Hey, just removed the CDV from my 335i today. Very straightforward and much simpler than the CDV removal from my E46 M3. Steps are as follows:

1. Jack the front end up and put it on JACK STANDS. Do not get under a car that is supported by a jack only.

2. Remove the...

I just might jump on this bandwagon. The only things I don't like about my car are the long shift handle and the clutch delay. I just installed the OEM short shift handle - much better. If I could get the clutch to act right my car would actually be the Ultimate Driving Machine!

Anyone in the D.C. area want to hook up and do this? I don't trust my GF in the car when I'm under it.

I have a modified CDV on order from Zeckhausen. If we can get a little braintrust together in the DC area, I'd be up for it.

Quick question guys on this. If I pinch the hose and dont allow any fluid to come out, do I still have to bleed the system?

I have never bleed brakes before or a clutch for that matter.

I went looking at the local auto parts stores today for a brake bleeder pump, and could not find one, only thing they had was one man brake bleeder. Not sure how it works.

assuming that you can pinch the hose i guess it would help but you would still need to bleed the line because no matter how hard you try it only takes one air bubble bro ....

Ok doki. So I guess im going to have to learn how to bleed the clutch.

Does anyone know how to use the one man brake bleeder. Its not like the pump systems I have seen?

I really dont have anyone to assist me, dont trust my girlfriend either like someone mentioned.

you mean you dont trust your girlfriend to push the clutch while your completly under the car ?? LOL ..... hmm..... well .... you could put something REAL heavy on the clutch then crawl under and then open it up and close the fitting (real fast ) then crawl back up .... lift brick ... and repeat.... but thats kind of ghetto .... prehaps a vacume solution ... or one of the lil one man break kits from checkers ??

Thats the question I had, how does the one man brake bleeder work, and will it even work for this clutch bleeding.

I cant find any vacuum solutions local where i live.

I just picked up the one man brake bleeder @ Auto Barn...it is a cup with clear tubing that attaches to the bleed valve. You still need someone to pump the clutch pedal but it is less messy and you can see when the bubbles stop coming out because of the clear tube.

One almost stupid question I have, does the engine have to be running to properly bleed the clutch line? I figured it doesn't but then again, I'm no automotive genius.

steve92, so its not really a one man bleeder?

or could you just leave it sitting on the ground and pump the clutch yourself?

this is really making me hesitate about doing the whole cdv removal.

I haven't even picked up the car yet (will this Fri) but I'm 95% certain I will do the CDV mod, unless I don't find it an issue. Even ordered the part from Zeckhausen. I plan on asking my wife to depress the clutch while I'm under the car (I'll block the wheels!) and if she's not around, even a neighborhood kid would do.

If you pump it yourself, that means that you have to open up the valve, get out from under the car, pump the clutch, go back under the car to check the bubbles, get out from under the car again to pump some more.....etc. If you really can't find someone to help out, come on over and we'll help each other.

I wish I could come over, but im just a tad bit too far from you (miami, fl).
Im sure I can find someone, I just dont trust my girl. Its my understanding you shouldnt have the bleed valve open with the pedal fully pressed down.

Fully pressed down...haven't heard that, but I did read that if pressed down and it doesn't return to it's natural position, it needs to be pulled back up.

The creator of the thread (evan) is the one who wrote it.

"Be sure to close the bleed valve before he reaches the floor of the clutch travel, and CLOSE THE BLEED VALVE before he pulls the clutch pedal back up. Note that they probably will have to pull it back up by hand"

I'll have to re-read that....that's probably so that you don't pull air back into the line.

Hmm, makes sense ste92ve. Im still a little iffy about doing it. Im going to do a bit more research and see if any other local e92 manual drivers would be interested. I need that cdv out, i cant even burn up the tires barely between 1 and 2 with DSC turned off.

I'd forget the vacum bleeders - they seem to never work right for me - they always leak and you can never be sure that all the air is out. Get the pressure bleeder from www.bavauto.com. You can use it to bleed your brakes also. It truely makes the whole process a one person job. I use power bleeders for all vehicles that we do brakes on. The price from bavauto I believe is no more than 50 dollars. It was so much cheaper than commercial systems that I bought the commercial adaptors and use it on american vehicles too.

Khafner, how does it work, you basically attach it to the reservoir right? and then pressure the system, and then open the bleed until there are no bubbles in the fluid.

Im guessing the pressure bleeder is the same one described in this link

http://www.bmw325i.net/cdv_removal.shtml

if so it doesnt look that hard. might buy it.

Quick question guys, im ordering the pressure bleeder to bleed the clutch.

Just in case I need to top off the fluid after bleeding, which one do I use.

I cant link from the bavarianauto site, but they have Pyroil Brake Fluid DOT 4 rating. Is that what I need for top off, can I assume thats what is in the car. Let me know.

Pressure bleeder is the way to go. I tried a vacuum bleeder, but could only pull 5 psi of vacuum. DOT 4.

well im going to order the pressure bleeder.

here is a pic of the brake fluid, is this the right stuff, i want to make sure its safe to mix with the brake fluid in the car now!!

Just completed installing the "improved" CDV I ordered from Zeckhouse. The biggest challenge I had was jacking the car up. Since there are only two jack points, I had no idea where to put stands, so I lowered the car on ramps. Left very little room for me underneath the car to work. But using a vacuum based one man bleeding system, the whole install was quick and easy.

My feelings on the difference. I should have done this right away, shifting is much smoother.

As far as brake fluid, I paid the premium price for the BMW logo on my bottle of Dot 4.