|
|
|
|
|
|
BMW Garage | BMW Meets | Register | Today's Posts | Search |
|
BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum
>
Clutch Replacement for the N52
|
|
12-02-2020, 12:29 AM | #24 |
16 years and counting...
101
Rep 471
Posts |
Tried cleaning the bolts with a wire attachment, soaking with PB blaster, heating with a torch, and then hitting them with an impact wrench. They just crumbled and rounded off.
So I managed to cut off 3 of the studs. But the whole thing still isn't budging, as it seems that the two flanges and gasket are all fused together by rust. Lowering my jack and putting the weight of the exhaust on that connection did nothing. Going to get a better sawzall blade tomorrow and hack off the fourth nut/stud. Then I'll use a chisel or perhaps even cut into the rear flange to try to get some leverage and pry them apart. Between the cats and o2 sensors I'm reluctant to use too much heat or brute force in that area...
__________________
E90 325i 6MT + E61 530xiT 6AT = N52B30*2
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-05-2020, 09:39 PM | #25 |
16 years and counting...
101
Rep 471
Posts |
So, any lingering doubt I had about whether my flywheel was the source of the trouble has quickly vanished. Gunk everywhere!
Just a couple of notes along the way... RUST SUCKS. By far the worst parts of this job so far have been getting the exhaust and driveshaft out. I think rust accounts for 75% of the time I've spent so far. As I posted earlier, my exhaust manifold/primary cats-to-midpipe flanges were seemingly fused together and did not want to separate. The same thing happened with the driveshaft's universal joint connection to the differential flange: rusted together. It took two nights of soaking the area with PB blaster, and several hours' worth of heating the interface with a torch and banging away at it with chisels to get it to separate. The car's spent 9+ years of its life in the rust belt so maybe I shouldn't be so surprised. If you're in a similar boat it might be wise to get an exhaust shop to take care of the flanges beforehand (I'm going to try to get the studs out but failing that am going to just drive it to an exhaust shop once I'm done). And an induction heater (or something else more powerful than propane) might be a worthwhile investment. I did ultimately manage to undo the driveshaft bolts/nuts without lifting the car off of my ramps to free up the wheels. But it was tight. Doing this job at the same time as my PCV refresh/3IM swap was a good decision. Having the manifold out makes it way easier to get to the 12:00 and 1:00 bell housing bolts. We'll see if I manage to put this all back together correctly. After 14ish years of daily driver duty, my car's been mostly parked for the past year. I'm really looking forward to getting it back in action. I assume it is normal for there to be some play in the diff? I could rotate my driveshaft slightly with the tires stationary... not much, maybe about 10-20 degrees.
__________________
E90 325i 6MT + E61 530xiT 6AT = N52B30*2
Last edited by 850CSi; 12-05-2020 at 09:49 PM.. |
Appreciate
1
wdb4718.00 |
12-06-2020, 09:07 AM | #26 |
dances with roads
4718
Rep 4,096
Posts |
Wow. What is all that gunk in the bell housing?!? Yes some play in the diff is normal. If your car has miles it might have a bit more play than a new car, but I would not worry about it unless there are other symptoms of a problem with the diff.
Are you going with a short shift kit? I'd at least replace the soft bits in the shift assembly. Nice transmission jack! |
Appreciate
1
850CSi100.50 |
12-06-2020, 11:51 PM | #27 |
16 years and counting...
101
Rep 471
Posts |
Thanks, that's what I figured. Gunk is doubtless from the failed DMF (probably along with some oil from my pan gasket, which had been leaking). I'll try to get some pictures once I get it out of the car. I am hoping that I don't find a leaking rear main seal when I do.
Short shifter is absolutely part of the project. I'm swapping in the BMW Performance short shifter and new bushings. Trying to figure out whether a DSSR and/or delrin bushings are a worthy upgrade as well or just a waste of money. The jack situation actually pissed me off a bit because I didn't want to pay $250+ for something I'm hoping to use only once, and with a 2000lb capacity it's total overkill. But that was the only one I could find that would meet my height requirements. Everything else was too tall or too short. Hopefully I'll be able to sell it. Still a long way to go. My transmission is clearly leaking, and I'm trying to figure out whether it's coming from the shifter rod or the output shaft seals (or both). But I shouldn't have any rust to worry about anymore, so hopefully steady progress in the coming days.
__________________
E90 325i 6MT + E61 530xiT 6AT = N52B30*2
Last edited by 850CSi; 12-06-2020 at 11:58 PM.. |
Appreciate
1
wdb4718.00 |
12-07-2020, 12:22 PM | #28 |
dances with roads
4718
Rep 4,096
Posts |
Too bad you're not closer -- you could have used my transmission jack, which I'll probably only ever use once! (I have a lift now and will need a different jack.)
I'll be interested to hear more about the flywheel. I replaced mine because it has a bit more play than the spec says it should, plus I was in there so why not. |
Appreciate
0
|
12-07-2020, 07:55 PM | #29 |
16 years and counting...
101
Rep 471
Posts |
Not much to say!
__________________
E90 325i 6MT + E61 530xiT 6AT = N52B30*2
|
Appreciate
1
3PedalJake2613.50 |
12-07-2020, 07:57 PM | #30 |
16 years and counting...
101
Rep 471
Posts |
Anyone able to offer some insight as to whether I'm looking at a RMS that needs replacement here? It's just hard to tell with the various other sources of gunk and oil. (I recently did both the VCG and oil pan gasket, they were both leaking, and I'm honestly not entirely sure that I got the gaskets to seal perfectly)
__________________
E90 325i 6MT + E61 530xiT 6AT = N52B30*2
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-07-2020, 08:12 PM | #31 | |
General
17276
Rep 18,720
Posts |
Quote:
__________________
A manual transmission can be set to "comfort", "sport", and "track" modes simply by the technique and speed at which you shift it; it doesn't need "modes", modes are for manumatics that try to behave like a real 3-pedal manual transmission. If you can money-shift it, it's a manual transmission. "Yeah, but NO ONE puts an automatic trans shift knob on a manual transmission."
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-07-2020, 08:13 PM | #32 |
General
17276
Rep 18,720
Posts |
__________________
A manual transmission can be set to "comfort", "sport", and "track" modes simply by the technique and speed at which you shift it; it doesn't need "modes", modes are for manumatics that try to behave like a real 3-pedal manual transmission. If you can money-shift it, it's a manual transmission. "Yeah, but NO ONE puts an automatic trans shift knob on a manual transmission."
|
Appreciate
1
wdb4718.00 |
12-08-2020, 05:27 AM | #33 |
dances with roads
4718
Rep 4,096
Posts |
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-09-2020, 10:43 PM | #34 | |
16 years and counting...
101
Rep 471
Posts |
Quote:
Thanks! After cleaning the area, here's what I've got. The complicating factor is that my car is sitting in a cold garage -- I'm really not sure I'd see much of anything even if it was leaking? (Struggling with the same issue with the transmission right now as well, which I'm pretty sure is leaking from the shifter rod or output shaft seals). There is a bit of crud on that upper part but I don't know the source. I am inclined to just leave it alone on the theory that even if it's leaking I could wind up making it worse.
__________________
E90 325i 6MT + E61 530xiT 6AT = N52B30*2
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-12-2020, 10:55 PM | #35 |
16 years and counting...
101
Rep 471
Posts |
Guys, is the friction disc supposed to be loose-ish under the pressure plate until I release the SAC 'star'? I'm guessing that's the point at which the pressure plate springs fully compress onto the friction disc? I ask because I can still move the friction disc with the alignment tool and am trying to figure out how to get it perfectly centered.
__________________
E90 325i 6MT + E61 530xiT 6AT = N52B30*2
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-13-2020, 08:11 AM | #36 | |
General
17276
Rep 18,720
Posts |
Quote:
__________________
A manual transmission can be set to "comfort", "sport", and "track" modes simply by the technique and speed at which you shift it; it doesn't need "modes", modes are for manumatics that try to behave like a real 3-pedal manual transmission. If you can money-shift it, it's a manual transmission. "Yeah, but NO ONE puts an automatic trans shift knob on a manual transmission."
|
|
Appreciate
1
wdb4718.00 |
12-14-2020, 11:07 PM | #37 |
16 years and counting...
101
Rep 471
Posts |
Thanks! Got the transmission back on. I wound up having a lot of trouble but funny enough I took one of the guide pins out and it slid right on.
A dumb question as I’m now wondering if I missed something. Is there any particular arrangement for the clutch fork retaining spring? Do the ends need to be clipped/tied/hooked together, or is this fine? Last edited by 850CSi; 12-14-2020 at 11:17 PM.. |
Appreciate
0
|
12-15-2020, 05:20 AM | #38 | |
General
17276
Rep 18,720
Posts |
Quote:
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-24-2020, 08:36 PM | #39 |
16 years and counting...
101
Rep 471
Posts |
So… after a few minor hiccups I’m done! Put the manifold on and fired her up. Made an unholy racket.
Drove straight to an exhaust shop this morning... that was an interesting experience, in snowy 15 degree weather with my windows down. Special thanks to @Efthreeoh for the well-written DIY and his patient help in this thread. To recap, total scope of work this time around included: complete CCV refresh 3-stage manifold conversion flywheel & clutch + associated parts (I went with the Luk OE-style DMF set with the larger diameter 330i clutch over a SMF conversion, happy to explain my rationale) flex disc (I saw some hairlines and decided to just change it) shifter refresh (carrier bushings, rod joint, etc) and OE SSK conversion shifter rod seal transmission & diff fluid transmission mounts (I decided to leave the rear main seal and transmission output & input shaft seals alone because I could not definitively identify any leaking) As I’ve mentioned before, rust accounted for by far the worst aspects of this job. It took an inordinate amount of time to remove the exhaust (up front at the flange between the primary and secondary cats) and driveshaft (at the diff flange) for that reason. Almost everything else was fairly smooth sailing, with the exception of getting the transmission back in. For some reason, on the first several tries I simply could not get the bell housing to completely mate with the engine block. I would get stuck about 8-10mm away — close enough that I figured it probably wasn’t an issue with getting the input shaft splines into the clutch disc. Eventually it just slid right in. I’m not sure why, but I did remove the guide bolt I had put in at the 10 o’clock position. It is not supposed to be very difficult, so don’t force it! The bell housing bolts, especially the 12 o’clock and 1 o’clock bolts, are definitely not fun as the firewall likes to get in the way. As has been noted it absolutely helps to use a jack or support brace to push the front of the engine up & tilt the backside of the engine block down (and I’m really not sure you can get the transmission back in without it). Universal joints, wobbles, and loooong extensions are worth their weight in gold. I think I h had trouble getting the bolts fully torqued down (see below) but I hope it won’t be an issue. Doing this with the manifold off is definitely easier, but it’s a judgment call as to whether it’s worth it if you’re not doing any other work in that area. I do have a few notes to add:
Please note that the RWD 325i and 328i (Getrag) have a different transmission than AWD variants and the RWD 330i (ZF). I’m not sure if it makes any difference, but just something to be aware of. I still have some vibration under load, but it's unsurprisingly much better than before. Breaking in a clutch in weather this cold may not be optimal...
__________________
E90 325i 6MT + E61 530xiT 6AT = N52B30*2
Last edited by 850CSi; 12-24-2020 at 09:05 PM.. |
07-15-2021, 11:40 AM | #41 |
Registered
0
Rep 1
Posts |
New to the N52 engine and looking for advice on locating a N52 for swap. Can a manual transmission be bolted to an N52 that came from the factory with an automatic/steptronic transmission?
I know the ECU and engine harness aren't compatible (and only looking at RWD cars) but is the bell housing universal on the appropriate 6 speed manual? I'd be dropping the N52 with 6 speed into a Triumph TR6. Cheers |
Appreciate
0
|
07-15-2021, 09:09 PM | #42 | |
dances with roads
4718
Rep 4,096
Posts |
Quote:
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
07-18-2021, 08:10 AM | #43 | |
General
17276
Rep 18,720
Posts |
Quote:
__________________
A manual transmission can be set to "comfort", "sport", and "track" modes simply by the technique and speed at which you shift it; it doesn't need "modes", modes are for manumatics that try to behave like a real 3-pedal manual transmission. If you can money-shift it, it's a manual transmission. "Yeah, but NO ONE puts an automatic trans shift knob on a manual transmission."
|
|
Appreciate
1
wdb4718.00 |
07-18-2021, 08:12 AM | #44 |
General
17276
Rep 18,720
Posts |
I'd love to drop an N52 into my Wife's Z3, but I've yet to convince her the swap would be to her benefit...
__________________
A manual transmission can be set to "comfort", "sport", and "track" modes simply by the technique and speed at which you shift it; it doesn't need "modes", modes are for manumatics that try to behave like a real 3-pedal manual transmission. If you can money-shift it, it's a manual transmission. "Yeah, but NO ONE puts an automatic trans shift knob on a manual transmission."
|
Appreciate
0
|
Bookmarks |
|
|