E60 M5 Clutch issues (again...)
Discussion
I need someone to make up my mind 
Having issues with the clutch/transmission.
Gets worse after driving in traffic, or 'spiritedly'. Juddery starts from 1/2, sometimes feel the judder in 3. Can be very on/off too. Makes parking a pain.
And recently it's not always going into gear. The indicator changes to the selected gear, but then flashes once or twice before actually going in. Happens very intermittently. I took a 10 minute video and it's happened twice in the first 2.5 minutes. But it is a pain too, especially when coming up to roundabouts and you change down in time, put your foot on the accelerator and nothing happens as I drift into the busy roundabout
It's also not come out of R when parked and then trying to start it. Happened 3 times now. Makes me very nervous. Takes about 2-3 minutes of pressing the start button, pressing the brakes etc. Still not sure exactly what moves it into N, but fortunately it has always so far.
Also sometimes very 'clunky' in it's changes. And a few times when using D2/3 at slow speeds changes have felt like being rear ended.
The odd thing is that it gets really bad, then I'll leave it overnight or for a while, and then it's like driving a new car. Perfect changes, fast as anything when in S5/6, smooth as silk. Then it goes clunky again and I write something on PH
So the car's been to bmw twice. Both times they say nothing is logged, which is surprising considering the severity of not actually coming out of R. Second time was to Scotthall where they have some experience of the release bearing issues etc. I gave them all this information and more. They gave the car back saying they can't see anything wrong, and to take it further I'll need to authorize a clutch change.
So this is really to any of you who have had issues with a release bearing. Did you have any of these symptoms? Should I take a 2.6k chance on it being the release bearing? Or try just changing the fluids in the transmission/diff. Only reason I haven't changed them is to not mask symptoms.
Any advice, reassurance welcome
Having issues with the clutch/transmission.
Gets worse after driving in traffic, or 'spiritedly'. Juddery starts from 1/2, sometimes feel the judder in 3. Can be very on/off too. Makes parking a pain.
And recently it's not always going into gear. The indicator changes to the selected gear, but then flashes once or twice before actually going in. Happens very intermittently. I took a 10 minute video and it's happened twice in the first 2.5 minutes. But it is a pain too, especially when coming up to roundabouts and you change down in time, put your foot on the accelerator and nothing happens as I drift into the busy roundabout
It's also not come out of R when parked and then trying to start it. Happened 3 times now. Makes me very nervous. Takes about 2-3 minutes of pressing the start button, pressing the brakes etc. Still not sure exactly what moves it into N, but fortunately it has always so far.
Also sometimes very 'clunky' in it's changes. And a few times when using D2/3 at slow speeds changes have felt like being rear ended.
The odd thing is that it gets really bad, then I'll leave it overnight or for a while, and then it's like driving a new car. Perfect changes, fast as anything when in S5/6, smooth as silk. Then it goes clunky again and I write something on PH
So the car's been to bmw twice. Both times they say nothing is logged, which is surprising considering the severity of not actually coming out of R. Second time was to Scotthall where they have some experience of the release bearing issues etc. I gave them all this information and more. They gave the car back saying they can't see anything wrong, and to take it further I'll need to authorize a clutch change.
So this is really to any of you who have had issues with a release bearing. Did you have any of these symptoms? Should I take a 2.6k chance on it being the release bearing? Or try just changing the fluids in the transmission/diff. Only reason I haven't changed them is to not mask symptoms.
Any advice, reassurance welcome
Thats the only way they can tell if its a release bearing issue mate. You need to authorise a gearbox pull if youre going to get any sort of result or solution to your issues. What you have sounds like it could be the bearingm but you need to bite that risky bullet.
Go back to Scotthall and get it over with.
Eddie
Go back to Scotthall and get it over with.
Eddie
If it were me I would buy the clutch from the likes of www.bmminiparts.com and get your dealer to change it. Not cheap but you will rule a lot out.
That sounds really bad, my M6 is nothing like that. First thing in the morning the first two gear changes are a bit sluggish - then perfect all day. I'd pull it myself, bet it's the bearing - and even if it isn't the bearing and just a badly worn clutch then it'll need doing anyway and you can buy the clutch kit separately and have the dealer fit it - saves a reasonable amount from what I've seen.
Plainview23 said:
That sounds really bad, my M6 is nothing like that. First thing in the morning the first two gear changes are a bit sluggish - then perfect all day. I'd pull it myself, bet it's the bearing - and even if it isn't the bearing and just a badly worn clutch then it'll need doing anyway and y n buy the clutch kit separately and have the dealer fit it - saves a reasonable amount from what I've seen.
Yours sounds normal. Just warming the smg fluid, that's all.Boogsie said:
What would I save by doing that?
Of course if it *is* something on the warranty then all the money that I'd spent on the clutch pack would be wasted, so worth finding out first.
Yup, get the box pulled first, pray its a warranty solution, and if its not then buy the clutch pack after the pull.Of course if it *is* something on the warranty then all the money that I'd spent on the clutch pack would be wasted, so worth finding out first.
I had juddery issues with mine prior to clutch going. The best way of describing it is like poor clutch control.
Right at the end when the clutch really went it was refusing to engage into gear.
The only way to tell is to strip it and do a visual. At that point you'll be in the hole and exposed to dealer labour/parts costs if it is not a warranty job. I (and many others) have been in this position and it is not nice and very stressful.
One thing I will add though is that after I had mine replaced it was fine but on a couple of long journeys through central london I experienced the refusal to go into gear/bogging down when pulling away. No error was logged and eventually it did it again and I 'forced' it by flooring the throttle at which point it went into reduced power/5K max revs mode. This was fixed under warranty and was completely unrelated to the clutch. This happened 3 times over 3 months, 3 months after the clutch replacement.
Right at the end when the clutch really went it was refusing to engage into gear.
The only way to tell is to strip it and do a visual. At that point you'll be in the hole and exposed to dealer labour/parts costs if it is not a warranty job. I (and many others) have been in this position and it is not nice and very stressful.
One thing I will add though is that after I had mine replaced it was fine but on a couple of long journeys through central london I experienced the refusal to go into gear/bogging down when pulling away. No error was logged and eventually it did it again and I 'forced' it by flooring the throttle at which point it went into reduced power/5K max revs mode. This was fixed under warranty and was completely unrelated to the clutch. This happened 3 times over 3 months, 3 months after the clutch replacement.
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