[pizzaman09]

I am wondering if a stock clutch in an e39 M5 can be tightened. My car still has the original clutch with 78k miles on it. For the most part it behaves great, however when I get on the power too quickly in 3rd or 4th gear it wont grab. I have never had issues with gear grinding assuming I have the clutch pedal depressed properly.

Is there a solution to this beyond just replacing the clutch?

 

[Patrick_Arnold]

AFAIK, I don't think so. It's self adjusting.

Pat Arnold

 

[FDigio]

Nope you need a new clutch. Not a bad idea to get a new/resurfaced flywheel as well.

Pressure plate is self adjusting which means it adjusts to accommodate wear to the clutch friction plate. If you're slipping like that it's time to change. I went 144k on my original clutch and flywheel and the friction surface was completely gone, and it wasn't even slipping as bad as you describe yours :sad3:

 

[pizzaman09]

^ Unfortunately that is what I was figuring. The clutch has been like this since I bought the car in August with 69k miles on it.

Well after paint it looks like the clutch will be next on the big repair list.

 

[SleeperM5]

Fear not, it is a manageable job and great opportunity for pm and upgrades.

 

[mordor110]

Only other suggestion I have is try driving it easy for a couple of days and see if the SAC adjusts for the sudden wear from the recent slipping incidents? That may buy you a little time, but as others have said it's ready to be changed soon.

 

[sikessr]

^ Unfortunately that is what I was figuring. The clutch has been like this since I bought the car in August with 69k miles on it.

Well after paint it looks like the clutch will be next on the big repair list.

Not sure if you meant it this way, but I would prioritize a new clutch before new paint.

 

[pizzaman09]

I have already spent over a week driving it very easy to see what maximum fuel mileage I could achieve, so if driving easy would make it self adjust, it would have already.

The slipping isn't recent, it has been that way since I bought it 9k miles ago. It hasn't gotten any worse, it is just starting to get one my nerves when I want to drive spiritedly.

Not sure if you meant it this way, but I would prioritize a new clutch before new paint.

It is already scheduled to spend a week in the paint shop starting tomorrow so yes, that is the way I meant it.
Funds are not really the issue, it is more just finding time to schedule it or decide to tackle the clutch job myself.

 

[blackxs]

It self adjusts in any driving circumstance, it doesnt matter if you drive hard or easy or anything in between. If the clutch is regularly not holding the power of the engine and slipping as you describe, it needs a clutch. Thats all there is to it.

 

[mordor110]

It self adjusts in any driving circumstance, it doesnt matter if you drive hard or easy or anything in between. If the clutch is regularly not holding the power of the engine and slipping as you describe, it needs a clutch. Thats all there is to it.

There were a couple of times I accidentally overheated my clutch doing stupid things in 2nd during my first year of ownership. I noticed for a little while driving right afterwards I'd have some light slip hard shifting especially from 3rd to 4th. It would be ok the next time I drove the car after it had all cooled down. I figured it just needed a brief period to cool off and the SAC to ratchet down and compensate for the sudden wear factor LOL.

But yeah if OP has this issue all the time he needs a clutch job most likely.