E34 Clutch problems

zaleonardz

Well-known member
So its official,

I had my first breakdown with the E34.. actually still not, cause I managed to nurse her home.

I have lost half of the peddle feel on my clutch pedel. I opened up the clutch resevoir, and saw that the container was empty.

I checked for leaks, could not find any, topped up with fluid, bled the clutch again, and drove to drove to Sasolburg.

When I got home, the peddle was half again.

So considering that I find no leaks, and I do not smell any clutch fluid in the car, I suspect that it is leaking out of the slave cylinder into the bellhousing...

So new slave cylinder, or does anybody else have any explanations...
 

conquest

Member
i think you hit it on the nail there, from the sounds of it... exactly the same thing happened to me 2 months ago. half pedal... no fluid... top up,bleed and drove fine for a few weeks and then left the car standing for a week... no clutch.

had to replace the slave cylinder... couldnt find one for my 540i/6... agents said over R3k ex-germany so i had to make a different diameter one fit....

advantage was a much stiffer clutch pedal... was always too soft for my liking...
 
J

Jandre

Guest
Now see, the auto does not have this problem. Haha. Sorry bud, but with your skills, i am sure she will be roaring to go in 30 minutes flat.
 

zaleonardz

Well-known member
:spit: @ Jandre... Correct Auto does not have this problem :)

I see that there is a rebuild kit available for both the master and the slave according to realoem, so they are servicable.

So, drop the car off with dave from CBF tomorrow morning, and be all like "David... FIX... GO"

Should be a couple of bob, I hope so as I am already poor this month....
 

conquest

Member
thats interesting... i was under the impression the plastic slave cylinders were not serviceable... unless our units are different.

please let us know the outcome... good for future knowledge...
 

zaleonardz

Well-known member
I'll let you know...

Out of interest
32 REPAIR KIT INPUT CYLINDER CLUTCH FAG 1 21521158144 $63.17
32 REPAIR KIT OUTPUT CYLINDER CLUTCH 1 21521159332 $40.73

This is as per REALOEM.

But watch that "not servicable" items, its bull, I was told the same on my H31 brake master and hydro booster... yet managed to service them both.

Whats further interesting is that the rebuild kit for the output cylinder is common for the E32,E34,E36,E38,E39,E46 but realoem has been known to be dodgy.

Will let ya know,
 

rick540

///Member
I'm sure if you remove and dismantle and measure the diameters it should be easy to find a generic seal that fits.

I make sure I bleed hydraulic clutches twice a year as they pick up loads of particles in the fluid and and it always seems to get dirty fast (Must be something to do with the large amount of movement compared to brakes)
 

Raybimmer

New member
Typical : no user serviceable parts inside prepare to have your wallet raped:banghead:
Jandre :excited:
I once went to spares shop for a clutch plate and salesman asked manual or auto :hammerhead:
CDV removal ?
Good luck
 

FFDGP

New member
Raybimmer said:
Typical : no user serviceable parts inside prepare to have your wallet raped:banghead:
Jandre :excited:
I once went to spares shop for a clutch plate and salesman asked manual or auto :hammerhead:
CDV removal ?
Good luck

i had a similar problem as well a good few weeks ago, i just bought the rebuild kit and the car was back on road the same day.
 

zaleonardz

Well-known member
Booked in at CBF this morning.

David is going to both the master and the slave for me including a pressure bleed.

Total with labour will be a maximum of R1700, but David said it depends what went wrong, there is a non return valve in both cylinders that if problematic, they are like R300 each, so we will see what the damage is. But he always quotes me higher or worst case scenario.

It would of been cheaper to buy the recon kits and do it myself, but David has equipment to hone the cylinders as well to make sure that they are perfectly cylindrical.

So I shall let you guys know, but I should have her back today.
 

rick540

///Member
I agree

Sometimes I leave it to others when the job is just too crap like cluches and slave cyls, rear crank seals, however I find myself checking the tightness of every bolt afterwards, pay for the job and still do the QC
 

zaleonardz

Well-known member
Yea Rick,

Although I trust dave, he is the owner and double checks everything himself...

Results were 2 x oem rebuild kits from BMW, resleeve the slave, rebuild the master, pressure bleed, rework rear drums (handbrake not gripping nicely) total bill R1400.

I was not budgeting for this... but ya
 

andrewbuch

///Member
LZ does CBF work on all makes of cars?? Are they cheaper than other places?

The girlfriends corsa needs a clutch kit & the brakes to be looked at..
 

zaleonardz

Well-known member
CBF does all makes of cars, but they specialize in clutch and brake, hence CBF = Clutch and brake fitment.

Had a Corsa Lite plus that I took up to him the other day, was like R900 for pads and 2 new discs...
 
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