vibration through the clutch pedal...

Wed May 16, 2007 11:52 pm

Hi,

I have 1990 325 and a week ago I noticed there seemed to be a vibration through my clutch pedal. It was very slight and I wasn't sure if it was one of those things that has always been there or just appeared.

Anyway, I'm driving home this evening and suddenly the gear box is very notchy and I can hardly get it into gear. If you press the clutch half way in with the door open you can hear a quiet 'wobbling' sound from underneath the car. Once it is in gear it seems to pull ok.

Can anyone give me any clues?

Thanks

Rich

Thu May 17, 2007 9:19 am

Forgot to say the reservoir is full and i can't see any leaks from the quick look i have had.

Cheers

Thu May 17, 2007 9:40 am

Sounds like the clutch release bearing has failed. The vibration COULD be a red herring, and it's just a master cylinder fault, but the two together suggest it's new clutch time.

Thu May 17, 2007 11:30 pm

Thanks Brian.

New clutch then.

Anyone got any tips on changing them?

Fri May 18, 2007 12:15 am

uberdrah wrote:Anyone got any tips on changing them?

Undo the top two bellhousing bolts by dropping the rear of the gearbox a little and using a couple of long socket extensions right over the full length of the gearbox.
Try to get a look at the fixing arrangement for the fixed part of the gear linkage at the gearbox end on a box already off a car before you start, so that you can see how it comes off.
Get a couple of 6" M12 bolts, cut their heads off, and screw them in place of two of the large bell housing bolts when you've removed the originals. Guides the gearbox off and on to the bellhousing without damaging things.

Fri May 18, 2007 12:01 pm

That's a good tip Brian...are you saying a clutch change is possible with the car on axle stands?
My convertible has a heavy clutch so I'm guessing it's time for a new one.

Fri May 18, 2007 12:37 pm

Clutch change is possible on (fairly high) axle stands. I've done it a long time ago on an E30, but I have a bit better equipped workshop these days!
Don't see that a worn clutch would be a heavy clutch. 325's have a very heavy clutch compared to 'lesser' E30s.

Fri May 18, 2007 1:34 pm

Brianmoooore wrote: 325's have a very heavy clutch compared to 'lesser' E30s.

Obviously ...because it's a mans car

Fri May 18, 2007 2:05 pm

tomze30 wrote:That's a good tip Brian...are you saying a clutch change is possible with the car on axle stands?
My convertible has a heavy clutch so I'm guessing it's time for a new one.

I did mine a couple of weeks ago on axle stands. However, with the jack I had at the time I had to jack up the drivers side as when I tried to do the front or rear, the jack was pulling the car left/right and off the axle stand so had to jack up the drivers side.

Access is a bit restricted but I'm built line a piano wire so didnt have much trouble.

As for removing the gearbox, I got 2x scissor jacks and positioned them at each end of the gear box and wiggled the gearbox back off the input shaft while moving the jacks back - You WILL need some help if you do this. Then it was just a case of winding the jacks down enough to get the gearbox out of the way to get at the clutch.

I found on the 2nd day, a sheet of hardboard on the deck prevented the major back grazing which happened on the first day.

I have very little mechanical experience but with a Haynes and some common sense managed to change it with little hassle.

Just take your time and its not too bad