BMW 320d E46 Clutch - would you?

V1

Hi all,

Am considering replacing clutch and flywheel in a 320d (E46) myself. Must be close on 15 years since I did a clutch in anything and the last one I did was probably an E30.
Have a decent workspace, collection of tools but no lift (yet) so will be working with stands (and precautions!).
Have had a look in the TIS and while the job looks straightforward there could be a couple of fiddly bits. I havent done a (relatively) modern Self adjusting clutch or dual mass flywheel and Im not sure if I need "special" tools - will pick up a generic clutch alignment tool but not sure if I need the clutch tensioning tool for the Self adjusting clutch (which looks like a 3 legged pullers?).
Question is - Anyone done a clutch and flywheel on a 320D E46? Is it within the capability of the average DIYer or am I setting myself up for a fall here?

... and yes - post #1 so go easy please

DublinDilbert

Haven't done one myself, but if you've done an E30 one before, taking the gear box out will be pretty much the same, give or take.

The new SAC clutch will come pre-sprung with a metal plate keeping the springs in place at the right setting. So you don't need the 3 legged puller. Once you've bolted everything down you then twist out the metal plate with a large allen key. I've a SAC clutch at home under my desk I can take a picture of it and you'll see what I mean.

One tiny problem is cause of this metal plate holding the tension on the springs you can't use your traditional clutch alignment tool without some modifications, cause there is no where for the back of it to stick out. The clutch alignment tool looks something like this:-
http://images2.carpartsdiscount.com/auto/archive/pictures/105776/600/1/P/85D8CA0/bmw_328ci_2000_clutch_alignment_tool_oem_ct_1011_ct1011.jpg

If you know the dimension of the pilot bearing and measure the inside of the friction disc you'd be able to make something up, but i'm not sure its worth the hassle over buying the correct tool. Cause its kinda a one shot deal at the alignment, if you don't have the 3 legged pullers to re-set it.

V1

Thanks for the tip on the clutch alignment tool but not sure I will be able to pick one up in time as Im going to try tackling it at the weekend so I will probably end up inventing something! Sort of looking forward to the job and sort of dreading it at the same time. It could be just the sort of thing to get my teeth into or it could all end in tears .

Will post results next week one way or the other... Thanks again.

DublinDilbert

Let us know how you get on.

Its probably not too bad to try invent something for, if you've enough bits and bots lying around. You'll probably find a socket that will fit nicely inside the splines of the friction plate, then just take a bolt or 3/8 inch piece out of that. If you want to test your alignment tool/method, take off the old clutch / pressure plate, then re-fit it back on again using your tool. Remove the alignment tool and offer the gear box up to it, if the gear box shaft fits in, your home and dry.

V1

All in all pretty straightforward, just an awful lot of ripping :eek:! Dont think I would tackle it again though without a lift and transmission jack.

Only snag or deviation from the TIS was with undoing the exhaust front pipe/cat from the turbo. Manual describes this as just rip and remove but that is written for a LHD car. On a RHD, the steering column coupling to the rack is right in the way. On top of that they are 15 head self locking type nuts and a real pain to undo. I mean seriously - who has a 15mm spanner:mad: Luckily enough I did have a 15mm socket and I can honestly say it was my first time ever using that socket out of a set that is over 10 years old. There is a slim possibility that you could get at these with an offset 15mm ring spanner but I don't think you would have the swinging room even at that. Easiest thing to do is undo the steering column to rack coupling (its splined but also keyed so it only goes back one way) which give pleanty of access then.

Other than that everything went by the book. Just a long long long job. Made up a clutch alignment tool from bits and bobs and as suggested found a socket and some other bits to fit the bill perfectly. Pic below - Its a 3/4 inch socket, and old extension bar cut and ground to fit into the pilot bearing, with a bolt rammed in there to allow me to pull it out afterwards and all held together with tape:o.Using the bolt did mean I couldn't use an allen key to remove the plate from the SAC after installing but as I didn't have an allen key that big anyway, I just used a couple of pry bars and screwdrivers to gently lever/rotate it out. It does however occur to me at this stage that a smarter way to do this would have been to jam a nut (instead of the protruding bolt into the socket with tape which I could then screw into for extracting the tool.
The only other thing to note is that you need a very long socket extension bar to get at the top bolts on the bell housing, the ones I used were 70+ cms long and it just about did it, but lots of fun trying to aim that thing from behind the gearbox and catch an m6 or m8 torx head bolt with it!

New clutch is the business:D No more chattering release bearing, and no more jerky or juddery starts (flywheel was shot as well). Very light and smooth pedal - drives like a new car!

Thanks again for the advice and encouragement.

DublinDilbert

Glad you got it done, how long did it take start to finish? I've to go at mine at some stage too.

Did you have to take off your inlet manifold fully to get the starter un-done?

I've always wondered, if the "schuttle" tray is removed if them top two bolts on the bell housing could be got from above, cause they seem to be what causes everyone the problems...

Also where did you get the parts? I've a feeling mine needs a new flywheel too, they never seem to give problems on the petrol variants, but i've a feeling mine is gone...

V1

Checked with BMW Dealer, they estimated the job at under four hours! But then they will have everything to hand, including special tools, and be familiar with the job. Competant mechanic with a lift and transmission jack should be able to get it done easily in 6 hours.
I would fall into the category of in-competant amatuer and I was working on my back with trolley jacks and bits and bobs. Every time I needed another tool or to check the manual it meant sliding out from under the car standing up and then remembering what I was supposed to be doing :rolleyes: An hour in total between raising the car, making it safe to work under and lowering it again (had it up about a foot) Another hour to find and put together the bits and bobs for clutch alignment. I took my time at it and did it in fits and starts (in between doing everything else that needs doing at the weekend so it took me a whopping 12 hours over 2 days.:eek:

Didn't go near the inlet manifold. Only things ripped under the bonnet were the particle filter housing and heater bulkhead removed to allow the engine to tilt back on its mounts. As per the manual removed the 2 bolts securing the starter to the bellhousing from underneath as part of splitting the gearbox from engine. Left starter loose there and just wiggled it out of the way slightly on re-assembly so that it wasn't hanging on the bellhousing cover plate as I lined up the gearbox and bellhousing bolts. If it had been hanging on the plate it would have been a pain to get it together. After the gearbox was secured, I just popped the starter back into place and put in the 2 bolts from underneath.
No idea what the "schuttle tray" is - so I definately didnt go near it The top 2 bolts on the bellhousing are easy enough to get at from underneath and behind the gearbox using a lot of socket extension bars joined together (see photo of what I used in previous post). With the engine and gearbox tilted back and down (hanging on the engine mounts but supported with a jack and block under the sump to be polite), if you put your head up in the tunnel at the back of the gearbox where the propshaft used to be you can see them easily and get a long socket extension bar in along the top of the gearbox. They are torx head so easy enough to push onto them square with a torx socket so there should be no danger of the socket slipping (which would be a complete disaster in that position).

I fitted a LUK Repset from my local motor factors - retail €850+ for the whole lot Clutch kit and flywheel. Talk nice to them and you should be able to do better than retail. My flywheel was knackered as was my release bearing but my clutch disc actually still had a bit of meat on it even though it has suffered dogs abuse over the last few years with trailers and heavy loads. Clutch disc would probably have gone on for another 30k but not sure about the flywheel and release bearing. 177K on the original clutch and flywheel - not bad! Expect to get the same again or more out of the new one

Manual states that the flywheel bolts (M12s iirc) and the pressure plate bolts should be replaced. I didnt as they didnt come with the new parts kit and I hadnt read the manual in advance I re-used, cleaned, threadlocked, and torqued carefully so I should be ok and would have to be very unlucky for one of them to fail (but all it takes is 1:eek:).
They cant be that expensive from a dealer so would recommend picking up a set if you are going to tackle the job.

On the state of the flywheel, I was finding it more and more difficult to do a smooth takeoff and had a lot of juddering and jerking - there was a significant amount of play (and creaks/squeaks) from my old flywheel which would account for that. I also had a "chattering" with clutch pedal half up/half down which could have been either release bearing or possibly also the flywheel.
TBH having spent a long time trying to diagnose a clutch, release bearing, or DM flywheel problem in another car (a Subaru) last year, and having visited a multitude of "experts" including main dealers, and gearbox specialists, I have come to the conclusion that no-one can reliably and consistently diagnose these kind of problems without actually splitting the thing. Anyone who tells you that they know for sure what the noise or symptom is down to is probably just making sh!t up:p (In that case the clutch disc came out in 3 pieces even though I was absolutely assured that the problem was actually my gearbox that was knackered)
Only advice I would give you is if your mileage is high, you depend on the car day to day (and dont have an alternative) and are planning on keeping it for a while, then just go ahead and do it. If you can do without the car for a while then there isnt a lot to lose by driving it untill its undriveable, unless of course your flywheel fails which could do an awful lot of damage :eek: