wrathalanche

Feeling pretty damn gutted right now. Was heading home excited about setting up my new big screen tv after work, when I ran into some clutch trouble.

I've got a 2004 520i SE manual, 73000 miles, here in the UK. I was on a pretty steep hill sitting at some lights, balancing the car in first gear as I usually do, car felt fine. Lights changed, moved off fine, onto a flat side street which then became another steep hill. Gave it some gas up the hill, car was still fine, got to the brow of the hill, over the top, and was coasting back down the other side. At this point I slid into 6th gear, and felt as though the clutch was a bit slow to return. I figured it was maybe rubbing on the mats. Still coasting down the hill in 6th, I step on the gas and straight away it hits like 3000 revs - it was as if the clutch was still depressed - as though I was basically in neutral. Anyway I made sure the clutch was up, and kept coasting down the hill as though everything was fine, got to a junction and stopped to give way, then went to move off in 1st and the car really struggled to move off the spot. Was hitting pretty high revs, maybe about 4 - 5000 just to get the car crawling around the corner, and then I could smell burning, so I pulled in.

Straight away checked for plastic bags or something stuck ot the exhaust or stuck to the undertray and could see smoke bellowing out from underneath the engine compartment. Popped the hood and I could see smoke or vapour coming off a greyish looking box thats directly under the engine, right on the floor of the engine bay. It stunk. But in a weird way. Can't really describe it.

Luckily I was about a block away from where I was going, so the girlfriend walked the rest of the way, and I drove it. It went into gear fine, but just took alot of revs to get moving, and there was no power behind them. Went into 2nd fine but was still going into ridiculously high revs just to move at about 10 mph. Parked outside the house, and was even able to stick it into reverse to parallel park (behaved much the same in reverse as in 1st). Still the burning smell.

Any ideas what might be the problem, guys? A friend is coming up in a bit to stick it up on some ramps and we're going to check the undertray for any fluids leaking. I'm trying to convince myself its not the actual clutch, since it seemed to go when I wasn't even using the clutch. I don't think I could have burned it out on my way up the hill, as the car felt fine all the way up. It was the coming back down where something went wrong. I'm hoping its a hose gone, and some fluid poured onto my engine (which was hot since I had driven 15 miles from work at 80mph just beforehand). Do you get clutch fluid? I'm no mechanician, so I have no idea what I'm talking about just now, but my friend is so hopefully we can diagnose it, but its always good to hear if anyone here (the experts) know a thing or two.

Thanks in advance!
Love, Dave!

TedB

When you say you where 'on a pretty steep hill sitting at some lights, balancing the car in first gear as I usually do', are you talking about holding the car on a hill by slipping the clutch rather than using the foot or handbrake?. If so then you've almost certainly burnt out your clutch. And if you usually do this then I'm surprised it's lasted 73,000 miles. I know it's not what you want to hear but other symptoms also sound like the clutch is gone.

thefleet

Your clutch is busted. I had the same at 32K miles. Its nothing too serious. Going to cost you about $1000 from a dealer. The smell will go away as well.

wrathalanche

Yeah that was what I was doing but I had no idea I could burn out a clutch doing that, it was held at like minimum revs. I was barely using any gas, and like I said there was no immediate problem until a few minutes later. The way the car was acting by then, there would be no way I could have moved off on the hill. So the clutch HAD to be fine when I was at the lights, or else I would have just rolled backward on the hill. But you're probably right man. Also, I've only had the car since January, since about 66000 miles, so it has only lasted 7000 miles


On a slightly brighter note, this morning I went out and tried it again, and the car seemed ok. The clutch is maybe a bit slower than usual to return when my foot comes off but I can't be sure. No trace of burning yet. Should be going up on the ramps in the next hour so I'll see.

And I really hope it doesnt cost 1000 bucks, or else I just bought that TV at the very wrong time!

MiamiPhill

name='wrathalanche' date='Jul 25 2008, 09:13 AM' post='632348'

That is the best way to roast a clutch, and you did just that.

The clutch is always fine until suddenly it's not. Sometimes if you are lucky you will start to feel/hear the clutch slipping in the higher gears before it totaly gives out.

The car is NOT ok, the clutch is cool now so it has some bite to it but it won't last. You need to see if you can limp to the repair shop while it sill moves, and you cannot drive as normal, you may need to short shift and be very easy on the gas. Avoid hill starts if you can, go easy on the engine braking and need I say NO RIDING THE CLUTCH at the stoplight, ever again.

My535i

I had this happen to me once. I was not riding the clutch but I had just finished doing some VERY aggressive driving and then all of a sudden I hit major grid locked traffic. Seems my clutch was fully overheated then the sitting in the traffic and crawling did not help. My clutch became all but useless. I barely made it home and had setup to replace the clutch the following day. When I hopped in the car it worked fine. So I decided to keep using the car. That happened about 10 months and 7k miles ago...still working. Not saying you will have no problems and you are most likely on borrowed time... (as am I probably) but at least for me it looks like I overheated the living heck out of the clutch and cool down was what it needed. Anyway....good luck

MiamiPhill

I hear you but once damaged, the clutch is never really the same again and will show itself at the most inopertune time, like making a turn against on-rushing traffic and you floor it and to your horror you only get revs but no extra speed.

My535i

You may be right. In my case though the clutch is behaving exactly the way it did before this incident. Perfect engagement of each gear and no problem what so ever. Clutch has quite a few miles on it so I will likely replace it soon anyway but for now it is working just fine.

melimel

sounds like you need a new clutch.. i used to do that on hills too..lol.. was just fun.. eventually i burnt it out.. i liked scaring the people behind me.. lol.. go figure.. its lasted a while though.. gotta say