How much of a PITA is replacing clutch

[uflnuceng]

Last (and only) time I ever replaced the clutch package on a tranny was when the engine and tranny was completely out of the car I was about to put it in. It was a monumental pain in the ass, but most of it was due to my ignorance and originally putting the clutch disc in backwards :oops:

I'm probably going to have to do the same without the engine being out of the car. I'm wondering how much of a suck-fest its going to be to drop the tranny, and work on the flywheel, etc. with the car only about 1ft off the ground (obviously a little higher inside the driveshaft tunnel). Then trying to get the tranny to line up and slide into place.

Input? Basic step process? I'm not looking forward to getting all of the bolts off that hold the tranny bell housing onto the engine. This is going to be on the new M6 (E24) and from what I hear it has the same tranny on it as the S14 M3s.

I do have a sufficient supply of tools, including a bunch of air rachets, impact wrenches, etc.

Thanks
Jared

[Julien]

Not to bad of a pita, just time consuming and annoying when working under the car.. things that are gonna make you mad:
1. getting all the bolts out of the tranny to the engine
2. getting the exhaut off - if the bolts are rusted
3. taking out the bolts from the pressure plate to the flywheel can be a huge #$*$()@( if something goes wrong- replace these
4. aligning the clutch disc is crucial
5. biggest pita is aligning the tranny on re-install to a: slide in due to angle and b: slide in mesh wise (leaving hte tranny in 4th gear to let you rotate the output shaft helps this.


good luck
Julien

[DaN]

sucks man, probably 5 times faster with a lift

[Slick92GS-R]

*double posted*

[Slick92GS-R]

accessing the top bolts on the tranny #1 PITA
and the best way to get clearance -- drop the exhaust -- oops ..#2 PITA
-- it can be done -- if u are about to use jackstands and crawl under the car -- be prepared to bust a few knuckles and swear at the germans.

if at all possible .. pay someone for the headache --

my .02..

[uflnuceng]

if at all possible .. pay someone for the headache --

The more I think about it... the more I think you are probably right. I know a guy who could do it in a day and only charge me a couple hundred for the effort.

Its just it adds up when you talk to yourself, doesn't it:

"Well... I need to replace the exhaust... and while I'm doing that I may as well replace the center bearing and flex disc... and if the driveshaft is down I may as well do all the shifter parts... and if the shifter is diconnected I may as well do the clutch... if I'm doing the clutch I defintely should do the crankshaft seal..."

The upside is once that is done I'll pretty much have a driveline that is in tip-top shape. The downside is most mechanics don't like tag teaming a project. So I can't be like "you do the tranny, I'll do everything else" so then the hours of the labor start to add up.

The one guy whom I would trust to do this work really hates BMWs too... but I believe God brought him forth into this world to be a mechanic because he is just blessed with skill.

Hmmm... maybe if I make him an apple pie or something...

[uflnuceng]

Not to bad of a pita, just time consuming and annoying when working under the car.. things that are gonna make you mad:
1. getting all the bolts out of the tranny to the engine
2. getting the exhaut off - if the bolts are rusted
3. taking out the bolts from the pressure plate to the flywheel can be a huge #$*$()@( if something goes wrong- replace these
4. aligning the clutch disc is crucial
5. biggest pita is aligning the tranny on re-install to a: slide in due to angle and b: slide in mesh wise (leaving hte tranny in 4th gear to let you rotate the output shaft helps this.


good luck
Julien

Would it help to just jack up the front of the car when removing the tranny and installing the flywheel. That can give you a few more inches to work in and gravity can be your friend when pulling it off. You would have to level the car of course when it came to put the tranny back on.

When I see how much I want to do... I may as well just do it myself. Will cost me less money even if it will take me a weekend or so to do the clutch package, shifter, exhaust, flex disc and center bearing.

True spirit of DIY... I just can't pay somebody to do something that I could do myself, even if Im sure to need a tetanus shot after it.

[AdironRider]

Have fun man, I think Id just pay for someone to do it.

[rs4pro3]

With the M6 tranny, you can remove the tranny from the Bellhousing, then with the tranny out, getting to the bolts that hold the bellhousing to the engine is no problem.

[Julien]

Not to bad of a pita, just time consuming and annoying when working under the car.. things that are gonna make you mad:
1. getting all the bolts out of the tranny to the engine
2. getting the exhaut off - if the bolts are rusted
3. taking out the bolts from the pressure plate to the flywheel can be a huge #$*$()@( if something goes wrong- replace these
4. aligning the clutch disc is crucial
5. biggest pita is aligning the tranny on re-install to a: slide in due to angle and b: slide in mesh wise (leaving hte tranny in 4th gear to let you rotate the output shaft helps this.


good luck
Julien

Would it help to just jack up the front of the car when removing the tranny and installing the flywheel. That can give you a few more inches to work in and gravity can be your friend when pulling it off. You would have to level the car of course when it came to put the tranny back on.

When I see how much I want to do... I may as well just do it myself. Will cost me less money even if it will take me a weekend or so to do the clutch package, shifter, exhaust, flex disc and center bearing.

True spirit of DIY... I just can't pay somebody to do something that I could do myself, even if Im sure to need a tetanus shot after it.

i'm all about DIY also, but after 3 e30 clutch jobs i said FUCK IT and am cutting a check on my touring. 300euro VAT and parts inclusive.


best of luck

[uflnuceng]

i'm all about DIY also, but after 3 e30 clutch jobs i said FUCK IT and am cutting a check on my touring. 300euro VAT and parts inclusive.

hahaha... yeah... this is only my second clutch job. And if I can take the tranny off from the bell housing, and then get at the bell housing by itself then I should be quite a bit better.

300 euro ain't a bad price though. kudos on that.

[mikeedler]

you still have to pull all the other crap, before you can take the gearbox section out. me personally, I always just pull the complete motor w/ trans. you can do a real good inspection of all the other stuff when the motor is out to.
but i do have a "pit" at my house so if i was in your sit. i would probably just pay someone too.

[erik325i]

I replaced the clutch on my e30 on jackstands in my driveway with very little previous knowlege about DIY stuff. It took a while because I had to figure out everything. You have enough room to manage under ther with the front jacked up. The exhaust bolts suck, if they are rusted on there. Getting to the top bolts on the tranny, is a pain the first time. The more you do it, the easier it gets. When removing my tranny, my friend was laying underneath the tranny holding it, while I was sliding it back away from the engine. He had to catch the tranny and lower down onto his chest. Putting the tranny back on is the next PITA. You need to jack up the front of the engine so that it can be angled down the right amount for the tranny to attach. Have fun! Don't pay a mechanic to do it for you.