Originally Posted by dlevi67' post='381999' date='Jan 23 2007, 12:04 AM

You have a burned clutch plate and one or more broken/loose retainer screws/rivets in the clutch assembly (aluminium screws?).

See this diagram.

One of the reasons the CDV is in there is precisely to prevent this type of occurrence (all the gumph about it being so that clutch use is smoother is - as we know - gumph), since there seems to be no springing in the clutch assembly to absorb abnormal shocks. Which indicates that BMW knows it has an inherently fragile part, but having replaced the CDV you have little recourse. Unless you kept the old one and re-fit it...

[Why on Earth do you think that accelerating to 5000rpm and dumping the clutch is useful in an engine that has peak torque at 2500 rpm? As an ex racer you should know that. As you should know that racing clutch plates are not the same (material and durability) as road ones. But this is by the by]

Re: SMG. First of all, it's a different clutch plate. Secondly, the controller probably doesn't quite dump it the way you can dump it with a totally manual control + no CDV

Originally Posted by AP Sales' post='381980' date='Jan 22 2007, 11:25 PM

I have the same car, also with CDV removed. I can't believe your action caused the problem. There just isn't enough torque in the motor to burn out a clutch, IMO.