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Aug. 26, 2011 5:14 p.m. scardeal HalfDork
This is regarding my 96 BMW 328i. It has approximately 177,000 miles on it. Over the past year, I've replaced the cooling system, fuel pump, alternator and trans fluid for kicks. So, I'm understandably frustrated with it. Anyway, to my story:

On my way into work, whenever I pressed in on the clutch, it would make a loud clunk/pop and freak me out. I turned around after 1/4 of the way and swapped cars.

My mechanical skills are maybe 3 on a scale of 1 to 10. I'm not afraid of changing oil, brake pads, transmission fluid, changing an alternator, etc. But I want to have someone to blame for anything that involves anything within the engine block/head/transmission continuum.

I noticed that a heat shield was loose between the driveshaft and the exhaust. I rapped it with a hammer, and the heat shield didn't make a noise anything like I'm hearing. So, it doesn't sound like that's the real culprit here.
1. What is likely causing the issue?
2. How much would a fix cost? hundreds? thousands?
3. Given #2 and that I'm planning on getting rid of it, should I fix it and sell or just sell it as is?
PS, if anyone is interested in it, contact me.
Aug. 26, 2011 5:25 p.m. iceracer SuperDork

Throw out bearing ?
Aug. 26, 2011 5:32 p.m. dean1484 SuperDork

I have no clue as to what it is but thank god you are in MI as I have been kind of looking at 3 series of that vintage for a while.
Aug. 26, 2011 5:38 p.m. ransom HalfDork

I don't know what it is, but I'm betting that if you get it up on jackstands and have a helper depress the clutch while you're under there watching and listening, that it's likely to reveal itself.

Everything seems to be working okay except for the clunk/pop noise? Do you feel anything in the pedal while it's doing that?

I'd be paying particular attention to where the slave cylinder pushrod sits in a pocket in the clutch actuating arm, and to the pivot of the arm in the trans housing, looking for any sort of untoward motion (these should both just pivot; if there's any sort of non-pivoty motion going on, I think something's amiss).
Aug. 26, 2011 6:52 p.m. CGLockRacer Reader

I'm near Ypsi this weekend and can maybe take a listen on Sunday for you.
Aug. 26, 2011 8:05 p.m. wlkelley3 Dork

ransom wrote:

I don't know what it is, but I'm betting that if you get it up on jackstands and have a helper depress the clutch while you're under there watching and listening, that it's likely to reveal itself.

Everything seems to be working okay except for the clunk/pop noise? Do you feel anything in the pedal while it's doing that?

I'd be paying particular attention to where the slave cylinder pushrod sits in a pocket in the clutch actuating arm, and to the pivot of the arm in the trans housing, looking for any sort of untoward motion (these should both just pivot; if there's any sort of non-pivoty motion going on, I think something's amiss).

^^What this says^^
By your description it has to do with clutch activation and sounds like somewhere in the linkage system.
Aug. 27, 2011 8:48 a.m. scardeal HalfDork

In reply to CGLockRacer:

I'll be at the AROC AutoX (not in this car) on Sunday.
Aug. 27, 2011 9:09 a.m. scardeal HalfDork

Okay, this is definitely going up for sale.