TEP 4 puc clutch installed

[jrcook320]

fellas, I spent all weekend installing my new clutch.



I spent all day saturday, Sunday and an hour on monday just trying to remove the #%!! pilot bearing. It simply would not come out for anything I tried. I tried driving it out with grease and a drift first and it blew the center of the bearing out leaving only the outer race in the crank. Then I tried a generic pilot bearing puller which I had to modify extensively just to fit and grab the bearing. Then I welded a nut on the end of the puller, used a long bolt and a huge socket to make a slide hammer and that didn't budge it. When the slide hammer didn't work I make a bracket out of 2x4's to tighted the puller against to slowly pull the bearing out. I stripped my 10mm nut and then broke an arm off the puller. I tried freezing penetrating oil, a torch, tapping it loose, and finally ended up having to cut a notch in it with a carbide bit and a dremel tool. I left a small grove in the bore of the crank shaft but the new bearing went in ok.

Well last night I finally got everything back together and was able to drive the car to work today. The bad news is that the new clutch only engages in the last 2 inches of travel, meaning around 8" off the floor of the car just before my foot is completely off the pedal.

I called TEP and they couldn't answer my questions till Steve gets in later today. Does anyone have any experience with one of their clutches? Does anyone have any ideas as to why it would engage so late? I'm thinking that the slave cylinder might be misaligned on the throw out lever arm and pushing it too far. Any other ideas?

[BoostedE21]

I dont have their clutch. But i have the upgrade 228mm flywheel and clutch (i forgot what car, but i think the E30 325i) and my clutch engages like 1in off the floor. Let us know what you hear, i would have thought it would engage sooner

[blitzed310]

I have the TEP HD clutch, engages about 1/2 way, but more towards the top of the release phase.

[jrcook320]

ok, so I adjusted the clutch master cyl shaft length over lunch (which I needed to do anyway, before the clutch pedal was about 1" higher than the brake pedal, now they're level) and made up a clutch stop using a bolt. I do have about 1" of free play when the pedal is all the way out, so that tells me the clutch is fully engaged. Now I have about 4-5" of total travel and it is mutch more drivable, it actually feels really good. Man, there is no slipping this thing, it grabs hard. It chatters if you even think about trying to slip it.

It makes the car feel totally different, I like it but it will take some getting used to.

[blitzed310]

Is it a workout? Attila's was a lot harder to press in than my TEP HD clutch, and that one is a Sachs kit with a modified PP using stiffer "spring rates". Mine is only a notch stiffer than stock.

[jrcook320]

It's not too bad. I think the stock clutch was too soft, this has a nice firm feel to it but its not a strain by any means. I'll post pics of the clutch stop when I get a chance.

[jbob]

nice!!!
does the TEP 4-puck have the sprung or solid hub?
I know with the Centerforce 4-puck solid hub, it's pretty stiff...it's still managable, but I would dread getting stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

did you keep the stock pressure plate?

[jrcook320]

Its sprung hub and the pressure plate looks like a stock Sachs but is much stiffer.

I haven't been in traffic yet, but its managable so far. A hill gave me a problem today but now that the pedal is adjusted properly I think I'll be fine.

[jrcook320]

Ok, so the craziest thing happened tonight. Here is the story:

My smoking hot wife was driving my car for the 3rd time ever. She was doing amazingly well with the new clutch. We came up on some choad sauce in a 5.0 chumpstang and she decided to race him. She launched hard, power shifted the 1-2, 2-3 and we were about 2 car lengths ahead of this guy. Then she did a WOT 3-4 power shift and we hear a *snap* so she backed out. She went to shift into 5th and the clutch pedal just moved freely.

Ok, that's the story I'm going to fantasize about. Now here's what actually happened: My smoking hot wife was driving my car for the 3rd time ever. She really was doing well with the new clutch, gently shifting through the gears. She did get into the boost a bit at one point.. anyway, on a 4-5 shift all of a sudden she says "the clutch is broken!". I say that's impossible and when she lifts her foot of the pedal it swings all the way up. My eyes get wide and I tell her to pull over. Here's what I found:

The clutch MC shaft just snapped in half! this MC has about 20,000 miles on it. what the .





You can see in the 1st pic my nifty little clutch stop bolt...

I am going on the hotrod power tour in 3 days, I've worked my butt off trying to have this car ready and I can't catch a break. As soon as I fix one thing something else breaks. I am fearing that God's wrath is thwarting me despite my efforts.

For now my plan is to take the MC off, weld the shaft back together and bleed the system. I will persevere no matter what it takes, I will not be thwarted!!! I will never give up!!

[blitzed310]

Get errr done!

[Greg323i]

It happened to me a few months back. That eyebolt just screws out, it's what gives you the adjustment on the clutch pedal height. You should be able to find another eyebolt and just use that. I had one laying around, but I have no idea where it came from.

[jrcook320]

Yeah, I tried to screw it out. I had vise grips on it and mine doesn't come out, i think it's flared on the other end to prevent it from coming apart if the nut's loose. I'd much rather get that out and weld a new stud onto the old eye bolt than remove the whole thing but I don't think I have any options.

[BoostedE21]

Wow, i never have seen that before

[pjs323i]

Well the clutch on my 323i is extremely shallow. it engages about 4cm (1.5") off the floor and sits about an inch lower than the brake peddel. is this normal?? Its also very very grabby. infact i get a fishtale from 1st to 2nd so i know its not worn...what are the signs of a worn clutch other than slipping??

[jjgbmw323]

Wow, i never have seen that before

Yeah thats pretty strange.
Reminds me of my old Jetta that I had where I would fix something and something else would go.

I know you can get that car riping threw the gears....

[jrcook320]

Well the clutch on my 323i is extremely shallow. it engages about 4cm (1.5") off the floor and sits about an inch lower than the brake peddel. is this normal?? Its also very very grabby. infact i get a fishtale from 1st to 2nd so i know its not worn...what are the signs of a worn clutch other than slipping??

you can adjust the shaft length of the clutch master cylinder. Hold the shaft steady with a 12mm wrench, loosen the nut, turn the eye bolt CCW and it will extend. Bring it level with the brake pedal and it will feel much better.

Engaging that close to the floor indicates a very tight clutch, not a worn clutch. Slipping or chattering are the only ways I know of to determine if its worn.

[slowe21]

Ohhhhhhh FFS, that's bad luck dude

Good luck getting it fixed for the show

[good & tight]

Never let your wife drive the car. She will break something every time, trust me on this.

[jrcook320]

ok, it turns out the eye bolt is sintered pot metal and I can't weld on it. Bavauto is sold out till the 7th on the MC so I'm stuck.

Time to start calling around and see if anyone can get me one by Friday. Also time to start looking for alternative eye bolts...

[jrcook320]

looks like bmp is going to pull through, I'll have it tomorrow afternoon before 3 pm. $46 shipping.

[blitzed310]

Did you check Midas and places like that. Thats where I got a rebuilt one waaay back when...

[waferman]

In the future, try Autohausaz.com. Orders over $50 have free shipping, and they are fast and allways have OEM stuff in stock. What did BMP sell you- FAG or??

I am going through the fix/refix thing myself. It's just part of owning an older car and you are right; NEVER give up. It's just sucky that's all. Murphy's law..
John

[ehrhart]

Josh, if you need anything while you are in my area, you have my cell #, just call. Looking forward to meeting you on the 4th.

[jrcook320]

yeah, bmp sold me FAG, and from the pic on their site it appears to have the same piece of crap sintered eye bolt.

I check autohauz and it has the same sintered end, total price $90 with next day shipping.

[jrcook320]

Josh, if you need anything while you are in my area, you have my cell #, just call. Looking forward to meeting you on the 4th.

cool, thanks man.