutch as being about 130,000 miles, but it is, of course, subject to many variables.
By that standard, 156,000 is nothing out of the ordinary.

Unless you are putting a lot more power/torque through the clutch than BMW intended, an OE BMW one is well up to the job.

[Andyboy]

My 7 Series has 280'000 on its first clutch. It has always been a motorway car which is probably the reason. The clutch is quite heavy now so I expect to change it in the next 20'000 miles.
My 320i had it's first replacement clutch at @95'000.

[elebub]

Seems the consensus of opinion is down to driving style. You don't think its anything to do with earlier clutches having asbestos in their make-up or is this another urban myth?

[josh-hocking]

ive just changed mine but it didnt need it lol it was its first one on 111000 miles !!! i was impressed and it was in great nik i was just offered a guenuine brand new clutch for free so couldnt resist!!
thanks
josh