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      10-05-2011, 01:52 PM   #8
Finnegan
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Drives: Z4M/. Z3M, E36/46 M3
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Teaching the dog to slalom

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve335 View Post
I spoke with the service adviser and he confirmed with the tech that this is normal due to the new clutch. It's supposed to feel like "butter" he said. He also said the pedal should get stiffer over time and usage. I'm not sure if I believe him 100% tho
The clutch itself, on engagement, should feel smoother and better if the old one was worn or out of spec. Nice and smooth--"like butter"--man, just a bit of hyperbole huh?

Does the clutch engagement point move, or is the pedal just feel slightly softer? Try this: put the car in gear (safe location like a open parking lot), depress the clutch just past the engagement point, hold it there 30-60 seconds. I would suspect if there were air in the line the engagement point would "slip" and the clutch would begin to engage. (That would be akin to a soft brake pedal where the air compresses and the pedal moves/is soft--fluid doesn't compress, so the engagement point should stay stable). If the engagement point is stable the dealer might not be off base. Anyone else have input on this?

I'm sure you know this as well, but a new clutch and new transmission have a break-in period. Clutch takes 300-400 miles IIRC, and you want to be easy on it and the transmission during break in (keep the revs down and don't use full throttle). Read the manual on that. It's 1,200 miles on the transmission IIRC, and at the end of that the lubricant should be changed. (Typical M break-in requires all fluids, engine, transmission, diff to be changed out at 1,200--since just the transmission is new, service s/b done at 1,200.)
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