Clutch isn't fully disengaging?!

[ajiiE30]

Hey guys, the car is a 1986 325e. The clutch wont fully disengage when I try pressing down on the peddle, giving me a hard to put the car into 1st and 2nd. I first thought it was a shot linkage / bushings so I took everything apart and put it back together and no luck. I did some research and people were directing towards the slave / master cylinder. So I replaced the slave and bled all 4 brakes at the same time. Still no luck.

What would I be looking into replacing next? Would I be better off with the a used transmission with low KM's?

[jlevie]

Unless it is leaking, the won't be the cause of this, but the master cylinder will. Replace the master cylinder and bleed the system.

[Exodus_2pt0]

^ What he said.

You know if it's the slave cylinder because it will leak.

A master cylinder can leak past the piston internally without losing any fluid, but give the same result. Try depressing the clutch all the way and hold it for a few moments. If you sit there for a while and the pedal doesn't return completely, you can bet your ass the master cylinder is shot.

[ajiiE30]

Unless it is leaking, the won't be the cause of this, but the master cylinder will. Replace the master cylinder and bleed the system.

^ What he said.

You know if it's the slave cylinder because it will leak.

A master cylinder can leak past the piston internally without losing any fluid, but give the same result. Try depressing the clutch all the way and hold it for a few moments. If you sit there for a while and the pedal doesn't return completely, you can bet your ass the master cylinder is shot.

Thanks for the replies! I'm going to try what you suggested by depressing and holding the clutch to see if it'll return completely.

[ajiiE30]

So I tried depressing and holding the clutch in without the car in gear and car in gear (engine off) but the clutch still comes back to normal position. Should I still go ahead and change the master cylinder?

Took a little video for you guys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WxXEyZfUSs

[ajiiE30]

My clutch did feel very soft and spongy so I finally finished replacing the clutch master cylinder and the clutch pedal does feel a lot firmer but the car is still having a hard time going into gear. Could it be the bleeding that went wrong?

[jlevie]

If not fully bled, air in the system can cause this. But with a new master & slave in place and fully bled, this will be caused by a problem inside the bell housing.

[ajiiE30]

If not fully bled, air in the system can cause this. But with a new master & slave in place and fully bled, this will be caused by a problem inside the bell housing.

Have a pretty good feeling the system isn't fully bled, hopefully the bleeding solves the problem.

[ajiiE30]

So I bled the system (water bottle method). Not sure if this method actually bleeds the whole system?

[e30rapidic]

If you do decide to put a new master in, do yourself a favor and bench bleed it before you install. Also consider upgrading to the 7 series master.

[ajiiE30]

If you do decide to put a new master in, do yourself a favor and bench bleed it before you install. Also consider upgrading to the 7 series master.

I already replaced the clutch master cylinder on the car. I'm just not sure whether I bled it properly. Car still wont disengage causing the car to have a hard time to go into gear :(

[e30rapidic]

Pull the slave cylinder and compress it against the bell housing by hand a few times. Also check to make sure the fork doesn't move around a lot. The pivot pin can wear out.

Also how is the trans fluid? Is it low or old?

[ajiiE30]

Pull the slave cylinder and compress it against the bell housing by hand a few times. Also check to make sure the fork doesn't move around a lot. The pivot pin can wear out.

Also how is the trans fluid? Is it low or old?

I got a pressure pump that you connect to the top of the reservoir. I pumped it to about 15 psi and loosened the nipple on the slave but I barely got any fluid and there was still about 13-14 psi of pressure left when tighten the nipple. I'll try what you suggested by compressing the slave.

The transmission fluid is fresh, just filled it up with Redline MTL. But I had this problem before I changed the fluid as well.

[thenewguy]

Pressure plate could be stuck?

[ajiiE30]

Pressure plate could be stuck?

Not really sure. I just thought it was my hydraulic system that failed.

So I removed the slave cylinder from the transmission and compressed it about 9-10 times, I did get air out so I thought this might have solved my problem. I put everything back together but the car is still having a hard time going into gear when the car is started.

I'm guessing something in the bell housing went bad?