is this my clutch slipping? - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

jkarp · 27th January 2006, 05:42

From a stop, if I'm making a 90 degree right hand turn, it used to be that I could make the rear end slide out easily by giving the car a lot of gas and cranking the wheel.

Now, the RPM's just raise and the back end doesn't break loose. I'm assuming this is my clutch slipping, right? Does this mean that it will fail me completly soon or might I have some time left?

thanks... josh

TiSiBeast · 27th January 2006, 06:51

Sounds like a clutch slip to me. How many miles on the current clutch and do you drive it hard alot?

EM5PWR · 27th January 2006, 06:59

you can smell it !!! LOL

jkarp · 27th January 2006, 07:24

Thanks for the replies guys. I've had the car for 18,000 miles. I'm not sure when (if ever) the stock clutch was replaced. I'm at 80k total, so I'm assuming it's been changed at some point knowing the M5 clutch. How long might I have before it's completely useless? Anyway to tell?

thanks again... josh

a_ok2me · 27th January 2006, 07:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkarp

Thanks for the replies guys. I've had the car for 18,000 miles. I'm not sure when (if ever) the stock clutch was replaced. I'm at 80k total, so I'm assuming it's been changed at some point knowing the M5 clutch. How long might I have before it's completely useless? Anyway to tell?

thanks again... josh

A test I always use is to put it in 4th and floor it. If the rpm jumps, then the clutch is getting bad. If it really jumps, say over 2500 rpm from where you are, then it's getting close. What ever happened to the nav and blinkers?

jkarp · 27th January 2006, 07:52

a_ok,
Thanks for the tip. Do you do the "4th gear test" from a stop or while driving? If driving, at what speed?

As far as the blinker problem, it ended up being my trunk mounted radio. I think it got wet and shorted out, and therefore affected my instrument cluster. Since I needed to get a new radio anyway, I am upgrading to MKIV nav computer and Sirius.

...josh

a_ok2me · 27th January 2006, 08:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkarp

a_ok,
Thanks for the tip. Do you do the "4th gear test" from a stop or while driving? If driving, at what speed?

As far as the blinker problem, it ended up being my trunk mounted radio. I think it got wet and shorted out, and therefore affected my instrument cluster. Since I needed to get a new radio anyway, I am upgrading to MKIV nav computer and Sirius.

...josh

I usually do it while moving when the rpm is low, say <2000 rpm, in a high gear. Then, floor it. If the clutch is still good, then the car will chug along feeling like it needs to be in a lower gear while the rpm needle slowly moves up. If the clutch is getting bad, then the needle will jump and then fall back down. You can't miss it. The speed and gear doesn't really matter as long as it's higher than 4th. Try it at 4th gear at 2000 rpm. It's too hard to test it in a low gear because low gears are naturally jumpy.

HSR · 27th January 2006, 08:44

I had that happen on mine. When they put the new clutch in it had life on it but the pressure plate was toasted.