DIY clutch

Hi folks,

It's time I stopped ignoring the smell of burning clutch after any spirited driving and replaced it (luckily it's not slipping yet, though). I'd like some help please deciding whether to try it myself with a friend who has a trolley jack etc, or just pay someone who knows what they're doing.

- overall do you think it is a difficult job in my 325i for someone who's never removed a transmission etc?
- the engine doesn't have to be removed in practice, does it? (no mention of it in the Bentley)
- the current clutch is 18 months old (yes, it's had a hard life...) and the guy machined the flywheel when he installed it. Should this be done every time the clutch is replaced?
- just to increase the difficulty, the gearbox is a getrag 260 out of a 5 series. Apparently it was installed on an angle with the help of some spacers to get it to fit. This is a long shot question, but if anyone knows whether this would make replacing the clutch more difficult, please tell!

Also, I'd like some advice about which clutch to get. The Sachs 3 piece kit through Pelican Parts will cost AU$510 by the time it reaches Australia. A LUK kit will be about AU$450. Are the LUK kits any good? Should I spend the extra and get the Sachs?

Thanks,
Simon

My son and I were able to do it ourselves for the first time. Definitely a 2 man job.

I found that you need at almost 3 feet of extensions to get to the upper bolts. The hardest part of the whole job was reaching the upper bolts for removal, getting the transmission back in and putting the upper bolts back. Need some patience.

This is not a job for everybody, you'll have to pull it down and then run a dial indicator on the flywheel to check run out (in place). I would say, at this point, it might be replaced; its a big player on how well a clutch works and lasts.

I think there is a HD clutch set-up that would be well worth the few bucks more. Don't forget the pilot bearing.

Rick

I have not done an e30 clutch but I have on an e36 and other 80's european cars and it takes some time and more patience but is completely doable.

I got a tranny jack from harbor freight that really helped in pulling them not so much in stabbing them back in, and has proven itself many times over on other tasks.
[www.harborfreight.com]

The really nice part about doing it your self is how much other stuff you can knock out cheap while your in there. The pilot bearing, rear main, resurface the flywheel.

Once we spent all night getting a 5 speed back in a jag only to walk in the house and find the throw out bearing on the coffee table, I would not recommend doing it this way.

Good luck

______________________________________________
87 325e

Still trying to work smart not hard.

Hi All,

Thanks heaps for the tips. I haven't decided yet, but the flywheel resurfacing thing is tipping it towards just paying to get it done professionally. My friend's place (where we'd do the job) is a fair way outta town, so it would really suck if we couldn't get it done in 1 day, or if we got stuck halfway through!

No-one's heard of Luk clutches? Then I'll give em a miss.

Thanks,
Simon