E46 6 cylinder clutch

[town325i]

How hard are these to change on your back ive started to do one today and am starting to wish i never bothered i cant even see where the strater bolts up

[leeparkes]

How hard are these to change on your back

Rather you than me mate, i had a right ballache a month ago doing the same.

What engine is it? M52/54

[bss325i]

Is it a 6 speed box of 5?

Either way its the same stuff to take off just that there is less room with a six speed box and that makes it alot more awkward.

Complete exhaust off
Heat shields off
Prop unbloted from box and centre bearing (if it had a uj on the dff end unbolt and removed complete, if it has a CV joint instead, just leave it bolted and swing the prop out of the way.
Gear linkage unbolted
Reverslight switch unpluged
Remove rear mount
Undoo all except 2 bell housing bolts (at approx 9 o' clock and 3 o' clock) and the two starter bolts.
Get an assistant/something to take weight of box, remove remaining bolts
Remove box.

My record for a 5 speed is 40min from driving in to box on the floor but that was with a ramp and air tools.

Ps, very long extensions help for the top bell housing and starter bolts.

Starter is top N/S of bell housing under inlet manifold, same as and M2x/M4x/M5x

EDIT. Unbolt slave cylinder!

[DanThe]

No need to dislocate your wrists to get the starter off like on the M20 anchor

[town325i]

Ive not got very far on this some muppet has been round this car before and rounded one of the exhaust nuts off on the down pipes even putting smaller sockets on aint dont nothing its been that mangled tried snapping the stud with a cheisal but its that hard to get a good swing lying down and trying at the same time not to smash fook out of the sump.

Think i might put the handfull of bolts back on that ive took off and say fook it i havnt got time to mess about with it

[bss325i]

Down pipe nuts are usually always rusty and fooked.

Gas axe nearly always needed.

[town325i]

Down pipe nuts are usually always rusty and fooked.

Gas axe nearly always needed.

this nut was mangled and its the worst one for access judging by the lexarse lights its had a muppet round it in a previous life and used cheap tools to work on the car and rounded that one nut. The rest of the nuts on the down pipes came off fine just this one

[Dezzy]

Down pipe nuts are usually always rusty and fooked.

Gas axe nearly always needed.

Agreed I always use heat on BMW downpipes. Even if they look like they will come off they normally get a few threads down and lock up.
Burning bottles ftw.

[DanThe]

You just need some enthusiasm boys, ive never had to heat up frontpipe nuts. My usual tool selection comprises of a big hammer, 14/13mm sometimes 12mm! snap on 1/2" drive impact sockets, beefy extension bar and a 3 foot breaker bar. If the fckers dont unscrew they shear off

[Dezzy]

I just cant be arsed with them snapping mate. I have the bottles there why not use them?
If they snap i have to get the stud out (some times means drilling which is pants) and use a new stud.

Burning gear ftw

[DanThe]

I agree if you want to re-fit them If the engines coming out and its a crappy cast manifold I usually just let them shear, if I want to keep them a squirt of oil on the threads normally keeps the studs intact.

Gas axe is a very nice multi purpose tool though

[Dezzy]

I agree if you want to re-fit them If the engines coming out and its a crappy cast manifold I usually just let them shear, if I want to keep them a squirt of oil on the threads normally keeps the studs intact.

Gas axe is a very nice multi purpose tool though

Agreed

[bss325i]

You just need some enthusiasm boys, ive never had to heat up frontpipe nuts. My usual tool selection comprises of a big hammer, 14/13mm sometimes 12mm! snap on 1/2" drive impact sockets, beefy extension bar and a 3 foot breaker bar. If the fckers dont unscrew they shear off

Ive never had a problem with M20/M50/M52 down pipe nuts, its M54 ones they seem to rust quite badly and just crumble.

The replacement nuts from BMW are copper! The studs (4 of them) cost something stupid like a tenner each!

[DanThe]

Thats why you see so many with 10mm bolts

Ive started collecting the studs from scrap manifolds for the same reason
The copper plated nuts soon start rusting again once the coating falls off, cant beat stainless really

[Dezzy]

Again we use high quality mild steel zinc coated nuts which last better than them copper sh1te ones. 10pm thread 17mm socket. They are miles better. Even if they rust you can bray a 16 or 15 over worst case.