Clutch? Need a little help.

[dbals]

Hey all. Ive got a supercharged 540 6 speed and its been doing some funny things that I would like to get some opinions on before I dive in and try to fix it. With the horsepower this car makes I ve always been a little concerned with how the clutch will hold up. The other thing is I dont really know whats in it. It had the akisil motor swap done in 2000 and I know it has a different fly wheel but I am unsure on the clutch......last ower not the best on documentaions of trans. Here is what the car is doing. When I start off from a dead stop it shakes a little as you are releasing the clutch. It just started doing this. Clutch pedal has to be pretty far out (farther than I think is normal) before it starts to catch and like I said it shakes a little as you are pulling off. Once your moving car drives just fine......no slipping. I can let out in first slow and then hammer it and it will pull like a monster. Ive got a bently at home I guess Ineed to dig through it but just wanted to get input from the board. Could it be a master cylinder?
-Drew

[skr]

shaking whould probably be caused by the dual mass flyweel springs. if one breaks it will shake. The easy way to see if the clutch slips is drop it. If weels spin it's ok, if not it slips.

[dbals]

So you are suggesting to dump the clutch and see if it catches enough to spin tires and if it does the clutch should be ok? and if its the flywheel spring you suggested? then what?

[John in CT]

Well, the next step involves money, a lift and a good BMW guy who has specific knowlege of this clutch/flywheel system, not a job for a corner garage-type guy, IMHO.

Good luck,

John

[Jon K]

Dbals, same issue I am having on my supercharged car. Sometimes when letting the clutch engage from a stop, the first couple inches of clutch travel shake the car sort of... not really a shake, but more of a quick engage/disengage of the clutch right? I think it's the clutch burn up in certain points and so there's an uneven engaging surface. Thats my opinion - I too will be doing a clutch soon.

[mholbrook]

Something tells me that the drive shaft flex disk might not like dumping the clutch even without the supercharger and the additional mega-horsepower. But that's just me....

[dbals]

Dbals, same issue I am having on my supercharged car. Sometimes when letting the clutch engage from a stop, the first couple inches of clutch travel shake the car sort of... not really a shake, but more of a quick engage/disengage of the clutch right? I think it's the clutch burn up in certain points and so there's an uneven engaging surface. Thats my opinion - I too will be doing a clutch soon.
Thanks Jon, that seems to make sense. Iam just going to baby it as long as I can, look at doing a clutch this summer if I can make it that long. Any one have any suggestions at to which one?

[dbals]

Took the car in to have it looked at by a mechanic that I do trust and his input was that I had some oil leaking from the back of the motor, from the real main seal and his thoughts were it was passing along possibly into the clutch housing and getting on the disc.....I guess this seems posible. Add another thing that needs to be changed this summer.

[Derek A.]

If you get a lot of oil in the bellhousing - it can affect the operation of the dual mass system as well. As the internal pieces of hte flywheel get coated in out. UUC makes a stardard clutch/flywheel setup. Its not cheap - but its stronger than the oem and is a lighter unit.