Clutch Question

[ronomonroe]

Hi all - sadly, my throw out bearing has decided it's time to go. Clutch still works fine but oh well... in looking for replacement clutches, I've noticed that they come with or without springs on the clutch disc and both are claiming to be OEM. Both right or does it even matter?

[CirrusSR22]

Yes it matters. If you have the factory flywheel it's "dual-mass", therefore the springs are integrated into the flywheel. The matching clutch will have a disc without springs. You'll also see these listed for cars with air conditioning (all USA 318ti's)

The clutch discs with the springs are for the cars with solid single mass flywheels. Pretty much none of the USA market cars with the M42 and M44 engines had a single mass flywheel. Possibly early 318is E30s w/M42s in the USA had one. So, these clutches are for euro-market cars with the single mass flywheel, or aftermarket, lightweight flywheels which are single mass.

[ronomonroe]

Thanks much! My mechanic wants over $400 for the clutch kit parts and I found it online for less than $200, but kept seeing both styles, with and w/out springs. If it was'nt so damn cold here I'd try to do it myself.