[jwzimm]

Hey all,

Well I guess it is my luck. My clutch appears to be on its way out. I was on the freeway tonight and went to pass in 6th gear. When I hit boost the rpm's went wild and the car went nowhere. The smell when I made it home confirmed the clutch is slipping bad.

I just recently got a tune. I have been running my first iteration of a pro tune from PTF and the car was pulling like a damn train. I am not even FBO (no DP). I just pulled the tune and will see if it slips at stock levels. :-(

I am thinking I may get a 335is clutch kit. I might need a new flywheel too. Poop!!

[mike5809]

Gesh - that is bad luck! Sorry to hear! I've been FBO about 4k and haven't had any issues except pesky o2 sensor codes.

Hopefully a new clutch will clear everything up and will run strong and issue free for a while.

[AWSAWS]

Doesn't sound great. Maybe investigate a software firmware option? Gearbox flash. Perhaps clamping force can be increased or you have poor software installed already. If not a bad clutch.

[e36addict]

If you smoked it to the point that it smelled bad, most likely you'll need a flywheel. I replaced the clutch on a buddies 135 recently that had only around ~35k on it.. Car is FBO, but still..

[jwzimm]

Originally Posted by AWSAWS

Doesn't sound great. Maybe investigate a software firmware option? Gearbox flash. Perhaps clamping force can be increased or you have poor software installed already. If not a bad clutch.

Yeah, no dice here. This is a true manual transmission and there is no controller for it. It is a mechanical failure pure and simple.


I switched back to the stock tune and it appears to be holding up now. It looks like the stock clutch just simply cannot handle the additional torque that the pro-tune was throwing at it. I am starting to understand now why BMW has the torque increase of the BMW PPK lower for a manual than for an auto. They probably know that the clutch cannot handle it.

I am researching prices to swap out to a 335is clutch (and new flywheel) now.

[jseide36]

i wouldnt do passes in 6th gear ever

[LGCubana]

do you normally redline?

Or

Did you start, during your eTune ?

Originally Posted by jwzimm

Hey all,

Well I guess it is my luck. My clutch appears to be on its way out. I was on the freeway tonight and went to pass in 6th gear. When I hit boost the rpm's went wild and the car went nowhere. The smell when I made it home confirmed the clutch is slipping bad.

I just recently got a tune. I have been running my first iteration of a pro tune from PTF and the car was pulling like a damn train. I am not even FBO (no DP). I just pulled the tune and will see if it slips at stock levels. :-(

I am thinking I may get a 335is clutch kit. I might need a new flywheel too. Poop!!

[jwzimm]

Originally Posted by jseide36

i wouldnt do passes in 6th gear ever

I don't normally but with the new tune I was trying it out.

Originally Posted by LGCubana

do you normally redline?

Or

Did you start, during your eTune ?

I normally only get into the higher rpm's when I really push and very rarely above 5500 rpm. That should not have any effect on the holding power of the clutch though.

[hetzle]

Are clutches covered under warranty?

[jwzimm]

Originally Posted by hetzle

Are clutches covered under warranty?

Seriously doubt it. It is a wear item like brakes.

[turbo_chris]

Clutches are covered under 4yr/50k miles.

[jwzimm]

Originally Posted by turbo_chris

Clutches are covered under 4yr/50k miles.

Well of course I am at 51k miles now. I have the platinum extended warranty though.

The issue is that it only seems to slip when I have the tune on. I flashed back to stock and I can't get it to slip anymore. Basically if I want to run a tune I will have to go out of pocket for an upgraded 335is clutch.

[jayzF30]

335is clutch is cheap just grab that and be done with it.

[turbo_chris]

Originally Posted by jwzimm

Well of course I am at 51k miles now. I have the platinum extended warranty though.

The issue is that it only seems to slip when I have the tune on. I flashed back to stock and I can't get it to slip anymore. Basically if I want to run a tune I will have to go out of pocket for an upgraded 335is clutch.

I had the same issue when I upgraded my turbo. On map 6 it slipped. On map 2 it was fine. I was at 40k miles. Upgraded to the 335is clutch kit and it's been holding strong for 5k miles now.

[jwzimm]

Originally Posted by jazze90

335is clutch is cheap just grab that and be done with it.

Lol! While the clutch itself is cheap, putting it in the car is notsomuch. I am concerned the flywheel will be toast which is around $900. Then there is the installation cost which I have not a quote back on but I am expecting to be near $1000.

[jayzF30]

Clutch job 1k? Are you nuts?? Its a 4 hour job for someone that's never done it before.

[jwzimm]

Originally Posted by jazze90

Clutch job 1k? Are you nuts?? Its a 4 hour job for someone that's never done it before.

Okay, so I may be overestimating it a bit. If you consider all the parts you need to replace (gaskets, aluminum bolts, clutch, flywheel?, etc...) it will be a pretty spendy job though. I am anticipating at least $1500 when it is done. I am also leaning towards having the dealer do it since they have the tools and knowledge that smaller shops might lack.

No way am I tackling that myself on my garage floor. The tranny with the x-drive T-case is heavy so I am told!

[jwzimm]

Welp! I just heard from the dealer. They want $2400 for the whole job and they said they would not put a 335is clutch in as they couldn't warranty it. They also said the clutch is not covered under warranty.

That kinda makes me decision for me on having it done at the dealer. I have a request into a local indy on what they would charge for it. We will see.

[M.a.r.k.u.s]

Pretty sure Ian has done quite a few of those, especially as a former BMW mechanic. I'm sure that's who you're waiting to hear back from though

[jwzimm]

Originally Posted by M.a.r.k.u.s

Pretty sure Ian has done quite a few of those, especially as a former BMW mechanic. I'm sure that's who you're waiting to hear back from though

Yup. He is working up a quote for me now. Hopefully a little more reasonable than BMW Seattle.

Another option I am thinking about is asking Dzenno to tune back my pro-tune so I can stay below the torque limits of the stock clutch. Since I have been running on the stock map I haven't slipped once which makes me think my clutch is in ok shape.

We shall see.

[hetzle]

Originally Posted by jwzimm

Seriously doubt it. It is a wear item like brakes.

Originally Posted by turbo_chris

Clutches are covered under 4yr/50k miles.

Just heard back from my SA, they will cover the clutch one time if it fails while under warranty. This includes the standard 4yr/50k as well as the 6yr/100k extended.

[jwzimm]

Originally Posted by hetzle

Just heard back from my SA, they will cover the clutch one time if it fails while under warranty. This includes the standard 4yr/50k as well as the 6yr/100k extended.

Well I think I am a little more outside this. I have been running the COBB Stage 1 tune and I cannot get it to slip. I think my issue is that the torque being produced by the PTF tune is just overwhelming the stock clutch. I think the clutch itself is in fine shape still, I am just asking too much of it.

That means I can either upgrade the clutch to handle the new power or ask PTF to tone it down a bit and be careful.