What's a good way to know if your clutch is going bad?

[NiTrOuSoXiDe]

So I don't know if it's just in coincidence that I recently changed out my exhaust and intake, but lately I just feel like my car is significantly less powerful. Usually, if I take off in first (like onto the highway or something) I feel like there is less force being put forward onto the car. The engine is screaming, the car gets up to higher RPMs really quick, but it simply does not feel as powerful as it used to feel.

I'm quick to blame the CAI and M3 exhaust I just installed, but Clinton alerted me the other day it could be my clutch slipping. Sounds credible, because if my clutch was slipping, yes, my engine would be wailing and the RPMs would fly, but the car won't move quite as fast.

Does anyone have a good fail-safe way to sort of test your clutch to tell if it's good, slipping, or in need of replacement?

Also, just out of curiousity, what's the going rate for a clutch replacement on an E36? My guess is it will be astronomical...

Thanks!

[Marker Kid]

put it in your 1:1 gear (on my 6-speed its 5th) at freeway-ish speeds and punch it. you shouldnt notice any increase in revs if its still good. also, hills in higher gears.

[ChuckDizzle]

I've heard that you should accelerate to about 30, get into fifth gear and then downshift into second. Notice any slippage

[BugsB]

when you are at a stop light does the car "vibrate" a bit while sitting there? If so that is a sign of the clutch going. You will also feel a fair more amount of vibration from your clutch pedal as well.

[NiTrOuSoXiDe]

put it in your 1:1 gear (on my 6-speed its 5th) at freeway-ish speeds and punch it. you shouldnt notice any increase in revs if its still good. also, hills in higher gears.

Can you elaborate on this 1:1 gear thing? If I punch the gas, isn't that going to result in increased revs no matter what? Or am I listening for something specific?

Thanks for the help.

[NiTrOuSoXiDe]

when you are at a stop light does the car "vibrate" a bit while sitting there? If so that is a sign of the clutch going. You will also feel a fair more amount of vibration from your clutch pedal as well.

Hmm, nothing like that. No extra play in the pedal either.

[Marker Kid]

Can you elaborate on this 1:1 gear thing? If I punch the gas, isn't that going to result in increased revs no matter what? Or am I listening for something specific?

Thanks for the help.

your 1.00 gear...essentially for every turn the engine makes, the driveshaft is making a turn as well. and you should notice slippage (if it is going bad) if you are cruising in 5th gear (turning...what a 325 turns in 5th) when you punch it, the revs might jump 200-300 rpm before the pressure plate fully grabs and starts putting the torque down.

[NiTrOuSoXiDe]

your 1.00 gear...essentially for every turn the engine makes, the driveshaft is making a turn as well. and you should notice slippage (if it is going bad) if you are cruising in 5th gear (turning...what a 325 turns in 5th) when you punch it, the revs might jump 200-300 rpm before the pressure plate fully grabs and starts putting the torque down.

So are you saying my 1:1 gear is 5th? Sorry if these are dumb questions.

[Veedubbvr6]

4th or 5th should work.... while on the freeway next time, rather than down shifting to pass or speed up, just step on the gas and take any notice to your RPM increasing without added power to the wheels. When my GTI clutch was going out a few years ago, that biotch would slip everytime I really got on the gas... it was very apparent as my tach would jump up and then come back down once the pressure plate grabbed....make sense? I'm not saying yours is as bad as mine was but maybe you should chill out on the burnouts and d-nuts.

[UZ4PLAY]

Best way to judge wear is by measuring the disengagement or engagement of your clutch in shifting points. Faulty clutch connects or disconnects near the floor. New clutch connects or disconnects near the top of the pedal. 5th gear acceleration from 25mph slips if your clutch is toast. Uphill test usually show better results. Dunno if that helps you any

[NiTrOuSoXiDe]

4th or 5th should work.... while on the freeway next time, rather than down shifting to pass or speed up, just step on the gas and take any notice to your RPM increasing without added power to the wheels. When my GTI clutch was going out a few years ago, that biotch would slip everytime I really got on the gas... it was very apparent as my tach would jump up and then come back down once the pressure plate grabbed....make sense? I'm not saying yours is as bad as mine was but maybe you should chill out on the burnouts and d-nuts.

Haha that was only that time!!

Thanks for the tips fellas. I will try some of these out when I get my car back from the upholstery shop (getting some touch ups done).

So one more question: What's the typical cost of a E36 clutch replacement?

[M3Scharged]

When I had 99 Eclipse GSX, cluch went bad and symptoms were RPMs quickly up and no power. Take 4th gear @ 40mph and punch it. Most likely it's gotta be the clutch.

[Bmw Rollin']

Best way to judge wear is by measuring the disengagement or engagement of your clutch in shifting points. Faulty clutch connects or disconnects near the floor. New clutch connects or disconnects near the top of the pedal.

What you described is more likely a failing slave cylinder than a failing clutch.

[mitchelrl]

Ok, go 30 mph, punch it, if you start feeling some vibration, that is your clutch slipping. Some times clutches will slip when they get really hot after riding it for a while.

[UZ4PLAY]

What you described is more likely a failing slave cylinder than a failing clutch.

You’re somewhat correct. Failing slave cylinder is diagnosed in a similar fashion but I left out the procedure of pumping the clutch pedal. By pumping the pedal "if there's a faulty slave" the pedal becomes more responsive but has nothing to do with slippage. It’s more of a gear engagement issue.

[m32911s]

4th or 5th should work.... while on the freeway next time, rather than down shifting to pass or speed up, just step on the gas and take any notice to your RPM increasing without added power to the wheels. When my GTI clutch was going out a few years ago, that biotch would slip everytime I really got on the gas... it was very apparent as my tach would jump up and then come back down once the pressure plate grabbed....make sense? I'm not saying yours is as bad as mine was but maybe you should chill out on the burnouts and d-nuts.

[m32911s]

Haha that was only that time!!

Thanks for the tips fellas. I will try some of these out when I get my car back from the upholstery shop (getting some touch ups done).

So one more question: What's the typical cost of a E36 clutch replacement?

Only that time my a$$. On a side note hope you're feeling better. And I just noticed the "I am sobber" under your member name...rofl.

[NiTrOuSoXiDe]

Only that time my a$$. On a side note hope you're feeling better. And I just noticed the "I am sobber" under your member name...rofl.

Haha...

Yeah I'm back at work today. I feel a ton better but still kind of weak. The typical feeling you have right after you get over a sickness...

And I'm serious! That is the ONLY time I've ever done d-nuts in my car (and someone else's).

...and it was wet ground so no biggie...

At the time I do believe I was not sobber.

[Veedubbvr6]

Haha...

Yeah I'm back at work today. I feel a ton better but still kind of weak. The typical feeling you have right after you get over a sickness...

And I'm serious! That is the ONLY time I've ever done d-nuts in my car (and someone else's).

...and it was wet ground so no biggie...

At the time I do believe I was not sobber.

I just noticed that under your name too! Hahahahaha

Glad to hear you're feeling better! I hate being sick.

[Andres]

Two Tests I found on Google. Going rate for a clutch job could be a case of beer to $2000 depending on labor rates / who is doing it. You're going to have to make some phone calls.

STEP 1: Find a stretch of open road, or a long street with no traffic.

STEP 2: Bring your car up to about 20-25 miles per hour

STEP 3: Shift into 5th gear, or whatever the highest gear is that your car has. Yes, it's too soon to shift into high gear, but that's the point of the test--to stress the clutch.

STEP 4: Press the gas firmly, as if you were accelerating onto a freeway.

STEP 5: Observe! If the engine starts to rev free, as if it were in neutral, and/or your tachometer needle spins toward redline very quickly, your clutch is slipping.

STEP 6: Observe! But if the car slowly accelerates, even if it staggers, bucks and strains, then the clutch is okay!

To test the clutch for slippage, set the emergency brake and start the engine. Place the transmission or transaxle in high gear. Then try to drive the vehicle forward by slowly releasing the clutch pedal. A clutch in good condition should lock up and immediately kill the engine. A badly slipping clutch may allow the engine to run, even with the clutch pedal fully released. Partial clutch slippage could let the engine run momentarily before stalling.

NOTE
Never let a clutch slip for more than a second or two. The extreme heat generated by slippage will damage the flywheel and pressure plate faces.

[NiTrOuSoXiDe]

Two Tests I found on Google. Going rate for a clutch job could be a case of beer to $2000 depending on labor rates / who is doing it. You're going to have to make some phone calls.

STEP 1: Find a stretch of open road, or a long street with no traffic.

STEP 2: Bring your car up to about 20-25 miles per hour

STEP 3: Shift into 5th gear, or whatever the highest gear is that your car has. Yes, it's too soon to shift into high gear, but that's the point of the test--to stress the clutch.

STEP 4: Press the gas firmly, as if you were accelerating onto a freeway.

STEP 5: Observe! If the engine starts to rev free, as if it were in neutral, and/or your tachometer needle spins toward redline very quickly, your clutch is slipping.

STEP 6: Observe! But if the car slowly accelerates, even if it staggers, bucks and strains, then the clutch is okay!

To test the clutch for slippage, set the emergency brake and start the engine. Place the transmission or transaxle in high gear. Then try to drive the vehicle forward by slowly releasing the clutch pedal. A clutch in good condition should lock up and immediately kill the engine. A badly slipping clutch may allow the engine to run, even with the clutch pedal fully released. Partial clutch slippage could let the engine run momentarily before stalling.

NOTE
Never let a clutch slip for more than a second or two. The extreme heat generated by slippage will damage the flywheel and pressure plate faces.

Thank you VERY much for this info. Very useful. I will try this.

[iranmeba]

First he cancels his bf.c halloween party , then he tells us he raped his clutch , next he's going to tell us he's trading his e36 in for a civic

[NiTrOuSoXiDe]

First he cancels his bf.c halloween party , then he tells us he raped his clutch , next he's going to tell us he's trading his e36 in for a civic

Actually I was planning on going green and just getting a bicycle, and I was going to ride in the same lanes as the cars, go at my own pace, ride in the left lane, disregard red lights and yell at motorists when they don't yeild to me.

[BugsB]

Actually I was planning on going green and just getting a bicycle, and I was going to ride in the same lanes as the cars, go at my own pace, ride in the left lane, disregard red lights and yell at motorists when they don't yeild to me.

best part is it's a step up from convertibles hahaha

[trayson]

I have a receipt at home for the previous owner that replaced the clutch on the 328i. I'll tell you how much he paid up in the Puget Sound area.

But if you do have clutch issues, it's time to reasearch UPGRADES. Anywhere from a lightweight flywheel to an M3 clutch I'd think... And if you do need a clutch, just cancel that paint job!