Inconsistent SMG Clutch Operation

[flgman1966]

Well in INPA, not sure if that is Dec of Hex or other, but error 81 is Auswertung Estate. The English translation through Google is Evaluation State. Today I was able to successfully complete Adaption. Clutch point seems to be much smoother, although it started very soft. I can tell though that it is starting to my driving. I also filled with a little more fluid. I would even say car drives nice, but if I thrash it, the car goes into limp mode. I then have to wait for the transmission to find a Gear. More difficult than it sounds. I even must stop and turn off car to reengage 1st. Only error now continues to be that 81. Actually 59 popped up. Ansteuerung Kipling, Control Clutch. Some research has said that this points to the Clutch Slave Cylinder and Relay and our Clutch Position Sensor. I may have gotten close enough to take it to a garage. I just hate to pay for what I can do, but pulling transmission might be just a little too much.

[oceansize]

Error code 59 is typically the clutch slave which is super easy to replace and it comes with the sensor. However, that doesn't mean something else isn't wrong as well.

[sapote]

Well in INPA, not sure if that is Dec of Hex or other, but error 81 is Auswertung Estate. The English translation through Google is Evaluation State. Today I was able to successfully complete Adaption. Clutch point seems to be much smoother, although it started very soft. I can tell though that it is starting to my driving. I also filled with a little more fluid. I would even say car drives nice, but if I thrash it, the car goes into limp mode. I then have to wait for the transmission to find a Gear. More difficult than it sounds. I even must stop and turn off car to reengage 1st. Only error now continues to be that 81. Actually 59 popped up. Ansteuerung Kipling, Control Clutch. Some research has said that this points to the Clutch Slave Cylinder and Relay and our Clutch Position Sensor. I may have gotten close enough to take it to a garage. I just hate to pay for what I can do, but pulling transmission might be just a little too much.

Both numbers are Dec.
81: SMG: Engine-speed switch for safety function (estate). I think this is the tranny input shaft speed sensor.
59 is the slave cylinder position encoder, and not the clutch position sensor as there is nothing to sense the clutch disk.

I don't think the issue needs for opening the tranny repair.

You can try by unplug the input shaft speed sensor to see if the 81 code is more consistence and no new code pops up, then this confirms the bad input shaft sensor. The slave cylinder is a normal wear and tear item, but you might want to remove and connect the sensor connector a few times to clean up the contact and see if it is better.

[flgman1966]

Well. There is the end of my Slave Cylinder. May have been the metal on metal sounds, or clunk I was hearing?

[Da Jemster]

Don't mean to thread-jack but I'm encountering the same thing. Problem happened this weekend, on my way from LA to San Diego. I'm on my 3rd SMG pump. Original died with only 22K in August 2006, replaced by dealership. That lasted awhile until it went kaput March 2015 with 111K, serviced by Avus in Glendale, with new clutch.

I now have 154K with this 3rd pump and replaced clutch. About a 1/4 of the way, while doing some "spirited" driving with other cars on the road, the cog light came on. Shifts were still functioning normally so I continued. 1/2 way there, by San Clemente, I downshifted to 5th and all hell broke lose. Heard a grinding sound, 5th icon was just flashing, which indicates the gear wasn't engaged, and confirmed it as there was no response when I pushed in the accelerator. I quickly pulled over to the shoulder and I went down the gears..4, 3, 2..each downshift was more grinding and high pitched sound. When I finally got the car stopped, there was a burning oil smell. No, it's not clutch odor - I've replaced a few clutches and am familiar with that smell. 1st icon was just flashing and again confirmed, gear wasn't engaging. I turned off the car and waited a minute. Started the car, and shifted to 1st. It took a moment but the gear finally engaged with a very hard and loud thunk and squeeling. I continued 'cuz I wanted to get out of the freeway and onto the rest stop, Vista Point. 2nd still thunked and squeeled and hesitated to engage. 3rd got better. 4th, 5th and 6th didn't produce any hard engagements but it feels like clutch slippage. Really needed to make the appointment at SD. I waited about 15 mins, and proceeded unto the freeway with the same gear engagements. I kept it at 6th gear all the way without any issues. On the way back to LA, I was dreading whenever traffic slowed because for every upshift, I had to feather the accelerator until I felt engagement. Forget about manually downshifting, that produced a harsh engagement. So whenever traffic slowed down, I waited until the very last second to brake hard so the SMG would downshift it from 6th to 2nd, and that didn't exhibit any harsh shifts.

Guess what's up today...cog light is gone and I drove around the neighborhood and it runs normally. No codes with my bluetooth OBDII nor my wired Actron. I need to hook-up my INPA to see it sees any codes. So it might be the pump and/or slave? I'm gonna try the rebuild: "https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/main-forum/e46-2001-2006/111701-smg-pump-rebuild-diy"

[Da Jemster]

INPA report:

79 Abgastemperatursensor (exhaust gas temp sensor)
139 Tempomatsystem (cruise control)
17 SMG Schaltablauf
215 Vorkatsonde 2 Periodendauer (Pre-Cat 2 period duration)

Come to think of it... The pump primes every time. So I think it might be the GPS.

[sapote]

Well. There is the end of my Slave Cylinder. May have been the metal on metal sounds, or clunk I was hearing?

I don't see any wrong in the pic showing the rubber buffer end smashed flat -- expected for an old rod and this is not the root cause. I think the electronic position encoders inside the slave is the root cause.

[eacmen]

INPA report:

79 Abgastemperatursensor (exhaust gas temp sensor)
139 Tempomatsystem (cruise control)
17 SMG Schaltablauf
215 Vorkatsonde 2 Periodendauer (Pre-Cat 2 period duration)

Come to think of it... The pump primes every time. So I think it might be the GPS.

I think those are engine ecu codes. You need to read codes directly from smg computer as well.

[Da Jemster]

I think those are engine ecu codes. You need to read codes directly from smg computer as well.

Thx for catching that!

36 Auswertung Positionsgeber Waehlwinkel (Evaluation Positioner Selection Angle)
37 Auswertung Positionsgeber Schaltweg (.... Switch)
32 Auswertung Getriebeeingangsdrehzahl (Evaluation of gear input speed)

Are my suspicions correct - GPS? My apologies again flgman on hitch-hiking on your thread...

[maw1124]

Thx for catching that!

36 Auswertung Positionsgeber Waehlwinkel (Evaluation Positioner Selection Angle)
37 Auswertung Positionsgeber Schaltweg (.... Switch)
32 Auswertung Getriebeeingangsdrehzahl (Evaluation of gear input speed)

Are my suspicions correct - GPS? My apologies again flgman on hitch-hiking on your thread...

Most likely. Don’t forget to run adaptations afterwards.

EDIT… even if that’s not it I’d want to rule it out first.

maw

[Da Jemster]

Most likely. Don’t forget to run adaptations afterwards.

Thank you!

[flgman1966]

Just a quick update to original post. I bought a used Slave Cylinder. Cheap, but helps me understand before I take on the job. So I decided to go for it. The used Slave Cylinder had a ripped seal. So I looked around the Internet and found a post on rebuilding it, basically taking it apart. When I removed my Slave Cylinder I noticed that the seal was in good condition, not great, but together. So I swapped the seals and installed new (used) Slave Cylinder. Initiated the Bleed procedures. When I got to the Actuator, there was a pop and the sound of fluid. 😠😠😠. Turns out that the retaining ring let go. Fortunately I was able to fish the plunger and rod out of the transmission, but the retaining ring is still in there. Waiting on a orthoscopic camera to see if I can fish out the retaining ring. Would be huge benefit to be able to get that out of there. Lesson: So very important that the retaining ring is correctly seated. Probably also best to get brand new retaining ring. Looks like there are kits as well, with new seal and ring. The saga continues. FYI..... The follow up thread, I got not of those codes.

[sapote]

there was a pop and the sound of fluid. 😠😠😠. Turns out that the retaining ring let go. Fortunately I was able to fish the plunger and rod out of the transmission, but the retaining ring is still in there. Waiting on a orthoscopic camera to see if I can fish out the retaining ring.

The plunger rod popped out not because the retaining ring let go, but because the rod was not aligned to the TOB fork and the rubber end of the rod slipped off and flying out under the hydraulic pressure. There is nothing to hold the rod in the cylinder but the TOB shift fork.

[sapote]

JThe used Slave Cylinder had a ripped seal.

Do you mean the rubber dust boot on the rod? It is not a fluid seal but just a dust boot. I don't know why the SMG slave has the boot while the manual tranny slave don't.

[flgman1966]

RATS!!! I didn't think about missing the contact point. Tomorrow I will try to fish out the retention ring. I have an endoscope camera with a light. Also with a hook or magnet connection. Hopefully the light is strong enough and with either the hook or magnet can get the ring. Rebuilt cylinder arriving soon.