Clutch Life...?

[Fetch]

Couldn't find anything with search....
What is the average clutch life in the gearbox paired with the M60?

I've got 150,000 miles, and I haven't felt the clutch slip at all, but it just engages pretty 'late' even though I don't have another bmw clutch to compare it to.


Is my car on it's 1st or 2nd clutch possibly?

If I told you how much further the clutch pedal travels after it engages would you guys be able to guess how much is left in it ? :)

Thanks

[Fetch]

bump

[colo525i]

Can't really be sure as for the 530, i think it depends on how you drive. I have seen a clutch start to slip at 30k on a vw beetle turbo, and i have a friend who drives a subaru with 300k with the original clutch still in it. Totally possible that it has been replaced. I know my 525i with 210k on it is on clutch 2, replaced by the 2nd owner.

[PaulJ]

Just changed my original clutch at 145K in the 1991 535iA 5 speed. The disk was not the problem, the release bearing (throwout bearing) had locked up and self-destructed. Disk had lots of material left but you know the story......

Paul

[KenB]

Mine has 178k on the original clutch. I keep wondering how much longer it can last. Catches 1/2 way up but no slippage yet, been like that for over 3 years now.

[ericcamaro]

I only push my clutch in a couple inches, pedal travel is really minimal. Im at 125k on my original and it is holding very nicely and I dont drive my car like no grandma.

[MagicMike]

I have a very similar 1994 530i 5spd that I am currently changing the clutch on. I did not see any signs of slipage but one day I pressed the clutch to downshift and it never went back up. I dropped the tranny and found that the disk itself has dicipated. I was shocked how well it performed prior to the problem. I just hit 160,000 miles. This is my 1st clutch. Let me know if you need any advise. They say that you learn from your mistakes. Well I must have learned alot because there were lots of mistakes.

[Fetch]

oh wow...hmmm, I hope mine gives me more notice!!

I still haven't decided if replacing the clutch is something I would attempt on my 'own' (with friends too probably).

How long did it take you?
How much did you pay for all parts if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks for the info, I haven't felt any slipping yet, but I'm expecting it.....lol

[Ferret]

Clutch wear is all dependant on driving conditions - if (like most beemers) it spent it's early life on motorways - you can get astronomical mileage out of a clutch.

If it's a town car in a small city I wouldnt be surprised to see it go bang at 70k like my lil Rover 214i did... promptly before gearbox failure *grrr*

laksdjfoaigj;aoinv;aorinfa <-- frustrated keyboard rage

It's usually the release bearings or damper springs that fail on really high mileage vehicles leading to a catastrophic plate failure.

[Fetch]

What symptoms would bad/breaking release bearings or damper springs yield?

Also, what exactly is a catastrophic plate failure? The plate cracking or something?

sorry and thanks!!

[Ferret]

What symptoms would bad/breaking release bearings or damper springs yield?

Also, what exactly is a catastrophic plate failure? The plate cracking or something?

sorry and thanks!!

Busted damper springs cause the clutch plate to make a 'crack' noise when you're engaging the clutch - also makes a crack if you stand on the gas when you've been in overrun mode.

'Catastrophic' hmm, that would be when one of your damper springs jumps ship and straight between the clutch disk and flywheel plate - or your release bearing disintegrates and does something similar. Release bearing is usully the less gentlemanly of the failures as they have a nasty habit of ripping off the clutch plate fingers. All usually resulting in a rather uncivilised loud bang. (Your bank cards will make a suicide bid at this point in time usually.)

Signs that your release bearing is on the way out are usually rumbling, grinding noises as you put your foot on the clutch pedal - that or it squeals like a stuck pig.

[bbig119]

I had to replace my clutch on the 540 a couple weeks ago. The car had a auto-manual swap done about 100k ago. I'm told that's a decent life for an M60 clutch.

One day I noticed a severe reduction in accelleration, and the rpms were shooting up-- slipping. It got worse and unfortunately I kept driving on it and killed the flywheel.

I got the car in May of 06 and only put a couple thousand miles on it since. During that time the clutch engaged higher that most other cars, and the actual engagement travel distance was rather long.

Another observation is that I can't recall ever breaking the wheels loose on a takeoff(I didn't really try to either), but since the clutch job its much more jumpy and quick to engage. I've broken then loose a couple times without thinking accidently. Its also possible that the cooler weather is reducing the traction of my summer tires making it easier for them to break, but I'm certain the new clutch has something to do with it.

Hope that helps. Bottom line, don't drive on it if you think its starting to slip. A new flywheel costs at minimum $700 which is almost as much as it it would cost for the clutch kit and install.

[Jon K]

I dunno mine lasted about 8 miles.

[Jon K]

Fetch - on most transmissions there is an "Inspection window" on the underside of the trans. Pull rubber grommet out and have a look.

[Fetch]

I dunno mine lasted about 8 miles.

lol

I remember seeing that little window on my 750, I haven't noticed one on the 530, but I'll defiantly be looking for and taking a picture of that next time I'm under there.