Throw-out bearing bad and car won't move

[M3RK]

Let us know what it turns out to be...

t

Problem resolved. Turns out the pilot bearing was of a slightly different size hole. This ultimately caused the rivets holding the outer ring of clutch disk to the inner disk to break completely leaving a free spinning clutch pad. New Sachs clutch kit installed and good as new, now.

Big thanks to Trey for swapping it out!

[TobyB]

Let us know what it turns out to be...

t

[M3RK]

Thanks for all the input. I found a local guy, through one of the members here, that will rip apart the tranny. Sounds likes it needs a new clutch setup, regardless, with the symptoms it has, maybe just needs a new clutch fork, but i'm excited that it's finally getting fixed! Miss driving her.

Thanks!

[TobyB]

I vote for your diff. But I come from the world of 2002s. Which also shed their CV joint bolts...

It's quite possible the pressure plate came apart. But to check, you need to jack it
up safely with both rear wheels in the air,
put it in first, let it idle, pull the parking brake and CAREFULLY crawl underneath.

If the drive shaft's turning but the CV shafts aren't, it's the diff.
If the drive shaft's not turning, it's flywheel, clutch, trans or guibo.
If half of the driveshaft's turning, it's the driveshaft.
You can remove covers and the driveshaft to narrow it down to the trans or clutch.

hth

t

[bmwman91]

Shoot them down with PB Blaster and let them sit overnight. Then heat them with a torch and let them cool. That should let you break them loose with vise grips, or hammer on a socket that is 1 size smaller than the nut.

[Vanilla Gorilla]

I've got a bad throw out bearing currently and am in the process of replacing it. Separating the exhaust at the bottom of the collector to the downpipe is currently the bain of my existence. It's a real bitch to grind the heads off those bolts to get it to separate. Maybe your's won't be as rusty being from the West coast.

[M3RK]

Something like this has happened to me twice.

1st time: was leaving a stop and the bitch clip broke and popped out. With that out you can't cycle through the gears. Popped it in and prayed it would stay in on way home.

2nd time: was shifting into 4 when I heard a pop. Coasted down the road in neutral until I could pull off. Could cycle the gears but nothing. Clutch disk had completely sheared off.

Sounds like the second one. I can still cycle through gears. That was a gnarly experience!

[Gerta]

Anyone have any idea what is wrong with it? and how much, ballpark, I may expect to pay a shop to fix it? I'd like to weigh the option of trailering it to my buddies house or just towing to a local shop.

TIA!!!!!

I'd estimate 8-10 hours at a shop if pulling the tranny is what is required. Price depending on where you take it. Say $100-125 an hour at an independent shop for labor plus parts.

If your buddy will lend you his garage you can certainly have it done over a weekend. Make sure you have a clutch alignment tool.

[shameson]

Something like this has happened to me twice.

1st time: was leaving a stop and the bitch clip broke and popped out. With that out you can't cycle through the gears. Popped it in and prayed it would stay in on way home.

2nd time: was shifting into 4 when I heard a pop. Coasted down the road in neutral until I could pull off. Could cycle the gears but nothing. Clutch disk had completely sheared off.

[Todd Black 88]

Whatever it is, you will need to yank the tranny.

[M3RK]

Well, it sounds like one of a couple possibilities:
1) The flywheel bolts all sheared off, meaning that there is no longer any mechanical connection of the engine to the tranny.
2) The tranny's input shaft broke, causing the same things as #1.
3) The guibo or driveshaft broke, so the tranny output is not connected to anything.

Thanks for the reply. I'm just wondering why the clutch makes a funny noise when pushed in but at all other times everything sounds completely normal.

[bmwman91]

Well, it sounds like one of a couple possibilities:
1) The flywheel bolts all sheared off, meaning that there is no longer any mechanical connection of the engine to the tranny.
2) The tranny's input shaft broke, causing the same things as #1.
3) The guibo or driveshaft broke, so the tranny output is not connected to anything.

[M3RK]

Hey guys, I'm in a bit of a jam here. I was taking my 318is for a spin around the block and when leaving a stop light I heard a loud pop and all of a sudden lost all power to the wheels. Rolled car to a gas station and found that it will shift into any gear but will not move, stall, etc. Already ran through a bunch of checks on what the problem is. Makes a weird rattling noise when clutch is pushed in. When clutch is released nothing happens (other than sound going away). You can shift into any gear just fine but car will not move, stall, or anything. The linkage is fine. The clutch assembly, slave, and master cylinders are all fine. I'm left to think it's the clutch or the throw-out bearing. There was never any slipping so I think it might just be the throwout. Basically now i'm stuck with no way to move the car and due to stupid LA laws, even in front of my house, my car is threatened with being towed because I can't move it. -_______-

Important info: car has had a m20 single-mass flywheel swap done by the previous owner.

Anyone have any idea what is wrong with it? and how much, ballpark, I may expect to pay a shop to fix it? I'd like to weigh the option of trailering it to my buddies house or just towing to a local shop.

TIA!!!!!