Clutch "stuck" after change

[dbraxton]

Hi All,
The throw-out bearing when bad on my son's 94 318i, so I purchased a clutch kit. I just finished getting everything put back together and now it seems like the clutch is stuck. Everything except the bearing worked fine prior to replacing but now I can put the car in gear without pushing in the clutch, the clutch just doesn't seem to be disengaging. I thought I needed to bleed the system but when I try I get no fluid from the bleeder valve on the slave cylinder. I even took the bleeder valve all the way out and still no fluid.

I am assuming it may be the slave cylinder gone bad but why would it work before. Any suggestions?

Please help! I have spent the last week at this because of some other issues I ran into with the exhaust and drive shaft. My son is ready for his car back.

[Manolito]

I have never touched one of these, but since no one experienced has stepped up, I will offer my uneducated opinion.

You did not mention how the clutch pedal feels when you depress it. That would be a significant indicator.

Since it seems unlikely that any fluid could have drained out while you were working without you're noticing, I would suspect that oxidation, crumbling hose, or crumbling piston had accumulated in your slave cylinder and it shifted around while you were working on the clutch.

I would predict that trying to dismantle and clean a 17-year-old the slave cylinder would not be a good use of your time, other than it might indicate with some certainty what the problem was. Make sure the master will shoot fluid out of the hose when the slave is disconnected.

My bet is that you are looking at $35 for a slave cylinder and another $30 for a hose if it looks questionable. Hard to tell with the hose because we are concerned with the inside rather than the outside. Slaves take a lot more grief than the master cylinder.

[dbraxton]

Thank you Manolito.

The clutch pedal feels like there is some pressure in it but definitely not like it should. It definitely looks like it has the original slave and line on the car. I called the local dealer this morning and am picking up a new slave cylinder and line this afternoon. I am paying more to get it from them but it is the only way I could get it today as I need the car running. I will let you know if this fixes the problem. I sure hope!

[dbraxton]

ok replaced the slave cylinder and bleeded the system. The system now has pressure like it should but the clutch is still not disengaging. I can still put it into gear without applying the clutch.

Ugh! Could I have put something on wrong or could have something broke during assembly to have caused the issue?

[Yurick]

It would appear that way. Can you get someone to pump the clutch pedal while you are underneath the car watching the slave cylinder move?

[A930Rocket]

You say you're able to get into gear without the clutch? Is that with the engine running or not? If the engine is off, you can get into gear no problem.

What happens when you drive it?

My only other thought is some clutches are sent with packing "shims" that you need to remove before or after install.

[dbraxton]

With the car running I can put the car in gear without using the clutch, it is literally like the clutch is stuck. I am thinking that there is something wrong with the release fork or bearing?

Well I will see tomorrow, I will tear everything back apart and see what's happening.

[Jeron]

Were you careful to put the clutch disk on correctly. The disk is marked "gear box side" (except it is in German)