Does anyone know much about cars?

[DerStrom8]

Hello everyone.

I was on my way home from work yesterday in my 1984 BMW 325e, and I was about to turn onto a side road. I had to stop to let a few cars pass, but then as I put on the gas and let out the clutch, the car just revved--it acted like the clutch was still pushed all the way in.

The first suggestion I got was that I was leaking clutch fluid, which would explain the trail of an oily substance behind my car. But then I was told that no fluid would mean that the clutch would be unable to disengage the transmission, which was not the problem I was having. My problem was the other way around--it would not engage the transmission.
Then someone suggested that my master clutch cylinder may be stuck in, but I wanted to ask for other opinions. Does anyone have any idea what might have happened, and how to fix it?
Thanks.
Der Strom

 

[BrownOut]

Not long ago, I had a leak in my fluid, and sure enough, I could not disengage the transmission (had to drive all the way home in 1st grear!). It does sound like a problem between your master cylinder and clutch cylinder, like a stuck valve or something. You might try just tapping on the master cylinder with a screwdriver handle and see if something becomes 'unstuck'

 

[DerStrom8]

Wow, thanks for the quick reply!

My problem is that the transmission does not re-engage when I let out on the clutch--the opposite of your problem....?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Can you see where the fluid had leaked from?, and does the clutch pedal feel any different?.

I might not be the clutch at all?.

I had a front wheel drive car (Austin Allegro) which did something similar, engine worked, speedo worked, wheels didn't move.

All that was wrong was a broken tab washer, that locks the final drive gear to the differential. The tab washer had broken, and the gear had slid down the speedo drive shaft, disengaging from the diff.

10 pence tab washer, but I had to remove the engine, and split the gearbox from it

 

[BrownOut]

Wow, thanks for the quick reply!

My problem is that the transmission does not re-engage when I let out on the clutch--the opposite of your problem....?

No, it's the same. Not being able to re-engage is the same as not being able to disengage the transmission ( as in your initial message ) We're getting wrapped around the terminology.

 

[BrownOut]

Speaking to Nigel's point, I'd try changing gears with the engine running and not pushing the clutch pedal. If you hear grinding while trying to engage the transmission, then it's probably not the clutch. But if the transmission shifts smoothly, then I'd say it's the clutch.

PS: Don't try to force the gears, and keep your foot firmly on the break. Um, I mean brake.

 

[shortbus=]

Could be the 'throw-out bearing' is stuck on the snout of the transmission. Was it making any noise before the problem? If the bearing spun on the snout it could have galled to it.

 

[DerStrom8]

Can you see where the fluid had leaked from?, and does the clutch pedal feel any different?.

I couldn't quite tell where the fluid was coming from. I would have had to get underneath the car to be able to see it, and being on the side of the road, in the rain and mud, it wasn't a very good idea It appeared to be directly below the brake fluid reservoir, but it was still completely full.
The clutch seems to have a lot less resistance on it now, which would make sense if the master cylinder was broken, or there was no clutch fluid.

No, it's the same. Not being able to re-engage is the same as not being able to disengage the transmission ( as in your initial message ) We're getting wrapped around the terminology.

When I say "re-engage" the motor, I mean letting out the clutch so I can keep driving (connecting the motor to the tranny). When I say "disengage" the motor, I mean putting in the clutch (disconnecting the motor from the transmission). I guess it is just the terminology that's throwing me off

Speaking to Nigel's point, I'd try changing gears with the engine running and not pushing the clutch pedal. If you hear grinding while trying to engage the transmission, then it's probably not the clutch. But if the transmission shifts smoothly, then I'd say it's the clutch.

That's a good point. I should have tried that before I had the car towed to a garage.
I think I might give the guy a call and see if he has any idea what happened yet. I'll post more when I get more info.

 

[BrownOut]

When I say "re-engage" the motor, I mean letting out the clutch so I can keep driving (connecting the motor to the tranny). When I say "disengage" the motor, I mean putting in the clutch (disconnecting the motor from the transmission). I guess it is just the terminology that's throwing me off

Sorry, I think we are confused beyond recovery now. What I meant to say is "yes" it is the opposite of what you're experiencing. But it is the same as what your friend told you would happen.

 

[DerStrom8]

Sorry, I think we are confused beyond recovery now. What I meant to say is "yes" it is the opposite of what you're experiencing. But it is the same as what your friend told you would happen.

Okay, I understand now

 

[Mikebits]

Maybe your throwout bearing? Does not sound fun.

https://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1310795

https://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e...o-regarding-throwout-bearing-replacement.html

 

[shortbus=]

@DerStrom8- any updates on the clutch problem? What was wrong with it?

 

[DerStrom8]

Hi, thanks for asking.

Right now it seems to have settled on the slave cylinder. A possibility is that the slave practically exploded, sending fluid everywhere, greasing up the flywheel and causing the clutch to not grip. I bought a new slave cylinder today and I'll get it put in on Saturday, as well as get everything cleaned up. If that doesn't help, then it looks like it'll be the clutch itself. I have a friend who does a lot of work on cars. He's willing to do the labor for me free, as long as I buy the parts. He expects it to come under $100.

So that's where it stands now. I'm waiting for the tow guys to bring my car to my house from the garage. I'll post updates on sunday and let you know how things went.

Regards,
Der Strom

 

[BrownOut]

Huh? The mechanics couldn't figure out what should be a pretty simple problem?

 

[DerStrom8]

Huh? The mechanics couldn't figure out what should be a pretty simple problem?

The mechanic I brought it to didn't act like he knew anything about BMWs. He didn't even bring the car into the garage. I would not be surprised if he didn't look at it at all. He could have just come up with the most expensive fix he could think of ($800 for a new clutch, including labor). The car is not even worth that, but it's worth $35 if the slave was the problem.

 

[BrownOut]

Yeah, sounds fishy.

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

The exploding slave sounds plausable and not one I would have guessed without an inspection. Less force on the clutch would indicate clutch/slave problems. Replacing the slave was an easy job on one of the cars I had. I had a throwout bearing disentegrate on me too. Some years later, I found out why when I had the opportunity of replacing the clutch myself. On a long trip, the clutch kept slipping every 45 minutes. It was a 5 hour trip to where I was going I chanced it across a 20 mile long bridge. At my destination, I was able to do the job myself with a little help. Makeshift alignment tool and I needed help getting the throwout bearing out. In any event, a BIG bolt was missing from the transmission housing. That was the reason for my short clutch life and it was replaced before, probably twice.

 

[cobra1]

Hi, i have just skimmed through the thread as didnt have time to read it all, but if when you pressed the clutch down the pedal sort of stayed down i.e didnt come back up all the way when releasing, and at the same time the clutch didnt engage this would indicate a master or slave cylinder issue, its usually the slave that goes first.

If the pedal came up all the way and still felt quite stiff, i.e like it was still attached to something, then again the slave could be stuck or the clutch is slipping or badly worn.

usually when a clutch itself starts to go you notice it, slipping in gears especially pulling away.

The last thing to cause a problem is the thrust bearings and holding pins, when these go they allow the clutch plate to just spin with flywheel, giving the impression that the clutch is down when in fact its just free spinning.

hope this sorta helps you.

 

[DerStrom8]

Hi Cobra. Yeah, it did sorta help

I finally got my car home from the garage and I decided to hop in. I tried pushing down the clutch again, and it had more resistance to it than I had remembered it to. I suppose this would suggest that the master cylinder is ok--The pedal feels about normal and comes back out when I let it off.
A friend of mine suggested that the pin on the slave cylinder might have gotten stuck out after pushing in the clutch, and it just doesn't come back in. That seems to make sense, but I won't know for sure until I replace it. I'll have a friend help me put a new one in tomorrow and I'll let you guys know if it worked.
Thanks everyone
Der Strom

 

[Bob Scott]

I see two possibilities.

The oil leak has caused the clutch to slip. I saw this once on an old '50s Jaguar. The Jag looked like my Dad's 2.4 L but this one was a 3 point something. A bad gasket caused oil to slowly leak on the clutch. A temporary "fix" was to engage the clutch with the engine revved up so as to burn off the oil. What the heck! The clutch was toast anyway.

However, I think your problem occurred suddenly, so instead of a bad clutch, you have a broken drive link somewhere. This broken link, whatever it is, is now a piece of metal free to move around inside the drive train, has interfered with the motion of another part, and has punched a hole in either the transmission gear case or the engine block, creating an oil leak. It sounds awfully expensive.