Clutch pedal shenanigens!

[Morat]

Help!
my clutch master and slave were replaced about 3 years ago with parts supplied by the garage - they usually use reasonable kit, but not OEM.

Anyway, over the last 6 weeks or so the clutch bite point has been getting lower with quite a lot of slack at the top of the travel. I thought it was likely I would need to replace the cylinders again because they must have been cheap rubbish and have started to go.

This morning, on my way to work the pedal suddenly sprang back. The clutch bite point is now back at the top of the travel (just below the level of the brake pedal) but the clutch pedal itself seems to swing up a bit higher than the brake pedal.

Now I have to lift my left foot about 2 inches higher than the brake, take up the slack down to the level of the brake pedal and then I have a normal feeling clutch. Does anyone have any clue as to what is going on? and more importantly, am I about to lose my clutch altogether because I'm about to need the car for a couple of days.

Cheers all,
Morat

[Billwill]

You can slightly adjust the height of the clutch pedal to try make it level with the brake pedal.

Where the clutch pedal locates on the the master cylinder plunger it uses an eccentric bolt....you need to loosen this bolt with a spanner on each end, rotate the bolt and watch the clutch pedal rise and fall then tighten the bolt.

I have no idea about the other strange behaviour of your clutch though

[DanThe]

Its not eccentric, it just has a larger diameter shoulder than thread, if it was me id get a proper master cylinder ordered up.
Ive fitted loads of cheaper MC's in the past without problems but for about the last year or so the GSF/ECP supplied cheap versions have been very bad, the pedal ends even fall off

[Morat]

I'm sure you are right dan. by the time i got into York, the clutch had died. bite point now about an inch below the floor, if you see what I mean. I'm on the train back north now so starting to sorry about a first gear journey back out during rush hour! if there's no clutch I'll probably wait until later on...can't afford to leave it at York station car park for long!

[Speedtouch]

Sorry to hear about this, must be a real PITA. It is possible to change gear without using the clutch, but you have be quite decisive and firm with your shift action!

[Morat]

yeah, I snapped the gear knob
Ah well, thanks for the post. Car is now awaiting onward recovery to our local BMW gurus.

[Speedtouch]

Double whammy!

[DanThe]

Sorry to hear about this, must be a real PITA. It is possible to change gear without using the clutch, but you have be quite decisive and firm with your shift action!

Not at all, forcing into gear is just a quick way to shag the syncros, get the revs right and it will drop into gear as easily as using the clutch, changing up that is, dont try to change down

[Speedtouch]

Indeed, you have to get the engine revs right for a smooth clutchless gearchange, but in an emergency get-you-home situation when the clutch has failed, it is acceptable - and E30 Getrag gearboxes are pretty tough.

[Brianmoooore]

My wife decided to go into labour at home nineteen years ago, when I was the other side of the largest town in the area (and no bypass) with a failed clutch operating system, and at 5pm.
Anticipating the gaps at roundabouts and a bit of forceful claiming of 'right of way' and I got through with very little in the way of problems, only having to come to a complete halt and start the engine in first gear twice, IIRC.
Changing up is easy enough, but for changing down, lift off of the throttle and push the lever into neutral just as the load comes off, then lean lightly on the gear lever into the gear you want while you rev the engine carefully around the revs you need. Go up and down a bit, and it will drop into gear, when you hit the sweet spot.

[Billwill]

Its not eccentric, it just has a larger diameter shoulder than thread, if it was me id get a proper master cylinder ordered up.
Ive fitted loads of cheaper MC's in the past without problems but for about the last year or so the GSF/ECP supplied cheap versions have been very bad, the pedal ends even fall off

Well then your E30 is different to mine...I recently replaced my clutch master and slave cylinder on my 1991 318i and definitely have an eccentric bolt fitted. I adjusted it as stated in the Haynes Manual....don't laugh....and even Brian Moooore I seem to remember posted the same advice a while back.

[DanThe]

Its not eccentric, it just has a larger diameter shoulder than thread, if it was me id get a proper master cylinder ordered up.
Ive fitted loads of cheaper MC's in the past without problems but for about the last year or so the GSF/ECP supplied cheap versions have been very bad, the pedal ends even fall off

Well then your E30 is different to mine...I recently replaced my clutch master and slave cylinder on my 1991 318i and definitely have an eccentric bolt fitted. I adjusted it as stated in the Haynes Manual....don't laugh....and even Brian Moooore I seem to remember posted the same advice a while back.

Never heard of that before, have you got any pics? Ive done the job on dozens of E30's and they have all been as the above pic I posted

[Speedtouch]

I had to fit a new clutch master cylinder to my 1987 (E-reg) pre-facelift 320iSE, and that had an eccentric bolt to adjust the pedal height.

How else is it going to adjust the height, if it only pivots on a plain bolt?

Quote from Andyboy's Restoration Bible:

"The clutch pedal can also be raised by slackening the 13mm nut where the pedal joins the master cylinder and turning the 17mm bolt - it has an eccentric pivot."

[daimlerman]

Just wondering if the OP's problem is as simple as the clutch master eccentric being loose and swivelled it's self round?

[Brianmoooore]

Don't remember posting anything about a clutch adjustment eccentric at any time, and can't find any mention of such a thing in the ETK.