OEM LUK clutch fails at 3,000 miles...

Jeuprx-8 · 15th March 2009, 00:40

So last night, I took out my M5 for a spirited drive and the clutch started smoking. This morning, I went to move it and the clutch was dead and didn't catch at all.

I thought this clutch was meant to be durable. These 3,000 miles do not include any track driving, as it has been winter up here in Michigan.

razahyde · 15th March 2009, 00:50

noway that cant be right...3k miles? are you sure your clutch is the problem?

Jeuprx-8 · 15th March 2009, 00:53

absolutely 100% confident that it is the clutch. The clutch pedal goes to the floor and when it engages, you can feel the engine rev and the car starts to creep as the clutch gets slight grip. This is my 6th BMW, so I know how to take care of them, etc. I am irritated that I didn't get a UUC clutch/flywheel combo. I have that on a few of my other cars and that is a bullet proof package.

alquazi · 15th March 2009, 01:14

Where did you get it from? Could it have been a defct.?

M5CCIE · 15th March 2009, 01:27

Can you describe "spirited drive" and how you engaged the clutch during that drive in detail?

Jeuprx-8 · 15th March 2009, 01:37

A few burnouts and doughnuts.. Still, it is nothing that I haven't done in my M3 or M roadster, without any problems

jimmythefish · 15th March 2009, 02:30

Do a search on UUC clutches on here, I understand that UUC is a great company and have good clutches, but search clutch threads to pic the best UUC clutch for your car, also CNS which is what I put in my car recently seems to be fine so far (think there is one forsale "new" on the for sale section), but I am still in the break in period and I am not hard on my car as others may be....and of course there is a Dinan clutch/flywheel and I think they are still running a 15% rebate. Good luck and sorry to hear about your clutch, but the stock M5 clutch maybe a little light for a 4000lbs 400hp beast with the usual burnouts and doughnuts, but I am not the one to ask.

James

Ben Carufel · 15th March 2009, 02:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeuprx-8

A few burnouts and doughnuts.. Still, it is nothing that I haven't done in my M3 or M roadster, without any problems

Your M3 and M Roadster don't have the torque of the S62.

The E39 M5 clutch is a known weakness.

"A few burnouts and doughnuts" isn't exactly most peoples' definition of a "spirited drive", I wouldn't imagine.

What you have here is one of two things:

- You're abusing the clutch, whether you know it or not.

- You got a defective part.

When engaged/disengaged properly, an E39 M5 clutch will last much longer than 3,000 miles.

emccallum · 15th March 2009, 03:36

The pedal goes to the floor? Sounds more like hydraulic problems. Check your fluid, lines, slave and master cylinders, before diving into the tranny. Make sure the slave cylinder is pushing the clutch fork. The brakes use the same resovoir as the clutch, but the clutch line is above the brake, so a fluid loss in the clutch would not drain enough fluid to kill your brakes.
If you do remove the tranny, and the clutch appears ok, make sure you check flywheel as the dual mass flywheel could have failed and give the same symptoms as a slipping clutch. However, when you say "pedal goes to the floor, it makes me think hydraulic. Typically a cooked clutch still has an ok pedal, unless the pressure plate totally failed.
Dont feel bad I spent a triple the cost of the Luk on a UCC that never worked!
Please post what the problem was, so in six months when someone visits this post we will know what happened to yours.
A few burnouts shouldn't kill the clutch, but, slipping or riding it under high revs will!

RUFM5 · 15th March 2009, 15:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeuprx-8

A few burnouts and doughnuts.. Still, it is nothing that I haven't done in my M3 or M roadster, without any problems

There really is only one option for you with your driving style. Check out the CNS clutch. Mine has been through some serious abuse and it lets me enjoy my car without having to baby it plus it has all the oem benefits.
http://www.cnsracing.com/product.sc?...=2&productId=1