No.39 - 1995 BMW E34 M5 UK Limited Edition #39/50
Discussion
James Hay said:
Last week I went to move No.39 out the garage and the clutch pedal wouldn't spring back and sat on the floor. I must say I should've investigated earlier as occasionally it would need an extra pump or two when manoeuvring as pressure would gradually slip away, and it was getting worse. There's always been enough fluid in the reservoir so I thought it unlikely air had been drawn through but a nice little puddle under the car confirmed my suspicions of a leak.
Fortunately the master cylinder hasn't leaked into the cabin which makes me 90% sure the slave cylinder has burst it's seals. I've ordered a rebuilt kit from AutoDoc but will inspect all parts of the clutch hydraulics when I refurb the slave. The only other cause could be corroded metal line or split flexihose which I doubt, but we'll see!
Update to follow once the weather gets to a reasonable temperature in Cambridge!
Good news, the clutch slave reseal kit finally arrived this afternoon. I'll be getting on with this job as soon as possible although typically it's forecast to rain most of this week! Fortunately the master cylinder hasn't leaked into the cabin which makes me 90% sure the slave cylinder has burst it's seals. I've ordered a rebuilt kit from AutoDoc but will inspect all parts of the clutch hydraulics when I refurb the slave. The only other cause could be corroded metal line or split flexihose which I doubt, but we'll see!
Update to follow once the weather gets to a reasonable temperature in Cambridge!
...how much I envy people with proper workshops.AutoDoc shows these as the correct parts linked to my VIN although I've not done this job before so I can't be 100% sure until I've pulled the old one apart;
Update to follow!
ds666 said:
James Hay said:
My old car !! I ran it as a daily for a couple of years and then sold it to Barney at Munich legends . I bought it for a chap local to me . swampy442 said:
ds666 said:
Did it have a full service history when you had it? At some point the history got lost/swapped and I got burnt by itds666 said:
Pretty sure it was fsh when I had it ( think I sold it in 2003!! ) . It didn’t have the grey sills .
How did you get “burnt”
In the worst possible way, right in the wallet. Paid good money for a car with history, including a grand at BMW to maintain that history, only to lose my ass when I sold it How did you get “burnt”
swampy442 said:
ds666 said:
Pretty sure it was fsh when I had it ( think I sold it in 2003!! ) . It didn’t have the grey sills .
How did you get “burnt”
In the worst possible way, right in the wallet. Paid good money for a car with history, including a grand at BMW to maintain that history, only to lose my ass when I sold it How did you get “burnt”
When I had it I used to drive down from the midlands to Munich Legends to get it serviced .
It had been owned by a chap called Rob Andrews an ex-World Championship Motocrosser
ds666 said:
swampy442 said:
ds666 said:
Pretty sure it was fsh when I had it ( think I sold it in 2003!! ) . It didn’t have the grey sills .
How did you get “burnt”
In the worst possible way, right in the wallet. Paid good money for a car with history, including a grand at BMW to maintain that history, only to lose my ass when I sold it How did you get “burnt”
When I had it I used to drive down from the midlands to Munich Legends to get it serviced .
It had been owned by a chap called Rob Andrews an ex-World Championship Motocrosser
swampy442 said:
ds666 said:
swampy442 said:
ds666 said:
Pretty sure it was fsh when I had it ( think I sold it in 2003!! ) . It didn’t have the grey sills .
How did you get “burnt”
In the worst possible way, right in the wallet. Paid good money for a car with history, including a grand at BMW to maintain that history, only to lose my ass when I sold it How did you get “burnt”
When I had it I used to drive down from the midlands to Munich Legends to get it serviced .
It had been owned by a chap called Rob Andrews an ex-World Championship Motocrosser
James Hay said:
Good news, the clutch slave reseal kit finally arrived this afternoon. I'll be getting on with this job as soon as possible although typically it's forecast to rain most of this week! ...how much I envy people with proper workshops.
AutoDoc shows these as the correct parts linked to my VIN although I've not done this job before so I can't be 100% sure until I've pulled the old one apart;
Update to follow!
After removing the slave cylinder it was clear to see that my suspicions were confirmed with a leak... ...how much I envy people with proper workshops.AutoDoc shows these as the correct parts linked to my VIN although I've not done this job before so I can't be 100% sure until I've pulled the old one apart;
Update to follow!
The dust boot seemed to have become rather deformed over time, I assume by the rod operating at an angle and therefore distorting the 'memory' of the rubber which then lead to it not sealing on the shaft anymore. I believe this let clutch dust and other foreign bodies through to the outer side of the piston. The colour of the clutch fluid also backed up my assumption of a lack of fluid changes (shame on me for not doing a flush in my nearly five years of ownership
) which encouraged a build up of contaminants and general crap within the fluid which then all gathered at the lowest point in the system...the slave cylinder!In order to remove the piston I employed the use of a bicycle pump which worked just as well as when I refurbished the rear callipers. Proper job! Removal of the piston revealed the horror within, a worrying amount of sludge and grit, nasty, and to be honest I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did.
It's also clear to see the flat spot that had been worn into the seal by all the crap, and the difference in profile between the new and old seals.
After removing all the crap and clearing the feed line I carefully used some 1200 grit wet and dry to smooth the inside of the bore as much as possible being careful to rub 'across' the movement of the piston as opposed to along it. I then used a soft wire brush attachment on my dremel to clean up the outside and the feed line, then went over the whole thing with some good old satin black Hammerite.
If I can put up with the minus temperatures this week I might be able to get it back on the car!
Edited by James Hay on Monday 8th February 22:32
Another_James said:
Excellent work on a very deserving car!
Such an awesome colour Orinoco metallic. Going to use this as a shameless excuse for a pic of my old E36 in the same colour.
Very cool that looks awesome!Such an awesome colour Orinoco metallic. Going to use this as a shameless excuse for a pic of my old E36 in the same colour.
I do love the E36, I had a couple of 328i Sport Coupes and at the time I bought the M5 there was one of the 50 E36 M3 GT2s available but I thought no I've already experienced an E36 (though of course not an M model), but I have wondered several times if I should have gone for it. I must say I do prefer the E36 interior and driving position.
Thanks!
I stumbled across an Imola individual at a 2nd hand car dealer in Peterborough around 2009. S reg with a number plate ending EBC. Up for £7k and he offered me £2k for my 328i sport. Turned it down as I thought mine was worth more than that! Seen that car trade hands for many times that since!
Finally got the M3 pictured in 2013 and absolutely loved it. Unfortunately it span a rod bearing for the 2nd time despite the engine having a very expensive full rebuild at BMW specialist CPC 2 years and 7k miles previous. Was looking to buy a house at the time and couldn’t really justify the expense of putting it right so sold it to a chap on the E36 coupe forum who put an S54 in it. Had a E46 M3 a couple of years later but I much preferred the E36 despite it being an objectively better car.
Never driven any E34’s of any flavour and can’t remember the last time I even saw one let alone an M5. Very special car you have there. That big straight six must sound incredible.
I stumbled across an Imola individual at a 2nd hand car dealer in Peterborough around 2009. S reg with a number plate ending EBC. Up for £7k and he offered me £2k for my 328i sport. Turned it down as I thought mine was worth more than that! Seen that car trade hands for many times that since!
Finally got the M3 pictured in 2013 and absolutely loved it. Unfortunately it span a rod bearing for the 2nd time despite the engine having a very expensive full rebuild at BMW specialist CPC 2 years and 7k miles previous. Was looking to buy a house at the time and couldn’t really justify the expense of putting it right so sold it to a chap on the E36 coupe forum who put an S54 in it. Had a E46 M3 a couple of years later but I much preferred the E36 despite it being an objectively better car.
Never driven any E34’s of any flavour and can’t remember the last time I even saw one let alone an M5. Very special car you have there. That big straight six must sound incredible.
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff