Re: Clutch pedal very stiff.. (not real long)

[Jerry Lee <Jerry.Lee@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jimmy,

I had this same thing happen with my '88 535is.  I was coming off the
Alpharetta Autobahn (ie GA400, 85+mph speeds w/ psycho soccer moms & cell
phones in one hand and a SUV in the other).  As I was downshifting on the
off ramp I heard a "POP" as I depressed the clutch pedal, and it got very
hard and started engaging right off of the floor.  I took the beast to the
garage, dropped the knee panel, and found a bent master cylinder clutch
rod.  The top of the rod connects to the pedal.  The master cylinder body
bolts to a bracket on the firewall.  I looked deeper and found that the
bracket had cracked all 3 inches toward the firewall along the bottom 90
degree bend.   I fired up the air compressor, took my die grinder and ground
the area around the crack, MIG welded it back together, primed and painted
it. I replaced both the clutch master and slave cylinders (for S&Gs, mine
had xxx,xxx miles on them).  Bled the system, it now is silk smooth and
works like a champ.  

I talked to a friend (Bobby Thrash), who told me that he has repaired many
of them this way, a very common problem on older BMWs.

The clutch in this car is self adjusting.  For the other parts you might
call Bobby Thrash, Strictly German in Braselton GA (50 miles NE of Atlanta).
Bobby is a good guy, very reasonable, 150+ parts cars, and he specializes in
BMW parts.  His phone number is 7706-654-9103.

Good luck,
Jerry Lee
'88 535is 183kmi, Sharked, H&Rs, B-Sports, M-bars, tons of other stuff.....
'71 Challenger R/T, 425hp 7500rpm hydrocarbon pump, pistol grip 4-speed,
3.23 posi.....

Jerauld J. Lee
Senior Systems/Network Engineer
Computer Generation, Inc.
404-705-2954 
<All opinions, even correct are mine.>
..........
Date: Fri, 15 Oct 1999 15:21:35 -0500
From: "Lam, Jimmy" <Jlam4@domain.elided>
Subject: Date: Fri, 15 Oct 1999 15:21:35 -0500

Hi, All

I help with my BMW.

I have a 1985 535i. 5 speed.

The Clutch is super hard and stiff.

<snipped>Is there any way to adjust the clutch.

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