What Else Should I Change When I do My Clutch?

[sapote]

Do our cars have the flywheel dowel pins backing out issue as some non M cars have?

[Will]

What are the symptoms of a failed pivot pin, if any?

[sapote]

What are the symptoms of a failed pivot pin, if any?

I would think the fork bottomed out on the bellhousing and the TOB has less travel stroke, results a dragging clutch -- grind gear or wear on synchro faster.

[sapote]

Do our cars have the flywheel dowel pins backing out issue as some non M cars have?

Here is a case of the dowel pin backing out and can damage the bell housing. When it's time to replace the PP, I will peen the 3 holes to make them a little tighter to prevent the pins backing out. Better yet to ask the manufacturers to have blind holes instead of through holes on the PP.
(46) Flywheel Dowel Pin came loose inside gearbox. | E46 Fanatics Forum

[ethan]

What are the symptoms of a failed pivot pin, if any?

I had a failed OE pin which didn't cause me any problems. I didn't even know it was bust until I went to do a clutch job. When I removed the clutch fork, the head of the pin and part of the neck came out as a unit but left most of the neck behind. If my slave cylinder had ever needed replacing, it's possible the clutch fork and pin could have come free from the seat and required an unexpected clutch job. I'm sure if the pin shears at the top of the neck (such that it's freed from its seat) there could be bigger problems, but that didn't happen in my case.

On another E46 M3, I put an aftermarket clutch kit in with a stainless pin, but the pin was a little undersized for the receiver. Not sure if it was the aftermarket pin or the bellhousing's getting messed up during removal of the OE pin, but I put it back together assuming it was OK and, key mistake, installed an adjustable clutch slave cylinder set too short. The resulting slop allowed the pin to pop out and I had to drop the trans again. Since then, I've started set-screwing aftermarket pins just to be safe. Moral of the story: check the interference fit of your pin and bellhousing before reassembling.

[F1Dryvr]

Ill add a story to this as i believe ive just ruined my clutch yesterday. Last lap of last session after a downshift the clutch pedal did not spring back when i took my foot off. I knew something was wrong so i ended the session, still had drive and made it to pits. Felt like the pedal was now alot stiffer and a very short throw compared to normal. Drove to trailer w/ a bit of shudder taking off, but then going up the trailer, loud groaning, and then the puff of clutch smoke and shut it off. Not sure if its ruined at this point but its got 150k miles on it.

Back story is i just had it off a few months ago for my engine rebuild. As much as id like to say the extra power ive made from my diy engine build fried the clutch, lol.....on installing a metal pivot pin i too encountered difficulty getting the pin to seat all the way in the bell housing. Hammer persuasion didnt work, i tried sanding it and the hole in the housing but never got it to seat all the way it probably had a 2mm gap to seating fully. Now this might be ignorant but looking at the system i felt that this would not make much difference, this is one potential source of my problem so let me know what you all think....

2nd thing i didnt do was use the special alignment tool noted above. I used the regular tool. Could this have caused my issue? my clutch showed almost no signs of wear and the flywheel also looked near perfect so i reused them and put all new hardware in, new TOB, Pilot bearing, and spring clip....i did not change the clutch fork.... Im not sure what happens with a SAC when u take it off and put it back on using the regular alignment tool(not the one they are saying we are supposed to use) but it worked fine for probably 2 or 3hunrdred test miles on the street and now 2 full gear slamming track days....until it didnt.

Any ideas whats gone wrong for me before i get in there? Also is one smoke show on the clutch like that mean its done?

[0-60motorsports]

Great Thread! Thanks to everyone who contributed.

Getting ready to change the clutch on my SMG M3. About the flywheel bolts i guess remove them carefully and use some blue thread locker and should be ok. As far as the pin i am getting the original BMW steel one.

What do you all think about the SACHS kit instead of the LUK (LUK not available on FCP right now). Since they list the SACH Clutch release bearing as OE i wouldnt need to get the BMW One as it comes in the kit already. Thoughts?

[Arith2]

Great Thread! Thanks to everyone who contributed.

Getting ready to change the clutch on my SMG M3. About the flywheel bolts i guess remove them carefully and use some blue thread locker and should be ok. As far as the pin i am getting the original BMW steel one.

What do you all think about the SACHS kit instead of the LUK (LUK not available on FCP right now). Since they list the SACH Clutch release bearing as OE i wouldnt need to get the BMW One as it comes in the kit already. Thoughts?

I put a LUK kit in mine and after seeing the quality, my heart sank. I was not filled with confidence. It's cheaper than the rest and that's it. If I could go back, I'd do Sachs but I already had dropped over $6000 at the time for a new engine so cost was a major factor.

[0-60motorsports]

I put a LUK kit in mine and after seeing the quality, my heart sank. I was not filled with confidence. It's cheaper than the rest and that's it. If I could go back, I'd do Sachs but I already had dropped over $6000 at the time for a new engine so cost was a major factor.

Oh wow, Glad im ordering Sachs then. Thank you for your feedback

[Casa de Mesa]

Hey all. After a ton of deliberation, I ended up going with a DMF and the stock SACHS clutch kit. The SACHS kit came with what is presumably a SACHS clutch release / throwout bearing. This one:

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-clutch-release-bearing-21511223582

Should I still buy the Genuine BMW equivalent?

[Slideways]

Hey all. After a ton of deliberation, I ended up going with a DMF and the stock SACHS clutch kit. The SACHS kit came with what is presumably a SACHS clutch release / throwout bearing. This one:

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...ng-21511223582

Should I still buy the Genuine BMW equivalent?

From what I remember, it's the pilot bearing that you want to be genuine BMW. I'm not sure on the Sachs kit, which should have a Luk clutch disk (OE), but the Luk clutch kit came with a pilot bearing that was a loose fit.

[Casa de Mesa]

Thanks man. I found out about the pilot bearing after ordering the Luk one. I have a micrometer and will measure the one currently in there. If need be, I'll get a BMW pilot bearing.

I wasn't sure about the clutch release bearing though.

[Slideways]

Thanks man. I found out about the pilot bearing after ordering the Luk one. I have a micrometer and will measure the one currently in there. If need be, I'll get a BMW pilot bearing.

I wasn't sure about the clutch release bearing though.

It should be fine. Mine has had a Luk kit for many miles.

[Casa de Mesa]

It should be fine. Mine has had a Luk kit for many miles.

Sweet. Thanks much.

[COVID-19]

Maybe a good time to replace the compression springs