S52/ZF UUC LTW Flywheel E34 OEM Clutch won't disengage

[hammslice]

Last time I was in I replaced everything. Clutch master and slave first, got a good bleed using reverse fluid injection method. Still did not resolve. Next I ordered a new clutch kit from pelican. The parts arrived and were all the same except the clutch disc. It was visibly different and had a different part number.

From UUC: Sachs PN 1861931034



From Pelican: Sachs PN 187005620



The PP clutch did not have double springs and the center area around the hub was noticeably thinner. I can only assume that with the pedal fully depressed that the fins of the pressure plate were contacting this thicker area. I’m unsure if the original clutch disc was the wrong part or just out of spec. At this point all that matters is that the car goes and goes well. I got to have some fun with it before I had to head back overseas. Lots more to go but at least this hurdle is passed. Thanks for everyone's ideas. Sorry for those that suggested these new parts earlier but my wallet didn't want that to be the fix!

[nrubenstein]

Where did you get your ZF320 from? Mine came from an E46 328, and the clutch fork used in those is NOT the same and will NOT allow you to fully disengage the clutch. In fact, I had the exact same symptoms as you currently have.

[Wanganstyle]

do you have a oem S52 clutch/fly setup you could install to try? would be nice to have a known to base all your variables off of.

[e46s54dr]

Splines also look dry. Throw some grease on that bitch.

Yeah, definitely try cleaning the trans input shaft splines and slap some anti seize on there. Make sure the friction plates slides freely with any binding. This may or not be your problem but it is definitely something that needs to be done either way.

P.s. Hows the condition of the little nub that acts as a pivot point on the opposite side of the slave cylinder on the clutch fork? Your problem is either a manufacture defect/clearance issue, or you arent getting enough travel to fully disengage the clutch and flywheel.

You are using the correct throwout bearing supplied in the kit correct? And the transmission is sitting flush with the back of the block before you torque it down too right? I ask becase sometimes the sandwhich plate between the block and trans slips out of alignment and covers up one of the alignment pin holes.

Good luck and hope you resolve it asap.

[JTapper]

Splines also look dry. Throw some grease on that bitch.

[gobuffs]

Send it all back, buy something non blue.

[hammslice]

Seems like some piece you have is wrong. Either the clutch or the PP.

I confirmed all part numbers with Rob@UUC.

[gobuffs]

Seems like some piece you have is wrong. Either the clutch or the PP.

[e30rapidic]

I thought that was to protect the flywheel against marring from the bolts... If its supposed to be between the crank and the flywheel, that would give me the couple of mils that should make a difference.

i typed wrong and you caught it before I edited!

[hammslice]

I thought that was to protect the flywheel against marring from the bolts... If its supposed to be between the crank and the flywheel, that would give me the couple of mils that should make a difference.

[e30rapidic]

where did you put this? between the crank and flywheel? or somewhere else??




***edit*** I see this is where you put your spacer

[hammslice]

All the fingers looked fine and none were binding. The straps don't have any obvious defects. But again i have no point of reference. All the bolts are good, flush, and torqued.

[gobuffs]

I guess I do.

How do the straps on the pressure plate look? Are the bolts tigthened down properly. Are the fingers on the pressure plate ok. The problem sounds like a pressure plate issue to me.

Are the flywheel bolts tight and the flywheel flush to the crank? The gall plate in place?

[hammslice]

Do you have a clutch stop installed by any chance? Maybe it might be set a little to high causing the clutch not to fully disengage? Prolly not your problem but its worth a shot.

No clutch stop.

Could it possibly be a leaky clutch master cylinder? Have you tried leaving the rear end jacked up, depressing the clutch in gear, then engaging the ebrake right away?

No signs of leaking anywhere. I have tried this. It kills the motor.

Just to clarify things, you're saying when the car is in gear with your foot pressing down on the clutch, there is still too much friction between the flywheel and pressure plate? If so, when driving around town, does the engine stall itself out at a stop light?

Correct. I have only driven this car for a few minutes around the neighborhood. Started it in gear and just went. During that few minutes I depressed the clutch and hit the gas, the clutch slipped a little, but the car still accelerated. Pulling back into the driveway with the clutch pedal depressed, the engine stalled.

Lastly, is it me or is the gap between the pressure plate housing and pressure plate seem too small on your post on bimmerforums? I'm wondering if its a defective pressure plate? Do you feel that there is adaquate travel when stepping on the clutch?

The pedal feels fine. I have no frame of reference for what the gap should be to tell whether or not its defective. Based on other evidence, the pressure plate is definitely not bound, but maybe you are right and the clearances are off. I spoke with Rob@UUC in May when I first started having issues with this. He suggested that as well, but I didn't have time to pursue the other suggestions and that before I left the country. I asked him to try and remember my case, as it may take me a few years to get this resolved.

does the clutch pedal spring back on its own? can you pump it up to get pressure (and make it operational).

Clutch pedal feels "normal". Meaning, the last time I pushed the pedal in this car was in January and that was with the E30 hardware so I don't have anything to really compare normal as far as effort. Regarding function though, it is totally normal. Effort required and it springs back. No sticking to the floor, no bubbles coming up into the reservoir while pumping, etc.

In the past I have successfully used a UUC complete LTW fly+e34m5 clutch setup direct from UUC with a zf 5 speed and e36M slave and s52 engine.

Thanks for the confirmation. I was beginning to doubt.

I got a $1 the throwout bearing is installed 90 degrees off. BTDT, was embarassed.

First time I have heard that suggestion. Thanks for your sharing your experience, but you owe me a buck. :)

[gobuffs]

If you have it 90 degrees off it will fall farther into the clutch fork so that when the slave pushes on the clutch fork it doesn't disengage the pressure plate. Like I said been there, done that.