Pressure Plate Rattle

[spielnicht]

I can't remember where I read this, but seems like manual Z4s suffer from a pressure plate rattle noise when the clutch is disengaged. I usually notice it only when I switch the engine off, but yesterday I was idling while waiting at the drive through and couldn't believe how much louder the noise is when it's bouncing off the wall. Needless to say, felt a little embarrassed between all the other cars there and had to keep my clutch engaged to shut it up.

Is there an easy fix, or is this something you just suck up and live with?

[Steeler]

Could also be throwout bearing.

[pungo]

Originally Posted by spielnicht

I can't remember where I read this, but seems like manual Z4s suffer from a pressure plate rattle noise when the clutch is disengaged. I usually notice it only when I switch the engine off, but yesterday I was idling while waiting at the drive through and couldn't believe how much louder the noise is when it's bouncing off the wall. Needless to say, felt a little embarrassed between all the other cars there and had to keep my clutch engaged to shut it up.

Is there an easy fix, or is this something you just suck up and live with?

My E86 3.0si made a rattling sound I could barely hear, typically only in the quiet garage, in neutral, clutch not depressed, when pressing on the clutch pedal, the rattle would go away. This was with < 5k miles on the car. After much research and talking with a very knowledgeable master BMW tech, the rattling sound is typically caused by the duel mass flywheel and some vehicles are more noticeable than others due to the tolerances in the part.

AFAIK, there's no fix short of replacing the flywheel and even then it may or may not completely eliminate the rattle. Though if yours is so loud it's embarrassing, maybe it's something else or the tolerances of the flywheel assembly are at the extreme end. I've read of people switching to a traditional flywheel.

Originally Posted by Steeler

Could also be throwout bearing.

Without the clutch pedal pressed, the throwout bearing should not be spinning and should be pulled back away the the clutch a few millimeters, kinda just sitting there doing nothing.
A bad throwout bearing typically makes noise only when pressing on the clutch where it actually starts spinning.