Pressure plate crunching

11135i · 01-30-2012, 02:00 AM

Anyone had experience with this before? I had posted originally about my car ticking when changing gears (between 2nd to 3rd, 1st to 3rd, 2nd to neutral are when it's the loudest) and that's what the dealership mechanic said was most likely the noise I was hearing.

I'm not feeling anything on the clutch and it's quite mute, it only becomes obvious when I'm driving through residential areas with the windows down and it's making a leaf crunching sound each time the clutch is re-engaged into neutral or 3rd from 2nd.

So what exactly does this mean and why isn't this a big deal? Google isn't really saying anything about this and I'm sort of lost as to whether or not I should just take their word and say the noise is within specifications or if I need to press harder. I've already been to a few dealerships and this one dealership has been the only one kind enough to say, "well, something does sound a bit funny but it's perfectly normal". Still, why is it only apparent around 2nd gear? Can anyone assuage my fears about this?

Focusedintntions · 01-30-2012, 07:37 AM

Do you feel any weird vibrations or sponginess in the clutch pedal or is it only audible with the windows down?

Dackelone · 01-30-2012, 09:12 AM

That does not sound normal to me. Maybe your release bearing is too loose or getting ready to bite the big one! Have you driven your car thru any deep water? Sometimes that can wash away the grease on the fingers of the release fork, where it mates to the release bearing. Basically the only way to know whats going on is to have your dealer pull the trans and have a look. Worse case they can bill BMW for a new rear main seal or even all new clutch parts - to ge rid of this noise. I would talk to your dealer's service manager and go for a drive.

11135i · 01-30-2012, 12:38 PM

Nothing is apparent in the clutch pedal and it's barely perceptible without rolling the windows down or if I'm intently listening to it. Never driven through deep water afaik and if it was the release bearing, wouldn't it be apparent in all the gears? The service adviser had told me to take a ride with the head mechanic and he was the one who diagnosed it as such.

The noise is just so damned silent though and I always end up taking the car far far away with a SA, only to have them write up "within spec" after they look at it or "could not replicate". It's loud enough in my area though where it's silent enough ><

01-30-2012, 02:00 AM	#1
11135i Enlisted Member 7 Rep 35 Posts Drives: 2008 135i MT Join Date: May 2011 Location: Sunny Socal iTrader: (0)	Pressure plate crunching Anyone had experience with this before? I had posted originally about my car ticking when changing gears (between 2nd to 3rd, 1st to 3rd, 2nd to neutral are when it's the loudest) and that's what the dealership mechanic said was most likely the noise I was hearing. I'm not feeling anything on the clutch and it's quite mute, it only becomes obvious when I'm driving through residential areas with the windows down and it's making a leaf crunching sound each time the clutch is re-engaged into neutral or 3rd from 2nd. So what exactly does this mean and why isn't this a big deal? Google isn't really saying anything about this and I'm sort of lost as to whether or not I should just take their word and say the noise is within specifications or if I need to press harder. I've already been to a few dealerships and this one dealership has been the only one kind enough to say, "well, something does sound a bit funny but it's perfectly normal". Still, why is it only apparent around 2nd gear? Can anyone assuage my fears about this?
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01-30-2012, 07:37 AM	#2
Focusedintntions Colonel 105 Rep 2,696 Posts Drives: 2011 135i M-Sport :D Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: NoVA iTrader: (1)	Do you feel any weird vibrations or sponginess in the clutch pedal or is it only audible with the windows down? __________________ Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death… – Hunter Thompson
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01-30-2012, 09:12 AM	#3
Dackelone European Editor 10589 Rep 22,992 Posts Drives: N54 e82 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Bayern, Germany iTrader: (1)	That does not sound normal to me. Maybe your release bearing is too loose or getting ready to bite the big one! Have you driven your car thru any deep water? Sometimes that can wash away the grease on the fingers of the release fork, where it mates to the release bearing. Basically the only way to know whats going on is to have your dealer pull the trans and have a look. Worse case they can bill BMW for a new rear main seal or even all new clutch parts - to ge rid of this noise. I would talk to your dealer's service manager and go for a drive.
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01-30-2012, 12:38 PM	#4
11135i Enlisted Member 7 Rep 35 Posts Drives: 2008 135i MT Join Date: May 2011 Location: Sunny Socal iTrader: (0)	Nothing is apparent in the clutch pedal and it's barely perceptible without rolling the windows down or if I'm intently listening to it. Never driven through deep water afaik and if it was the release bearing, wouldn't it be apparent in all the gears? The service adviser had told me to take a ride with the head mechanic and he was the one who diagnosed it as such. The noise is just so damned silent though and I always end up taking the car far far away with a SA, only to have them write up "within spec" after they look at it or "could not replicate". It's loud enough in my area though where it's silent enough ><
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