clutch replacement...having fun yet?

["Dan, Marilyn, Anathea & Phillip Patzer" <bmrfamly@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Phil
  This is not a job for the timid. The driveshaft bolts are the easiset
part of this job, which can be done by loosening the compression nut at the
mid-section with a monkey wrench.  DO NOT hold the shaft with any sharp
compression tools.  I wrap the shaft and then the chain from a "chain vise
grip" pliers.  DO NOT hold the shaft at a U-joint location in a manner that
can put "torque" thru the U-joint, as this will damage it. Slide the front
half of the shaft out aftercarefully marking for allignment.
  Get the exhaust out of the way to make enough room for you to swear at
the top bolts on the bell-hosing.  They're torx heads.  You'll need more
extensions and flex joints than you thought sears sold.  Use 1/2"
equipment.  I broke 3 3/8" flex joints and a 1/2" extension on a single job
recently.
  Parts everyone forgets:  The tiny pivot post for the throw-out arm
#21-51-1-202-659  since this is the reference point from which the clutch
world starts, it's very important.  ***CHANGE the pilot bearing in the back
of the crankshaft.   BE SMART, spend a buck more and use a permanentaly
packed double sealed ball-bearing   6201-2RS, not a dry open faced toy with
a diaper, or a rolling pin!
  You want the tranny input shaft housed in a bearing race, not rolling
around on dry needles.
  Change the crank seal while you're in there.  Don't pound the new one in
place, but squeeze it in.  There's a spring around the inner lip of the
seal which hops off if pounded upon.
  Change the tranny mounts, and geibo flex disc (**all bolts to face
forward**).
  Borrow an old tranny input shaft for a clutch alligning tool.  As you
install the disc and pressure plate, tighten the pressure plate bolts a
couple of turns at a time in a criss-cross pattern while turning the clutch
disc until it becomes squeezed in place.  Then continue the criss-cross
pattern and tightening all 6 bolts just a couple turns at a time.  Once the
pressure plate is tight, remove the alligning tool.  If it won't "hop back
into place" loosen the pressure plate and repeat, until the allignment tool
just slides into thru the clutch hub and crank pilot bearing.
  If you think it's hard to get the alligning tool in properly, wait til
you add a few hundred pounds of dead meat to it.
  Metric "flex-sockets" are readily available, but I've not found flex TORX
sockets yet.  Some owners have me replace the TORX bolts on the top of the
bell-housing with same grade HEX-headed metric bolts so the process is
simplified next time around.
  Change the clutch slave cylinder if there's any hint of leakage.
  Change the driveshaft center bearing since it's on the bench.  you don't
want to do this again in 6 months just to get another 20k miles out of your
bearing.
  I even grew a brain doing my wife's 85' 732i.  At 435k miles the
throw-out bearing blew-out.  The clutch was still in spec.....I wish I had
the courage to leave it in so it would get over 1/2 mega-miles, but I
chickened out and tossed in a disc.
  Readers with position markers on your flywheel ***DO NOT have the
flywheel resurfaced, as machining may loosen the position marker for the
MOTRONICs.
  You better be enjoying this, as it's foing to take much more time and
sweat than you thought.  If you're not enjoying it, you shouldn't be doing
it.
  I've attached a couple jpg's showing a tranny shaft used as an alligning
tool.


 Dan Patzer the CyberWrench from BIMMERS ONLY Seattle's exclusive BMW hobby
shop
Providing O.E.M. parts, Independent service & Instruction since 1964
 12724  Marine Drive,  Marysville, Wa. 98271
72' tii touring   K1200LT   85' 732i   R850R
http://www.nwlink.com/~bmrfamly/   425-259-3601
MEMBER IBMWSP

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