Re: <E21> Clutch questions

[Kalves Tom <k140119@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> 
> 
> Merry Xmas to all.
> 
>       Bought a nice 80 320iS for the daughter. A nice white S pack with wheels
> and upgraded suspension. A nice ride. She's now an adult, she's in debt to my
> credit union...... Question for you though. I got the seller to drop his price
> as the clutch wasn't quite right. I've flushed/bleed the system and it still
> engages/disenges right off the floor. Does the wearing of the disc lining
> affect wear the engagment point is??? Is the method of inserting feeler gauges
> between slave and bellhousing work to measure wear?? I wonder if the release
> bearing finger breaking as is known for several models could be a factor?? It
> requires more effort that mine and the setups are very similar, identical
> trannys and I've got a Tii clutch 228mm and she has a Stock(?) 320i 215mm. If
> someone did a clutch job and the flywheel step in not there or wrong how would
> that affect engagment??  I plan to pull the tranny and replace the disc/plate
> and bearing but wonder about the flywheel step as if I do this next weekend I
> don't think I can get /find a machine shop that'll be open if the step is
> wrong.
> 
> Greg Mierz
> GregM2002@domain.elided
> Roster Manager
> Puget Sound BMWACA
> 69 2002ti  Wa plate MPOWER
> 

Hi Greg,

How did you bleed the clutch. It is best, easy and maybe the only way to
bleed it backwards (from slave to main sylinder), not like brakes. I use
a old fassion oil dip can ( = a can that you can pump by your thumb and
the metal hose can be bent) where I have attached a rubber hose that fits
the bleed screw nicely. Then open the screw and pump brake fluid until
you get fluid in the main container.

If this does not help, change the main sylinder. It is probably too
worn to rebuild. I do not think it is anything else if pedal has been
like this a long time and there is no strange noise or notching when you
pump the pedal. Try to get info how did it go like this. If previous
owned does not remember anything unusual, then is is more than likely to
be a main sylinder problem than anything else.

The clutch force on the pedal depends on a lot of factors: lenght of
pedal and the point main sylinder is attachde, piston size in main and
slave sylinder, lingage and the leaf springs that presses the clutch
plate on the flywheel. Difficult to compare with anything else then
exactly same model.

If you open the clutch cover, greese the pressure bearing and the
lingage that the sylinder moves. If you need to change clutch plate
change the bearing at the same time.

I have two E28's and with these, only main sylinder tend to wear. No weak
points to brake down suddenly but I do not know about E21. Hope that I
have been able to help you with your doughters new car. Tell her my
regards ;)


- - Tom Kalves
'82 520i
'86 M535i

------------------------------