Clutch life on E60 V8 (545/550)
09-03-2009, 03:03 PM
#11
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My Ride: 545i/6spd
25k miles and 2 clutches... jk! Still original clutch.
I remember from the E39 days guys going to high mileage like krusir even with the stock CDV on stock clutches. It all depends how you drive the car. My first E39 made it to around 100k but frankly I was very young at the time and beat the crap out of it (bought it at 78k and put aftermarket CDV).
For me I've left the stock CDV on this 5. When getting used to the BMW clutch again I was a bit jerky and slipped the clutch a bit the first day or two. It might sound crazy but I think you learn to drive the car smoothly the way it wants to be driven - you learn to release the clutch a lot faster at lower rpms in first and time things just right from gear to gear and by doing this let the CDV do it's job. It feels very unnatural to those who aren't use to it or have driven cars without it their entire life. Takes some patience but it comes eventually. When you get it right it's a good feeling, you become the organic bit of the machine you might say..
I remember from the E39 days guys going to high mileage like krusir even with the stock CDV on stock clutches. It all depends how you drive the car. My first E39 made it to around 100k but frankly I was very young at the time and beat the crap out of it (bought it at 78k and put aftermarket CDV).
For me I've left the stock CDV on this 5. When getting used to the BMW clutch again I was a bit jerky and slipped the clutch a bit the first day or two. It might sound crazy but I think you learn to drive the car smoothly the way it wants to be driven - you learn to release the clutch a lot faster at lower rpms in first and time things just right from gear to gear and by doing this let the CDV do it's job. It feels very unnatural to those who aren't use to it or have driven cars without it their entire life. Takes some patience but it comes eventually. When you get it right it's a good feeling, you become the organic bit of the machine you might say..
09-03-2009, 03:15 PM
#12
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My Ride: 2009 535xi, short shifter, no CDV
CDV is very related to clutch life. I don't mean with CDV, you will have less clutch life. But I sure with CDV, one will need to adjust clutch press/release pattern with CDV delay timing to make it smooth. This is hard for me and I vote to delete it. 167K miles original clutch life ( and still counting since I sold the car ) .... proof that CDV remove won't hurt clutch life. And it might increase clutch life for some people's driving pattern.
BMW has various CDV, 2009 535xi use a quick fitting style (make from black plastic) inline CDV. I just took the CDV out from the line and very quick to connect it back. I was lucky and no AIR get into the system, no bleeding required. I then use a HEX wench to gut the CDV out. Put it in a good place, if I ever need any dealer service around that area, I will put it back just to ensure that dealer will honer warranty. My car has been back to dealer for few times for other problem, they did not notice I don't have CDV at all.
If you have metal CDV, you need to have press drill to do the gut job. The press drill can help "true vertical" drill that thing to avoid damage the thread pattern.
BMW has various CDV, 2009 535xi use a quick fitting style (make from black plastic) inline CDV. I just took the CDV out from the line and very quick to connect it back. I was lucky and no AIR get into the system, no bleeding required. I then use a HEX wench to gut the CDV out. Put it in a good place, if I ever need any dealer service around that area, I will put it back just to ensure that dealer will honer warranty. My car has been back to dealer for few times for other problem, they did not notice I don't have CDV at all.
If you have metal CDV, you need to have press drill to do the gut job. The press drill can help "true vertical" drill that thing to avoid damage the thread pattern.
Originally Posted by hmc' post='997418' date='Sep 3 2009, 02:10 PM
Back to my original questions, please.
Please tell me your current mileage, original clutch or not and when replaced if replaced.
Please tell me your current mileage, original clutch or not and when replaced if replaced.
04-09-2012, 09:04 PM
#13
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My Ride: 2004 X5 4.4i Sport
2004 545i 6-Speed
Anyone who has done this - do you have any input? Did the lines hve enough slack to fit? Do the threads perfectly mate?
Thanks!!
04-09-2012, 09:30 PM
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My Ride: Alpine White 2006 530Xi (SLD)
My CDV was removed. The reason why you would modify a CDV versus simply removing it would be that the line is too short to work properly without the additional several millimeters of the CDV. On E60 it reaches fine, so it's a straight removal job. I had it done when I had the new clutch, starter and flywheel installed at MNC.
04-10-2012, 06:49 PM
#15
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25k miles and 2 clutches... jk! Still original clutch.
I remember from the E39 days guys going to high mileage like krusir even with the stock CDV on stock clutches. It all depends how you drive the car. My first E39 made it to around 100k but frankly I was very young at the time and beat the crap out of it (bought it at 78k and put aftermarket CDV).
For me I've left the stock CDV on this 5. When getting used to the BMW clutch again I was a bit jerky and slipped the clutch a bit the first day or two. It might sound crazy but I think you learn to drive the car smoothly the way it wants to be driven - you learn to release the clutch a lot faster at lower rpms in first and time things just right from gear to gear and by doing this let the CDV do it's job. It feels very unnatural to those who aren't use to it or have driven cars without it their entire life. Takes some patience but it comes eventually. When you get it right it's a good feeling, you become the organic bit of the machine you might say..
I remember from the E39 days guys going to high mileage like krusir even with the stock CDV on stock clutches. It all depends how you drive the car. My first E39 made it to around 100k but frankly I was very young at the time and beat the crap out of it (bought it at 78k and put aftermarket CDV).
For me I've left the stock CDV on this 5. When getting used to the BMW clutch again I was a bit jerky and slipped the clutch a bit the first day or two. It might sound crazy but I think you learn to drive the car smoothly the way it wants to be driven - you learn to release the clutch a lot faster at lower rpms in first and time things just right from gear to gear and by doing this let the CDV do it's job. It feels very unnatural to those who aren't use to it or have driven cars without it their entire life. Takes some patience but it comes eventually. When you get it right it's a good feeling, you become the organic bit of the machine you might say..
04-10-2012, 07:21 PM
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My Ride: 04 545i
6spd m/t
Sport, Cold Weather, Logic 7
Mine started slipping at 150k km, I put 10k km of moderate-hard driving on it at that point, not certain how the previous owner treated it. I am at 153 now and it is getting worse, need to fix it soon.
04-10-2012, 10:32 PM
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My Ride: 2004 X5 4.4i Sport
2004 545i 6-Speed
My CDV was removed. The reason why you would modify a CDV versus simply removing it would be that the line is too short to work properly without the additional several millimeters of the CDV. On E60 it reaches fine, so it's a straight removal job. I had it done when I had the new clutch, starter and flywheel installed at MNC.
04-11-2012, 12:46 PM
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My Ride: 07 550i, Sports Package, Logic 7, Manual Trans.07 Toyota Tundra CrewMax 4x4; 09 HD CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide
Original Clutch failed at 64K miles. Replaced all components that came in BMW Clutch Kit, including fly wheel. Purchased car second hand from one owner. Noticed that the original clutch part # has been replaced with a newer part #. When mine failed I noted many other folks with the 550/545 had failures at around the same mileage. Hope this one lasts at least as long or maybe longer....CDV was not removed. Maybe I should looking at the other posts.
04-20-2012, 12:48 PM
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I am curious about clutch life on 545/550 cars due to high torque, as well as CDV effect on clutch life. I do understand driving style plays a big role in clutch life. These are my questions:
Did you modify/delete CDV (clutch delay valve)?
Did you ever replace clutch/flywheel/both?
- If yes, at what mileage? Did you drive aggressively?
- If not, how many miles you have now?
Did you modify/delete CDV (clutch delay valve)?
Did you ever replace clutch/flywheel/both?
- If yes, at what mileage? Did you drive aggressively?
- If not, how many miles you have now?
Kept the CDV in place for a while, didn't like the "artificial" feel of clutch engagement, and got a proper Zeckhausen modified CDV installed at about 55K miles
(btw, great writeup re: CDV on their site: http://www.zeckhausen.com/cdv.htm)
Conclusions:
- previous owner (and the original CDV) probably wore out the original clutch prematurely
- original CDV causes each clutch engagement to be longer than is necessary (more wear and tear)
- now I am at 80K miles (130K kilometers) and clutch feels great--- should last much longer
- I do a lot of shifting, but try to be as smooth as possible, not abusive, rev-match on downshifts when driving agreesive
- besides lengthening the life of the clutch, the MAIN REASON to change out the CDV is the improved QUALITY and CONTROL of clutch engagement,
putting control back in the hands... err, feet... of the driver