Clutch Replacement - easier dropping transmission or pulling engine/trans?

[boxy30]

Hi all,

The PO (or one of the PO's) of my 318iS, at some point, decided to install a heavy aftermarket clutch. Now call me old or what have you, but I much prefer the lighter clutch pedal of an OE style pressure plate. I've been toying with the idea of replacing the clutch to better suit my tastes and was wondering...

Would it be easier to drop the transmission or pull the engine and trans as a pair in order to get at the clutch?

Those with experience, please chime in.

[bmwman91]

It's easier to just pull the tranny. Removing the engine involves basically all of the prep work for removing the tranny, plus a bunch of other stuff. The only pain in the ass is getting the tranny back in place if you don't have a clutch disc alignment tool, so make sure you get one of those. Tightening/removing the flywheel bolts (which are not re-usable) is pretty easy if you have someone with a 22mm socket & breaker bar holding the crank damper bolt on the front of the engine while you deal with FW bolts.

[Dj Buttchug]

yeah pull tranny is way easier. you dont have to drain fluids and un hook everything. G240 is small and easy to work with anyways. Just make sure you got a clutch alignment tool so its easy going back together with OE pressure plate

[bmwman91]

Oh...pro tips. There are 2 key items that make this work:

1
Get a set of E sockets (external-Torx). Obviously you will need them, and there are 3 sizes holding shit together IIRC. I bought a set for like $20 at a local parts store (O'Reilly) like a decade ago.

2
Have at least 24" of socket extension bars (32" preferred). The easiest way to get the big E-head bolts on the top is to have long extensions so that you can operate the ratchet/breaker-bar from the back of the tranny by the output shaft where there is room to work. I remember the first time I tried to pull a tranny on a BMW (1997 328iS back in 2003) and almost gave up until someone told me to combine all of my extensions lol. The same applies to the G240 in our cars!


The hardest part, IMO, is popping the shifter stuff off of the tranny. The selector rod is easy, but the shifter arm (the big aluminum bar above it) is a pain. It is held onto the tranny by a spring-steel clip that is universally known as the bitch-clip. It's a bitch, mostly because it's a simple thing that should just pop free without too much trouble, but it usually doesn't. You will need a small flat-blade screwdriver to attack it from the front. The feature it actually clips onto is on the inside of the metal rib on top of the tranny, and it's hard to get free. You'll probably figure it out after a few minutes and some 4-letter words.

Oh, and don't forget to unplug the reverse switch wires when dropping the tranny. I made that mistake my first time lol.

The other easy item to overlook is the little 10mm bolt holding the sheetmetal shield to the tranny on the passenger side. Don't forget to take that out.

[TobyB]

Add one flex joint to that stack of extensions. That can be a real nut- saver.

t

[BraveUlysses]

Oh yeah, and CLEAN the bolt heads on the extral torx before you try to remove them. you'll be much less likely to strip them.

[Beemerdan]

If you want to sell the used clutch, I may be interested.

[jsnppp]

bmwman91 - Appreciate these tips. Pulled the transmission this morning and they helped.