I need a new clutch - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

zarnd · 31st July 2008, 12:58

i was "using" the car yesterday, and the clutch went. The car is driveable, i did 150 miles home but put it in 4th, 5th or 6th and floor it and the revs climb and i go nowhere at all, so a new clutch is needed.

Now i have a slight issue. Do i replace the oem clutch with another? The M5 is a 2002 and has done 38886 miles since new. I am assuming that it is still on the original clutch and flywheel.

I can get a new oem clutch next day from BMW, flywheel too. I am also going to get the work done at my work to save on labour too.

Now, if i were to upgrade the clutch, what would people recommend? I have searched throught various posts. I still want to maintain driveability of the car with a nice pedal feel and be able to cope with it in stop start city traffic for example.

Currently the car has a standard engine, but will be tweaked a little probably with a remap and race cats later this year or early next year. I do 3 trips to the Nurburgring a year and also the odd track day, so i need a clutch kit that can take the abuse, but also so that the Mrs can drive it too!

I am looking at the following set-ups from CA Automotive.

Rogue clutch and flywheel
Spec clutch stage 2 and retain the oem flywheel
CNS clutch and flywheel kit

Are there any others that would be recommended at all? Also, for example, if i were to just replace the clutch with a Spec stage 2 clutch, at this mileage, would i be expecting to replace the flywheel as well? I know it's difficult to say without looking at it, but i want to try and avoid having the car on a ramp for two weeks whilst ordering bits and would like to get it done all on one go!

thanks in advance!

rnh204 · 31st July 2008, 21:13

Here's my opinion, if you plan on keeping the car long term, greater than 5 year or more than 100k miles. You should definitely research the aftermarket clutch companies.

If not with your low miles you can probably keep the old flywheel and get an OEM clutch off of Ebay for 1/10th of the cost of the aftermarket clutches and it will last you atleast another 40K miles. Plus since the $ is so weak, you could probably get the clutch for less than 150 pounds.

eBay Motors: LUK NEW CLUTCH KIT REPSET 00-03 BMW M5 E39 / Z8 (item 150165313339 end time Aug-20-08 18:26:58 PDT)

I can vouch for the clutch from this seller, it works like OEM and the feel is the same. I've had it on my car for about 6K miles and one track day.

zarnd · 31st July 2008, 23:47

ok, thanks for the advice!

will have a think. there are many differing opinions floating about!

cheers

blueaudis4 · 1st August 2008, 01:03

Turner Motorsport - Item# 520-165SK-B413 - E39 M5 JB Racing Aluminum Flywheel/Sachs 280mm Clutch Package - E39

You won't be disappointed.

kindanutz · 1st August 2008, 15:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueaudis4

Turner Motorsport - Item# 520-165SK-B413 - E39 M5 JB Racing Aluminum Flywheel/Sachs 280mm Clutch Package - E39

You won't be disappointed.

said he wants to keep the car drivable... ur definatly going to have to feather the gas with a jb racing flywheel... i went with the cns... great package... i couldn't believe an enlarged clutch with greater clamping force could have almost the same characteristics as the OEM setup... the pedal is alittle heavier, but all around the cns is a solid setup... definalty takes a beating...

emccallum · 1st August 2008, 16:11

IMO, OE is the way to go. Local parts houses here will give you a lifetime warranty on the clutch, so when it goes again you are only out the labor. Only the OE will feel like the OE. With your low miles, I would consider not replacing the flywheel, unless it is visibly trashed. You can clean it up good with abrasives, and save a good bit of money. My clutch went at 34K. I put in an aftermarket clutch for about 2k and it was awful. Replaced it with a OE clutch cleaned the flywheel and I am at 53K with no problems. I am in the hole 700 bucks for the aftermarket cr*p, I tried! Dont repeat my mistake.

zarnd · 1st August 2008, 17:15

thanks for the advice guys. i have plumped for the oem clutch, and am going to leave the flywheel as it is unless it has had it!

CNS certainly seems a viable option for future reference for FI etc...

cheers

FitForFives · 2nd August 2008, 01:11

I might be a little late in saying this, but I have always heard that the E39 M5 OEM clutch was not really strong enough to handle our cars in the long run. I read this on the forums and all over the web. When I bought my beast it already had the UUC V12 clutch conversion. I am very happy with it, but do not have anything to compare it to. Good luck.

zarnd · 2nd August 2008, 13:26

yes everyone has said that the clutch is a weak point. I like the oem clutch pedal feel. At the moment whilst the car is standard, i can't really justify putting an uprated one in at the moment

Be interesting to see how long this one lasts, and if i get away without replacing the flywheel this time i bet it will definately need doing next time as well

cheers

gherardini · 3rd August 2008, 06:39

I'm having my clutch done right now @ 50,000, went with a CNS racing clutch and it should be done early next week. I felt it had been going for about the last 5,000 miles [I bought it at 36k]. When the mech pulled the clutch off, the flywheel was toast! And likely gone before I even purchased it. Which made a lot of sense, I didn't feel like I'd ever really had everything the ///M could give, I don't think that I ever chirped the tires, and it wasn't for lack of trying.

These are big, powerful cars. If you want to ride them like they were meant to be ridden and you plan on keeping it for the next 50k - 60k miles, put in a strong, solid aftermarket clutch like Turner or CNS. They will allow you to drive the ///M and never worry about the clutch going again. Yes, a bit more expensive, but increased performance and piece of mind are what you get for it.