[RuinE90d]

My symptoms seem to be most noticeable when the car is, parked in neutral and clutch is released. The noise also seems temperature dependent, so maybe it is internal to the trans. On cold start it's quiet, when hot it's noisy. Sounds like a bearing to me.

I too put in some non-oem redline fluid and may go back to the BMW MTF-LT-2 this week to eliminate that variable.

I haven't experienced the clutch chatter mentioned by TDF9. I don't think that would be the input shaft guide tube chattering though. I'm not sure about the OEM pilot bearing either, unfortunately I didn't measure the Valeo one since it arrived installed.

[Bufalo]

After only 7k miles in the last 9 months since installing the Valeo SMF conversion clutch, I've had few ill effects. Takeup is smooth, there's no chatter, no extra vibration when driving. The whole thing is still noisy when idling in neutral, and I'm still attributing that to the RP Synchromax fluid until I drain that out and prove otherwise.

So what brings me back to this thread is this - the stock clutch system, designed with a "self-adjusting" release point in the pressure plate itself, does not offer any way to adjust the engagement in the hydraulic system. Many cars will have a threaded portion on the clutch pedal itself to adjust the plunger in the master cylinder. There ain't none o' that in a BMW with a self-adjusting clutch. The engagement on my Valeo clutch is waaaay up at the top of the pedal travel, and I'd love to balance it out some for easier launch and peace of mind that it''s not eternally slipping - I don't want to do another clutch job on this car any time soon.

Is there ANY sort of option for this short of customizing the pedal itself? Any of the rest of you have the same experience?

[DaanBMW]

Originally Posted by Bufalo

Is there ANY sort of option for this short of customizing the pedal itself? Any of the rest of you have the same experience?

Put mine in Feb 2018.

After much research and some personal experience, used a combo of Pennzoil Synchromesh & RedLine MT90. No noise, and even on v hot days - when it gets louder - it's not annoying. I'd recomm you try it out.

The bite was waaay high in the beginning too, and I even thought my mechanic did something wrong. I did install a clutch stop which helped. But after a while I either got used to it or it's gotten a bit lower, as I don't notice the issue at all anymore.

[Bufalo]

I've had good luck with Redline MTL and MT90 in the past, I will probably go back that direction, thanks for the insight.

[zeegravity]

Any of you have replaced the original clutch delay valve with Clutch Delay Valve Delete Kit?

[Biginboca]

Originally Posted by zeegravity

Any of you have replaced the original clutch delay valve with Clutch Delay Valve Delete Kit?

You don’t need a kit. You can just take the valve out and the remaining parts on the car just plug together without it. I’ve been running like this for almost 3 years without issues

[Soravia]

For cold weather shifting, use ACDelco 10-4055. Sold at GM dealerships. Almost like ATF, but comes with synchro additives. Great performance up in Colorado winter. Very little wear on gear according to magnetic drain plug after 15k miles

[850CSi]

I'm pretty sure my DMF is shot. Car feels lumpy with a lot of vibration and no misfires or other codes, and when I replaced the oil pan gasket it looked like there was grease coming from the DMF.

Anyone have any updated reviews of the valeo kit?

Debating between that and OEM, or perhaps the OEM DMF with a non-self adjusting clutch.

[DaanBMW]

Originally Posted by 850CSi

Anyone have any updated reviews of the valeo kit?

Debating between that and OEM, or perhaps the OEM DMF with a non-self adjusting clutch.

I think there are plenty of reviews for the Valeo on this forum.

I had mine since June 2017.
- Had to have Valeo ship it 3 times, as it kept getting dinged on the way (the packaging is piss-poor, I guarantee no engineers approved that joke of a cradling between such heavy components)
- Initially it took quite some getting used to, in terms of bite and overall response. Once i have gotten used to it like it better than the DM OEM (esp. no more yoyo-ing that occured at times). It's way faster and more "direct".

So overall I'd recommend it over the OEM. If I'd do it again I def would take the SM over the DM. Oh, and the price is an additional incentive, but that is true only if the product is good, which it is.

[neilvan]

I also have the Valeo SMF conversion in my 530 wagon; well worth it. Packaging does suck like ^^ mentioned.

Put it in last fall and I havent really even broken it in yet but the usage is so much better(Even so far). Positive and precise engagement point compared to stock.

I did raise the idle 50/100 rpms just to reduce the noise at idle(only when its warm out). Also for now the clutch pedal is a bit softer and I hope that stiffens up a bit over time

[850CSi]

Thanks guys. Decisions, decisions... Can't decide if I want to chance it or just go with the safe pick haha.

[Bufalo]

Two years on my Valeo conversion; I have experienced zero drawbacks. For the self-maintainer, it's a no-brainer.

[850CSi]

Thanks for the input all.

So, I think I'm going to go with the OE-style setup, reason being I want the smoothest/quietest possible operation. I'm unlikely to put too many more miles on this car in the coming years, and I don't do as much stop and go city driving as I used to. So I figure I'm not going to have to deal with the DMF for another decade+.

I do want to go to a 330i clutch disk, however -- especially given that I'm going to a 3IM+tune soon.

If I have this right, I was able to find the Luk 330i clutch set and DMF on Rockauto for the same price as the Valeo setup.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...694280&jsn=275
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...=1431850&jsn=3

[Sendmewagons]

Bufalo Are you still finding the clutch engagement point to be really high?

Anyone else experience this too? neilvan

[neilvan]

Originally Posted by Sendmewagons

Bufalo Are you still finding the clutch engagement point to be really high?

Anyone else experience this too? neilvan

Not here. Compared to my 3 other manual BMWs with dual masses still in it, its the lowest(closest to the floor) engagement point of them all. Being a non-self adjusting clutch it makes sense and all the other cars will be converted to SMF when they need it

[Bufalo]

If it is - I don't notice any longer, it's just "how the car is" at this point. I've never felt a slip or anything abnormal like I was concerned about in the first several months. Drives great!

[Sendmewagons]

Thanks for the responses guys. I'm gathering parts for manual swap on my wagon.

Amazon was creeping on me with the valeo kit.... First it was 570, then 547 the next day and I almost bought it. The following morning there was a $37 coupon so I caved. That price disappeared immediately after I checked out.... Weird but I'll take it haha.

[toryjlarsen]

Originally Posted by 850CSi

Thanks for the input all.

So, I think I'm going to go with the OE-style setup, reason being I want the smoothest/quietest possible operation. I'm unlikely to put too many more miles on this car in the coming years, and I don't do as much stop and go city driving as I used to. So I figure I'm not going to have to deal with the DMF for another decade+.

I do want to go to a 330i clutch disk, however -- especially given that I'm going to a 3IM+tune soon.

If I have this right, I was able to find the Luk 330i clutch set and DMF on Rockauto for the same price as the Valeo setup.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...694280&jsn=275
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...=1431850&jsn=3

Just installed both this LUK DMF and Repset clutch kit on mine, it was a long process only because I procrastinated. Last night I got everything back on minus the heat shields and so far looks like its working, was able to engage the clutch put it into 1st gear, then tried reverse. Later this evening ill be putting the heat shields back on and doing a road test.

[Sendmewagons]

Bufalo neilvan RuinE90d

I'm having a little trouble figuring out the correct TO bearing and clutch fork combo.

I pulled a transmission from a junkyard and the car had a fairly new Valeo SMF kit installed so I grabbed it as well. It had the metal valeo TO bearing with flat lands, and a clutch fork with raised points in the center to interface to the TO bearing.

I ordered the genuine release assembly (TO bearing and fork) for my swap. The TO bearing has rounded lands, and the clutch fork interface for the TO bearing is flat. The bearing face also moves spherically to change the direction it "points".

When you guys installed the SMF Valeo kit which TO bearing and clutch fork did you use? (see attached for examples) . I see ReuinE90d mentioned ordering the same release kit I did for the fork.

I think either combo I have pictured would work, but not if they were swapped. The valeo TO bearing with flat lands on the flat clutch fork (OEM) would not be able to pivot at all for misalignments.

Looking back through some of the earlier pictures in this thread it looks like the clutch fork in RuinE90d's car is like the black one I have in the Valeo picture. Maybe BMW switched from this originally to the one that has a flat interface? The current part does supersede some other, but I can't find any pictures of the older part.

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/par...&q=21517564027

I'll try to measure the stackups when I get a chance. I feel like I need to measure from where the clutch pivot and slave interface to the TO bearing surface.

[Sendmewagons]

Answering my own question. BMW seems to have switch styles of release bearings and clutch forks which seems to be part of the reason they sell them as an assembly. This could also be why the valeo SMF kit includes 2 different styles of TO bearing. One with flat lands and the other with the rounded ones.

See attached printout from ISTA. Mentions/shows previous design in a number of places.

I think I'm going to use the OEM release assembly I purchased with the valeo SMF kit.

[bshambam]

old thread bump. when you do this swap, will there still be that laggy gap between 1st and 2nd?

[Sendmewagons]

Does anyone with the SMFW kit also have their cutch delay valve removed? I just installed the kit during my transmission swap and I did not install a CDV. I find the catch point to be miniscule and difficult to modulate the clutch.

I've driven a number of manuals and not had issues with those. I also have an E30 with a single mass flywheel and it does not have a clutch delay valve. It should be very similar... but its much easier to modulate than this setup in the E90.

Originally Posted by bshambam

old thread bump. when you do this swap, will there still be that laggy gap between 1st and 2nd?

This might be your clutch delay valve.