Clutch would not easily disengage - oily clutch

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  • danv
    Noobie
    • Sep 2008
    • 25

    #1

    Clutch would not easily disengage - oily clutch

    Ever since I bought my e30 a year ago I couldn't drive it smoothly. The clutch release was very sudden, sending a shock through the car. It got worse in the winter, and I would have trouble putting the shifter in gear. Once in gear the clutch gave no indication of being partially engaged - it didn't move the car at all, didn't affect idle.

    If I drove the car more than a few miles the problem would go away, but after every cold start I'd have to be very careful never to let the clutch out with the shifter in neutral. If I did I'd have to force the shifter into gear, or start the car in gear and let the starter break the clutch free.

    The clutch didn't slip under load.

    A new clutch slave made no difference, and the shop didn't think it was the master so they looked at the clutch next. When they opened it up it was covered in oil - somehow it leaked in there, but they couldn't tell how. The oil must have formed a sticky goo and glued the clutch to the flywheel overnight.

    Replacing the clutch fixed the problem.

    I'm posting this so others can search and know.
  • lifeiskaos
    E30 Mastermind
    • Dec 2007
    • 1709

    #2
    i sure hope they replaced/loctited your flywheel bolts. that is likely where the the oil was coming from.

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    • jlevie
      R3V OG
      • Nov 2006
      • 13530

      #3
      Oil in the clutch disk is almost always going to be from a failed transmission output shaft seal. It is almost impossible for engine oil to reach the clutch.

      FYI: the purpose of Locktite on the flywheel bolts to prevent them from loosening, not for sealing.
      The car makes it possible, but the driver makes it happen.
      Jim Levie, Huntsville, AL

      Comment

      • danv
        Noobie
        • Sep 2008
        • 25

        #4
        Originally posted by jlevie
        Oil in the clutch disk is almost always going to be from a failed transmission output shaft seal. It is almost impossible for engine oil to reach the clutch.

        FYI: the purpose of Locktite on the flywheel bolts to prevent them from loosening, not for sealing.
        I didn't know that, thanks!

        I had it done at an independent BMW shop, and they do a lot of work on E30 M3s, so hopefully they did it right.

        Comment

        • lifeiskaos
          E30 Mastermind
          • Dec 2007
          • 1709

          #5
          Originally posted by jlevie
          FYI: the purpose of Locktite on the flywheel bolts to prevent them from loosening, not for sealing.
          wrong. the holes in the crank go all the way through to oil passages. that's why new OEM bolts have a sealer on the threads, and that's part of the reason why you have to loctite them when you reuse them

          Comment

          • accident
            R3V OG
            • Sep 2008
            • 7303

            #6
            also rear main seal.

            Originally posted by ROLLingKING
            i have a bronzit and plan on making it look sweet.
            Originally posted by slammin.e28
            Moral of this story?

            If you drive your e30 on stairs, you're gonna have a bad time.

            Comment

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