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Thread: Clutch replacement and cost projections

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Antwerp, Belgium
    Posts
    552

    Default Clutch replacement and cost projections

    Can anyone tell me what should be replaced when a clutch starts to go bad?
    I'm trying to figure out what I'm in for financially in the next six months.
    A clutch disc is priced somewhere from 100$ - 150$, but I see people here having clutch jobs done at up to 2000$ in parts and labor.
    Also, how long does it usually take a reasonably good mechanic to do this?
    2008 audi A3 1.9tdi
    (former 1991 520i LPG)

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
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    PA
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    Hehe just did mine - Its cheap in parts but expensive in labor.

    You need a new or resurfaced/cleaned flywheel
    new flywheel bolts
    new pressure plate bolts
    throw out bearing
    some lithium grease
    clutch disc
    alignment tool
    pressure plate

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Antwerp, Belgium
    Posts
    552

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jon K
    Hehe just did mine - Its cheap in parts but expensive in labor.

    You need a new or resurfaced/cleaned flywheel
    new flywheel bolts
    new pressure plate bolts
    throw out bearing
    some lithium grease
    clutch disc
    alignment tool
    pressure plate
    Thanks for the reply!

    So in essence a 'clutch kit' as sold by many retailers online?
    If that amounts to some 250$-300$ how come there's people getting 2000$ quotes on this stuff?

    It's not an urgent problem but very foreseeable since the clutch starts 'grabbing' very soflty slipping all the way up to the last centimetre of pedal travel where it sticks.

    So is this much slippage from halfway to the last 0.5 inch indicative of some other issue?
    2008 audi A3 1.9tdi
    (former 1991 520i LPG)

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Posts
    225

    Default

    I recently had a clutch job done on my 90 535i, 5spd, 110K miles. The throw bearing was starting to make noise and finally became really loud, so I had a shop replace it. Since he had the tranny out, I had him replace all the seals.
    The shop said my flywheel looked fine.

    The parts replaced include:

    clutch kit $265
    output seal $11
    input seal $12
    shift seal $7
    pilot bearing $6
    pivot pin $1
    exhaust hanger $3
    shifter bushing $7.5

    Labor was the most expensive:

    $450 to replace clutch with pivot pin and pilot bearing
    $95 to replace trans seals and shifter bushing
    $55 to tighten loose differential mount
    $35 to change trans oil (and he used regular oil at $4!)

    After all is said, my car is very, very quiet and shifts fine. However, it is a little stiff when cold, so I plan on changing the fluid back to synthetic (probably Royal Purple).

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    446

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    The 5 speed in my 90 535i is happiest with plain old $2 a qt Dextron 3. I tried the Redline synth version but it was stiff with that so I switched back. I just did the clutch because my throw out bearing failed. Flywheel was fine in mine also & the clutch still had plenty left but I didn't want to go back in again anytime soon. Not to bad a job if you have access to a lift. Biggest PITA was removing the pressure plate bolts.
    Last edited by John B.; 01-13-2007 at 01:05 PM.
    90 535im
    02 R1100S, 87 R100S
    76 R90/S,73 R75/5
    Alfa Romeos- 65 Giulia Spider Veloce
    & 66 Duetto 1600 Spider

  6. #6
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    Dec 2003
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    Quote Originally Posted by John B.
    The 5 speed in my 90 535i is happiest with plain old $2 a qt Dextron 3. I tried the Redline synth version but it was stiff with that so I switched back. I just did the clutch because my throw out bearing failed. Flywheel was fine in mine also & the clutch still had plenty left but I didn't want to go back in again anytime soon. Not to bad a job if you have access to a lift. Biggest PITA was removing the pressure plate bolts.
    No way, the PP bolts were cake for me. You just have to hammer you socket in to them to ensure it won't strip them.

    Biggest PITA for me was removing the starter from the trans since M50 has a guide pin and two bolts on the starter, and then getting that pin to seat when putting it back in - also reaching the top most starter bolt/nut combo was a bitch.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jon K
    No way, the PP bolts were cake for me. You just have to hammer you socket in to them to ensure it won't strip them.

    Biggest PITA for me was removing the starter from the trans since M50 has a guide pin and two bolts on the starter, and then getting that pin to seat when putting it back in - also reaching the top most starter bolt/nut combo was a bitch.

    You don't have to touch the starter on an M30 so no issues there. All my PP bolts were seriously stuck. They'd been on there since 12/89 & the heads were swiss cheese. I ended up heating them with a torch & breaking them loose with a small pair of vise grips. Since I was working alone & without a tranny jack getting the trans back up in there was fun.
    90 535im
    02 R1100S, 87 R100S
    76 R90/S,73 R75/5
    Alfa Romeos- 65 Giulia Spider Veloce
    & 66 Duetto 1600 Spider

  8. #8
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    Dec 2003
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    PA
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    Quote Originally Posted by John B.
    You don't have to touch the starter on an M30 so no issues there. All my PP bolts were seriously stuck. They'd been on there since 12/89 & the heads were swiss cheese. I ended up heating them with a torch & breaking them loose with a small pair of vise grips. Since I was working alone & without a tranny jack getting the trans back up in there was fun.
    Yeah mine were more than likely original too. I had an extra flywheel so I figured if they got stuck I'd just grind the heads off and get them out later.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Posts
    225

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    Quote Originally Posted by John B.
    The 5 speed in my 90 535i is happiest with plain old $2 a qt Dextron 3. I tried the Redline synth version but it was stiff with that so I switched back.
    That's the right thing to do. I recall Brett Anderson, BMW Master Tech and owner of koalamotorsport, stating that not all BMW trannys like synthetic oil like Redline. In that case, he recommended changing back to what the factory ordered.

    Since I bought the car back in 95, with 38K miles, I've always had Redline in it. However, in 2005, at about 97K, I changed both the tranny and diff fluids to Royal Purple. Shifted nice and smooth, like Redline. However, when the clutch was changed, the shop said the fluid was black, which he said was unusual for RP. Since it shifted fine, I plan to give it another shot.

  10. #10
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    May 2006
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    NH
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    2,062

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    I just had my six speed clutch and flywheel done.I took it to the shop on a Thursday morning and i got it back Friday evening.Cost $1,900.00. I live at a Condominium Complex so have no garage or tools ,certainly not anything to drop the tranny so it was never even a remote consideration that i could do any of it myself. The shop said everything looked to be original so i anticipate this to last me longer than the car will run.
    1995 540i Manual build 1/95

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