BMW Bible » Clutch

Where do I add the fluid for a 1988 BMW 325I Manual Transmission?

admin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 01:06:01 +0000

My clutch was working great and then brake fluid light came on, I rode for a few days (not far) but when I got in this morning the clutch went to the floor. Has no pressure, I am not sure if there is air in the line but I dont know where to add the fluid? PLEASE HELP!

The clutch and the brakes share the same fluid. If you have no pressure with your clutch, then your brakes won’t have any as well or will not have any after a few more pumps. You should take this one into the shop.

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SERIOUS EXPERIENCED ANSWERS PLEASE: Does the Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) of BMW have a clutch pedal?

admin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 01:05:17 +0000

An ordinary manual transmission car has 3 pedals: gas, brake, and clutch. How about the DCT? Does the DCT only have gas and brake? Does it have paddle shifters? Please answer all questions and how do you drive it? Is the procedure just like the SMG in the BMW M5 and M6?

From a driving perspective yes it’s the same as the M5 and M6 with SMG as there is no clutch pedal. The biggest difference is the uninterupted flow of power.
The M DCT with Drivelogic combines two gearbox
components in one common housing with the same compact dimensions as a conventional manual gearbox. The “heart” of the new M double-clutch transmission in technical terms is formed by the two oil-cooled wet clutches.
One of the two clutches is for the even (2, 4, 6), the other for the uneven (1, 3, 5, 7) gears and, in addition, for the reverse gear. While driving, one of the two clutches is always closed, the other is open.
When accelerating – and when shifting down – the clutches are activated in an alternating process, one after the other. When shifting gears, the first clutch opens just as the second clutch is closing. This ensures an absolutely smooth and comfortable and at the same time an incomparably
fast gearshift without the slightest interruption in the flow of power.
This interaction of two clutches ensures a super fast rate of gear change in particular because the transmission control unit pre-selects the next gear with the transmission ratio matched ideally to engine and road speed and keeps this
gear waiting for immediate operation.
So when you’re accelerating, say, in third gear, an immediate flow of power is ensured by the appropriate clutch and the gearbox component controlling the uneven gears.
While all this is happening, the gearbox segment responsible for the even gears shifts to the gear required, in this case to fourth gear. The only operation required for this purpose is to close the clutch for fourth gear, at the same time opening the clutch for third gear, the power of the engine then being transmitted through the new gear with its different ratio to the wheels.
This entire process takes only a few milliseconds, meaning that in the time a skilled driver takes to press down the clutch pedal the DCT has easily completed the entire process of shifting gears, continuing to accelerate in the next gear higher up.
There are also 11 programs of driving styles ranging from auto comfort to super sport.

Oh – and of course launch control! Houston – we have lift off….

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Anybody ever use their Streptronic transmission in their BMW?

admin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 01:05:15 +0000

I just purchased an ‘04 BMW X5 with Steptronic. I am a former manual transmission driver but have found the "shifting" of the steptronic rather odd. I keep wanting to reach for the clutch but of course there isn’t one and cannot get the transmission to shift smoothly regardless. How exactly do you do it!? I do think it is neat and I am sure it will be more fuel efficient I am just new to it. Any pointers or tips?

i too went from a manual car into a BMW w/ Steptronic..

i release the gas pedal between shift points… but i mainly use it to down shift… it works great when your on the highway and traffic comes to a rapid stop

overall you’ll just gotta practice w/ it. Its not going to feel like a real manual tranny.. but it not too bad

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1997 bmw m3 reverse is hard to go into?

admin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:33:44 +0000

it seems fairly hard to go past the gate and get into reverse all the other gears seem fine to go into what is the problem?

Is it the gear that’s difficult to get in, or just that you have a tough time getting it past the spring-loaded detent that stops you selecting reverse by mistake?

If it’s the latter, change your technique a little. Actually wind up (only a little!) and slap the lever over to the left, through the detent. It’s easier than trying to push it sideways.

While it’s possibly it’s your clutch on the way out, I’d suggest changing your transmission fluid first. It may help, and it’s much cheaper! Use a quality synthetic: BMW’s own fluid, Redline D4ATF, Mobil 1 ATF or Royal Purple Syncromax. When you do this, be sure to loosen the fill plug before the drain plug! You don’t want to drain the fluid only to find you can’t get it back in.

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how to shift into reverse a BMW 3 series 1985-1990 car? i can see where reverse is, but cant get into it.?

admin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:32:49 +0000

Well make sure you have the clutch all the way down and push real hard to the left and up. Put some muscle into it . I drive one and I use two hands to pull it over and up sometimes.

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How do I properly use the launch control feature in my 2002 BMW m3 with SMG?

admin — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:05:06 +0000

I just purchased a bmw m3 with smg.
I heard that this car has launch control, a bit limited in US, but its still there. Does anyone know how to use this? I have the sport button, smg control, and a dsc button. Also have the paddle shifters, and am driving pretty good with them now.
Also, I understand that this may be bad for the tranny, but I still want to know how to do it.
Thanks to all!

There are 2 drive programs for your particular car’s SMG.
1) A-Mode, automated, from A1 (starts in 2nd gear for
snowy roads) to A5 (sporty)
2) S-Mode, sequential shifting, from S1 (relaxed dynamic)
to S5 (sporty), and as a special feature, S6 (super
sporty).
I think you are interested in knowing about S6 which is also called "acceleration boost". To use S6, DSC must be turned off, and the S6 program must be active. The shift lever must now be pushed forward and the accelerator pedal depressed. The acceleration boost is performed as soon as the shift lever is released. Further gear shifts are done manually.
Furthermore, there are 2 types of S6 boost. The "racing start"
and the "burnout" mode, both of which are extremely harmful to the clutch and to the whole drivetrain.
Depressing the accelerator slowly to the floor activates racing start. This means fastest acceleration without wheelspin (due to the computer comparing front and rear wheel speeds). Depressing the pedal quickly to the floor activates burnout mode after the shift lever is released. This can be dangerous since the rear of the car can made unstable due to extreme wheelspin.
Burnout mode can be bad not only for the car but also for the driver. Implement the same at your own risk (perhaps in a race track, or an empty rural airport?).

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Is the SMG Transmission of BMW same as the new M Double Clutch Transmission with Drivelogic in the E92 M3?

admin — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:10:20 +0000

Since the M6 and M5 both have 7-speed SMGs, does the new BMW M3 have it in another name – M Double Clutch Transmission with Drivelogic? (aside from the manual transmission, of course).

The transmission in the new M3 is called M DCT (Dual clutch transmission) It is a form of of direct shift gearbox (DSG) just now has better technology and dual clutch.
Read to the bottom of this link, where it mentions the M3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin-clutch_gearbox

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