E36 M3 clutch fault
Discussion
PLEASE HELP
this poxy car is driving crazy its a E36 M3 EVO 3.2
basicly it had a clutch fitted at the famous mr clutch, shortly after the clutch started to drag badly and is bittig on the floor, mr clutch are not interested in looking at it.
so i have replaced the clutch master cylinder and slave cylinder and pressure bleed the clutch system still the same, the i replaced the clutch kit (frition plate, pressure plate and release bearing) and also replace the clutch release arm but its still excalty the same, i have had the dual mass flywheel cheaked and it all looked ok, and it had a clutch pipe fitted last year.
if anyone has any ideas that will stop me burning the poxy car
this poxy car is driving crazy its a E36 M3 EVO 3.2
basicly it had a clutch fitted at the famous mr clutch, shortly after the clutch started to drag badly and is bittig on the floor, mr clutch are not interested in looking at it.
so i have replaced the clutch master cylinder and slave cylinder and pressure bleed the clutch system still the same, the i replaced the clutch kit (frition plate, pressure plate and release bearing) and also replace the clutch release arm but its still excalty the same, i have had the dual mass flywheel cheaked and it all looked ok, and it had a clutch pipe fitted last year.
if anyone has any ideas that will stop me burning the poxy car
Clutch biting on the floor is a feature of the e36 m3 evo. You need to replace the hose with the braided item availble aftermarket which should bring your bite point up an inch or so. Do a search in this section and you'll find the info. Think you've spent a lot of money for nothing mate I'm afraid.
yer that was my worry as well i have spoke to a bmw master tech who cant ever remember replacing one but that dont mean mine has not gone, i will have to try the braided clutch pipe first as its the easyer option, taking the box out on the floor is a not the nicest of jobs, but if the pipe dont fix it, it will be coming again
withers666 said:
i have heard about the braided hoses, i think i will have to try one of those it did have a brand new flexi hose fitted last year but it was just a bmw one and not braided so its got to be worth a try
It will transform the car. They are just a little hard to come by now. They cost about £50 and is about an hours job to fix. 
ive got the same problem but i bought the braided line and gave it to my mechanic to fit, he phoned me later saying that the pipe would fit but theres a sensor of some sort on the original that the braided line wont accept, ive read on a few other forums that this is a clutch delay valve and your better off dumping it.... is this true, i want my clutch fixed but i dont want a whole load more problems .......
puncturewound said:
ive got the same problem but i bought the braided line and gave it to my mechanic to fit, he phoned me later saying that the pipe would fit but theres a sensor of some sort on the original that the braided line wont accept, ive read on a few other forums that this is a clutch delay valve and your better off dumping it.... is this true, i want my clutch fixed but i dont want a whole load more problems .......
It's not a clutch delay valve (that would be inline with the pipe and is basically just a restrictor) but an electrical clutch switch which is teed off from the pipe.Some people have ditched it but you can plumb the switch in, all you need is a brake pipe tee piece and I think a pipe converter on one end to go from the tee to the existing pipe (possibly male to male). I don't know the exact parts needed as it came already done on my car, simple enough to do though.
I did this yesterday.
£41 from Bexley Motor Works. I went and picked it up as they are local to me.
old one with socket where the switch screwed in.
new one - bit of braided hose with some ATE adaptors and switch already screwed in.
Made an instant difference.
According to Bexleys, the switch is a pressure switch to tell the ecu if the clutch is on or not. Why does the ecu need to know that?
Top tip - when bleedng the clutch, keep the resevoir topped up constantly as the pipe that takes off fluid to the clutch master cyl is right near the top and will suck air in if you are not looking
£41 from Bexley Motor Works. I went and picked it up as they are local to me.
old one with socket where the switch screwed in.
new one - bit of braided hose with some ATE adaptors and switch already screwed in.
Made an instant difference.
According to Bexleys, the switch is a pressure switch to tell the ecu if the clutch is on or not. Why does the ecu need to know that?
Top tip - when bleedng the clutch, keep the resevoir topped up constantly as the pipe that takes off fluid to the clutch master cyl is right near the top and will suck air in if you are not looking
Edited by unzippy on Sunday 5th October 10:47
so ive returned the first clutch pipe i got (still awaiting refund) and i got onto bexley motorsport for the pipe that excepts the pressure switch, should have it fitted this week cant wait! from what ive read you can just delete this switch but considering im not taking the car on track i prefer to use all the bits it was originally designed with !
kensprin said:
I've done this mod its much better drive, My hose didnt come with a adaptor for the switch. Dose anyone know what its for or why the ECU needs to know if the clutch is in or not? I've just bypassed it. all seems to work so far.
ken
From Ian;ken
Regarding the clutch pressure switch. It works in conjunction with the gear recognition switch on the side of the gearbox. It tells the ECU when you’re in gear. Not which gear, just that you’re in a gear, and not in neutral. The ECU uses signals from these two switches to change between fuel/ignition maps. If it thinks you’re sitting at a junction in gear, and the clutch pressed down, it assumes you are about to pull away, and selects a good map for this. If it sees you out of gear, and the clutch released, it assumes you’re not going to suddenly take off, so selects a map that gives a smother idle, and possibly better emissions etc
Jack it up and place on axle stands. Remove under tray. Cut a few fingers off a rubber/latex glove and get some small cable ties. Remove hose and stick on cut off fingers and secure with cable tie to stop the fluid pissing out. Put new hose in place and tighten up. Bleed clutch. put under tray back on.
unzippy said:
From Ian;
Regarding the clutch pressure switch. It works in conjunction with the gear recognition switch on the side of the gearbox. It tells the ECU when you’re in gear. Not which gear, just that you’re in a gear, and not in neutral. The ECU uses signals from these two switches to change between fuel/ignition maps. If it thinks you’re sitting at a junction in gear, and the clutch pressed down, it assumes you are about to pull away, and selects a good map for this. If it sees you out of gear, and the clutch released, it assumes you’re not going to suddenly take off, so selects a map that gives a smother idle, and possibly better emissions etc
That is fascinating! Another reminder that BMW really is a company fully of propellor heads Regarding the clutch pressure switch. It works in conjunction with the gear recognition switch on the side of the gearbox. It tells the ECU when you’re in gear. Not which gear, just that you’re in a gear, and not in neutral. The ECU uses signals from these two switches to change between fuel/ignition maps. If it thinks you’re sitting at a junction in gear, and the clutch pressed down, it assumes you are about to pull away, and selects a good map for this. If it sees you out of gear, and the clutch released, it assumes you’re not going to suddenly take off, so selects a map that gives a smother idle, and possibly better emissions etc
When I was speaking to dealer about the old man's Evo in 1996, he mentioned that the low-biting clutch was intended partly as a crude "anti-oopsie" device, in that your average oaf would stall rather than unleash 300bhp plus in anger and spin the car within its own length (whilst leaving the traffic lights / drive through presumably). No idea if this is complete bullski but it made me chuckle
Gassing Station | M Power | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff