How to install clutch slave

[e30_325es]

Umm...It sounds like a dumb question, but my e36 slave won't fit with the trans already in the car. Am I doing something wrong? Do I have to take the trans off, bolt on the slave, then bolt it back up to the engine?

[318isbmw]

Umm...It sounds like a dumb question, but my e36 slave won't fit with the trans already in the car. Am I doing something wrong? Do I have to take the trans off, bolt on the slave, then bolt it back up to the engine?

Its an e36 tranny correct? Had to ask the obvious sorry...
Its going to have resistance, but you just have to get it to compress the rod by pushing hard, should get far enough to get the bolts atleast partially on enough to let it go and use a socket to screw them on the rest of the way.

[sharksforthecup]

^ yeah what he said, not that hard. Would have been a good idea to put it on first though. make sure you align it so it hits the fork. I was careless about it one time and when I bled the clutch the rod shot out into the bellhousing.

[7pilot]

I installed mine with the trans in the car (no driveshaft).
13mm socket, ratchet with several extensions.
I attached the E30 clutch line to the slave cylinder and held it up in the approximate installed position.
Then I bent the line w/o kinking it so that it would offer minimal fight.
then I loosened the engine mount bolts and lowered the tail of the trans with a floor jack to support. Then I had to cut a notch in the insulation(E30M3) to help with install and clear the line.
Then I installed the slave cyl and started the lower mounting nut by hand. You have to keep tension on the cylinder.. The top nut is fiddly to start but easier. then I bent the clutch line to ensure additional clearance.
I attached the clutch line before installing the cylinder in order to prevent cross threading the fitting.

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[e30_325es]

Yeah, zf trans. It isn't the bolting on that I'm worried about, it's that the trans tunnel is in the way to get it into position. It sounds like I just have to force it in, huh?

[whysimon]

I replaced mine over the weekend. The job itself isn't hard, my problem was bleeding it. What a royal pain in the ass

[318isbmw]

Yeah, zf trans. It isn't the bolting on that I'm worried about, it's that the trans tunnel is in the way to get it into position. It sounds like I just have to force it in, huh?

Is it the solid line that's hitting, or the actual slave cylinder? How centered is your tranny, sometimes the swaps go in crooked, is the tranny mount bolted up. Sorry for the obvious questions, figured start w/ square one rather than making assumptions. Seems odd your hitting the side.

[e30_325es]

Thanks. The line isn't connected to the cylinder yet, so it's the actual cylinder. If anything the trans is over to the right, and is bolted to the trans mounts.