Clutch line replacement DIY

russap5 · Mar 17, 2010

Thanks for the DIY. What are the symptoms of a leaking clutch line?

vantaam5 Discussion starter · Mar 17, 2010

Drew,sometimes the pedal is a bit too soft.But you see only from underneath if it is sweating.Worst case is the line blows and the pedal stays on the floor.Have to change anotherone next week,also a few members had theirs changed yet.
Costs about 30$ and an hour labour.
Better than getting stranded somewhere....

OC e39r · Mar 18, 2010

Here is another thing to change soon,O man.. my list for the 100k maintenance is growing long
Vantaa.. can you post the part no. and save us some search ?
Regards

herrubermensch · Mar 18, 2010

Raikku, thanks for the DIY! This is great! Did you use a stock clutch line or a custom one? Looks stock, but I thought you were going custom.

--Peter

Quicksilv3r · Mar 18, 2010

Wow great write-up! I'll put this on the list as well.

Zubehor · Mar 18, 2010

great write-up thanks for sharing

vantaam5 Discussion starter · Mar 18, 2010

Thanks,everyone for the comments!
Part number is:21526751171

Peter,had a problem with the connection on the master cylinder side with the braided hose I built.Ordered a different connector which might take another two weeks until it is here:confused2
I did not want to take chances with my old line and the new OEM part is so cheap.You know I am a bit paranoide on failing parts,so the whole last week each time I used the clutch,I waited for the pedal to stay on the floorouich
Have now more relaxed driving with the new line in until the rest for my braided line comes.

herrubermensch · Sep 10, 2010

Did you ever put together the braided clutch line, Raikku? UUC keeps saying they are going to sell one for our cars, but it never seems to materialize.

--Peter

M5 London · Mar 18, 2010

Excellent write up sir !!

On my todo list ! My mechanic hates you !!!

vantaam5 Discussion starter · Mar 18, 2010

M5 London said:
My mechanic hates you !!!

I know:biggrin::biggrin:

Kelster · Mar 18, 2010

Clutch line Failure

I had a clutch line that burst suddenly and the clutch pedal went straight to the floor. This was a replacement Dinan S3 clutch that had been giving signs that it was going to fail; it was already slipping under load in 5th. The clutch pedal had gotten progressively harder to depress over the previous weeks and this was a clutch pedal that was overly stiff to begin with. Wound up calling AAA and having the beast flatbedded to my indy mechanic. The resolution with Dinan was unsatisfactory.

Ray

vantaam5 Discussion starter · Mar 18, 2010

Ray,my pedal was sometimes harder to push and then softer again like it used to be.
Now it seems to have the smoothness it used to have.

Guess you were pretty unhappy when the clutch line blew...

Kelster · Mar 19, 2010

Clutch Line Failure

It blew late on a Sunday evening while I was returning home with my wife. I was exiting at the W79th Street exit off the southbound West Side Highway. I rolled through the stop sign at the bottom of the ramp and onto the shoulder of the traffic circle. The thing that galls me the most about this failure was the fact that this clutch should have been replaced long before this event, because of the previously mentioned slippage issue. I was arguing (unsuccessfully as it turned out) with Dinan and my indy that this should be a warranty replacement. Ultimately I wound up eating the cost of a whole new S3 clutch package and flywheel installation.

Unhappy doesn't begin to describe my feeling.

Mike S. · Mar 19, 2010

Thanks, Raikku. Another DIY to add to the files for whenever the time comes for me.

NogginM5Beast · Mar 19, 2010

yeahhh buddy. Did this exact same job three weeks or so ago. Clutch line was torn on both rubber ends, brake fluid was clearly pooling on the outside when crawling underneath. Thanks for posting pics? Line is cheap, job isnt too difficult so not really that big of a deal.

Chadderz2010 · Jul 16, 2010

In a RHD drive car in the UK built Jan 2002, looked up the part number on Real OEM as:-

21 52 1165417 REPAIR KIT CLUTCH LINE, Although it is not shown as ended on Real OEM this part is no longer available.

What you will need is as per below.

21 52 1164472 ZB KUPPLUNGSLEITUNG VOM GEBERZYLINDER AKA Clutch Line
34 32 6757282 INTERMEDIATE PIECE, M10X1
21 52 1164303 BRACKET
21 52 1164473 ZB KUPPLUNGSLEITUNG ZUM HALTER AKA Clutch Line
21 52 1164603 GROMMET
21 52 1164710 BRACKET

Hope this is of help to someone.

Regards
Chad

sipi · Jul 16, 2010

Ladies, Raikku has done to my car almost every diy what he has wrote, and I really suggest that you guys take care of all the things as a preventive maintenance. My car has seen 130.000 km's and the history of this car is good. We've seen quite many M5's coming to Raikku's garage to have some sort of inspection and almost every car needs at least one of the diys

This statement is just my '20c to all of the board members that should give big hand to this crazy mc gyver who keeps posting here all the good stuff which is going gonna save lots of money for all of us!

ps. Raikku, I'll drink atleast one for you today, enough said

- drunken sipi

vantaam5 Discussion starter · Jul 17, 2010

You know which of my DIYs is still missing on your car,brother:7::7

uich
Just ask mailman for the parts list:biggrinbounce:

Have BTW a new favorite maintenance item,the fuel pressure regulator vaccum line....
We change it on sipi's car next week.Will write a short DIY about it as well,if wished.

Many of these maintenance things seem not too much related to car age and mileage.Might sound strange,but on the 10+ E39 M5s I take now and then care of an observation I made....

Sipi's and mine are one of the lower mileage and high maintenance facelifts.But still each time we check our cars,we find more stuff to replace.And I am not talking about cosmetical or senseless stuff

P.S.: Sorry didn't call you yesterday evening,but am hanging now home with a flu and was not in the mood to go out!

Apeman · Jul 18, 2010

vantaam5 said:
Have BTW a new favorite maintenance item,the fuel pressure regulator vaccum line....
We change it on sipi's car next week.Will write a short DIY about it as well,if wished.

What's this about and what problems does it cause?

vantaam5 Discussion starter · Jul 18, 2010

The rubber elbow hose that connects to the bank2 throttle bodies gets brittle due to heat and age.

Two potential problems arise:

Vaccum leakage and incorrect fuel pressure.

Mike S. · Jul 18, 2010

I have my replacement line in hand (vacuum) and will change it out, maybe today!

vantaam5 Discussion starter · Jul 18, 2010

Let me know in which condition the old one was!

gixxeridaz · Dec 28, 2012

wanted to ask car is in shop now i gave in lol so replaced slave as pm and when bleeding i noticed a leak etc couldnt find it for the life of me so my indy said it was the master leaking replaced that today and he said the line is "balloning" would that allow the clutch not to engage? when the car is off it goes into gear fine once on seems like the slave isnt pressing the throwout bearing far enough etc even used a longer rod stage 3 cm clutch and pressure plate.... my question is would the balloning affect ie weak section of line allow for that pressure not to be applied properly to the slave? new line has been ordered cheapest part ive bought in many years for the beast will not be hear until thursday though and i wanted to be driving the beast out of town for the new year bummer...

NCVU · Jul 17, 2013

Thanks for the great DIY!

M3Fan · Nov 23, 2013

Noticed a bulge in my clutch line while doing a clutch job this week, so I appreciate the DIY. As I handled the clutch line, the outer casing just disintegrated in my hands. This line definitely has a service life which I'd put at about 13 years! If you're doing a clutch job, budget time for this repair.

Let me add that this was seriously the biggest PITA of the entire clutch job, by far! The dead pedal is a total PITA to get out and even more mysterious to get in. There are various tabs and rubber feet on the back of the dead pedal that are very difficult if not impossible to re-align! It's a wrestling match. Also, the carpet is ultra-thick and RIGHT where you need room, you can't get it, which is right behind the gas pedal. That's where the line comes through.

On top if that, the rubber GROMMET— what an evil little piece of rubber that is. I probably burned 30 minutes getting that SOB to seat. Brutal.

herrubermensch · Nov 23, 2013

Yeah, that grommet is a *****. I got brake fluid all over the place, too.

--Peter

hammerin hank · May 9, 2014

Late to the party, but ya, the dead pedal is the worst part of the job. Why they couldn't just screw the damn thing in, is beyond me. I also now know why these cars weigh over 4000lbs. A 1000lbs of it is carpet and padding....lol

A few tips:

When pulling out the dead pedal/kick panel, pull it straight back towards you at first and then gradually arch the leading edge it toward the passenger side as you work the rubber feet out of their holes.

If you're replacing an original clutch line, be aware that little circlip, on the output side, is more than likely seized to the fitting. I actually ended up disconnecting the line at the output cylinder and then taking the upper and lower lines to my bench to get the clip out. I also had to put the fitting in a vice to get the upper and lower lines separated after the clip was out. Be prepared to order a new lower line if it's too far gone or if you just don't want to screw with it. The part no is 21521162116. $37 and some change from ECS.

AdamPA1006 · Apr 24, 2015

Hello Vantam, any chance you can get these pictures re-uploaded? Without pictures no way an amateur like me can do it. I do know how to get the dead pedal out, have done that before. So if I cant do it myself, anyone know how long in labor an average shop should charge?

Clemster · Apr 24, 2015

Adam,

I've done so many clutch jobs recently that I can't remember if yours was worn. If you need to, give me a call and I'll walk you through it.

AdamPA1006 · Apr 25, 2015

Thank you for that offer Clemster, I will be in touch.

Gouki · Aug 17, 2018

Anyone happen to save this locally? I have the clutch line in hand and am waiting for the hard line to tranny.

Clutch line replacement DIY

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