v_therussian

I've recently received the "AWD Malfunction" message on the iDirve of my MY 2006 530Xi Manual (build date 10/2005). Since there is a good chance that this message was triggered by a faulty transfer case (yet to TBD), it looks like there is a chance that the gearbox assembly will need to be taken apart. Since my car has about 60k miles, I'm thinking to maybe "might as well" swap the flywheel and clutch for a performance setup. I'm REALLY unsure if I can pull a "baller" move like that, but it would make sense to replace the parts that tend to wear while the shop's working in "that area", and if I'm gonna be replacing them - I might as well get something "high performance" aftermarket vs OEM. Can someone recommend anything in this regard?

mhs525

Be careful going aftermarket with clutch and flywheel. Lots of tuners talk about the performance advantage of lightweight flywheels, and there is an advantage but the OEM dual mass flywheels are there for a reason. They prevent gear rattle from the transmission. I had an M3 with a bunch of mods. I had a UUC lightweight flywheel and clutch installed. The gear rattle in neutral was horrendous, even though UUC advertised their set up was different and had very little rattle. Total BS, after a week it cost me a grand to have the stock clutch and flywheel put back in. The only performance set up I would recommend for a street car is Dinan.

Lightweight flywheels are a track car mod IMO.

craigm1841

i had a high performance clutch in my mustang. i pretty much walked around limping my left leg was always so tired. that was of course cable driven whereas BMWs have been using hydroulic clutches for 25+ years. Ford didnt start putting hydroulic clutches in mustangs until 96.

v_therussian

hmmm shop the car's in just happens to be an authorized Dinan shop and I would like to set the car up pretty radically - the only thing that worries me is the reliability and "collateral damages". Thanks for the heads up though

mhs525

If your worried about collateral damage Dinan is the way to go. I had Dinan parts on my M3 and have a Dinan exhaust and stage 1 software in my 545i. No problems ever. Dinan is expensive because it fits right and works right and Dinan are the only non BMW parts that specific BMW dealers sell and install.

methodsound

What about simply upgrading the quality of the clutch disc and throw out bearing? My throw out bearing is rattling when in neutral or in gear. It is only quiet with the clutch pedal pressed all the way down. I have 50K miles on my CPO vehicle and the dealer is telling me I am going to have to pay for a new clutch because the throw out bearing is part of the clutch. I do not really want to buy another stock throw out bearing after having one fail at about 45K.

v_therussian

Definitely a solid way to go.

Reason I was asking for a rec. on a performance setup is basically because I assumed a proper performance setup would be both - more reliable and quicker.

Have you done any research as to which brands to use? So far - as you see - Dinan is leading the research in my case.

melimel

my throwout bearing rattled all the time on my old car. then again i rested my foot on it "occasionally" and i mean that. all i had to do was slightly touch the clutch and it stopped.

vlad go dinan- hey i thought you might get rid of the car? mind change?

v_therussian

Thanks for the kind words and advice, everyone.

I just got word from the shop that the car needs a replacement set positioning motor - this part deosn't require any "digging" - its external on the transfer care. I already ordered the part from Garry Romani