OLD BAY
07-03-2009, 10:41 AM
Here is my write for swapping a stock CDV for a modded one. Sorry I have no pics.
Disclaimer: I am not a professional mechanic, I just like to do my own work if possible. Work on autos at your own risk.
Tools used:
8 mm socket
phillips
11 mm flare nut wrench
11 mm open ended wrench
13 mm socket (for removing vent cover to access brake/clutch fluid reservoir
14 mm socket
Mity vac and tubing
DOT 4 brake fluid
Large catch pan
I used the Zeckhausen CDV-002, it was cheap ($35) and arrived only one day after I ordered it. Also Dave at Zeckhausen was terrific (I spoke with him for some questions). A really nice guy. This was on a E60 Xi, but I imagine an RWD E60 would only be easier. Ask Zeckhausen with CDV you need though.
1) Get your car so that you can get under it.
I used ramps I bought at a local auto store. Make sure you get ramps to fit your wheel width (too wide for the ramp is bad). BE SAFE in getting the car into the air, the car can flatten you dead if it falls. Being a little paranoid, I placed jackstands under key points (after driving the front wheels up the ramp), and some large blocks of wood under the ramps in case one collapsed, it would only collapse a few inches onto the wood.... I told you I am paranoid. Block the rear wheels so that it can't roll back, even with the e-brake on and car in gear, block it.
2) Take off the aerodynamic under cladding.
There are many 8 mm screws. Two of those 8 mm screws are different, they hold the front-center of the cladding on, are shorter, and have different lettering stamped on the head. There is one 10 mm "nut" on the left center of the cladding, 2 phillpis screws on the sides, and 4 phillip screws in the front. Wiggle the cladding off, and move it out of the way. The right side of the cladding is held in place by a kind of long clip, but the clip pries away pretty easily. Move the cladding somewhere safe.
3) Access the brake/clutch fluid reservior.
Open the hood. On the left side of the car, close to the firewall, pry the metal latch-bar on the right side of the air filter off. Unscrew the 13 mm plastic "bolt" a 1/4 turn counterclockwise. All of these 13 mm bolts in this section (3) are not true bolts, but more latches, and only needs 1/4 turn to release. Swing the filter up, and then pull forward and away. Next undo the 3 or more plastic 13 mm "bolt-latches" holding the filter-seat piece of plastic in place, these are just under were the filter was. There is a torx screw on the front of this plastic piece that has to come off, and another 13mm "bolt-latch" near the center. I think I remembered all of the bolt-latches, but I may have missed one. The center bolt-latch may be under the more than foot-long center plastic "clip" that holds the left and right plastic filter seats together. Regardless, the center clip had to come off too, and it slides to the left of the car by prying up a piece of the clip that acts as a latch and sliding it over. Pull off the rubber 1" wide strip off of the front of the filter seat. It goes the entire width of the car, but I only pulled of the the part over the left filter seat. Now pull the far right part of the left filter-seat UP. The plastic filter sear swings up on the right (part in the center of the car) the left side of the filter seat (still attached to the car) can be pulled free by moving the filter housing towards the car center. Now you should see the fluid reservoir. Unclip the electrical connection, but leave the cap on for now.
4) Remove the CDV.
Back under the car. On the Xi the front driveshaft is just under the CDV. The CDV is easy to find, just look for the metal brake tubing in the form of a 3-4" square, above the drive shaft. This was the hardest part: The driveshaft makes it hard to get the 11mm flarewrench onto the clutch line nut. It can be done however. YOU MAY BE TEMPTED TO USE A STANDARD OPEN 11 MM WRENCH TO BREAK IT LOSE- DON'T DO IT!! You can strip the nut. I had to have the flarewrench between the rubber clutch hose bracket (this hose connects the brake/clutch fluid res to the metal clutch line) and the transmission. There was just enough space to get the wrench on, and twist the nut free. Put a drip pan under the car. Then I used the 11 mm open ended standard wrench to get the metal clutch line nut off completely, and let the brake fluid drain out. Don't worry, only the clutch reservoir will drain, the brakes have a separate mini-compartment in the brake/clutch fluid reservoir. I remove the stock CDV with a 14 mm socket, and put the Zeckausen CDV in. I reattached the metal clutch line to the CDV (be careful threading this on, you can easily cross thread it. I hand-threaded it tight first, then used the flarewrench to tighten it).
5) Bleed the clutch using your preferred method. I "reverse bleed" the clutch using a mity vac, with a hose attached to the clutch slave bleeder screw from the pressure (not vacuum) end of the mity vac. The bleeder screw is 7 mm- I used a 1/4 ratchet and deep socket. Make sure the cap is off of the brake/clutch fluid reservoir (you don't want too much pressure when you bleed it.
6) Clean up any spilled brake fluid, put the aerodynamic cladding back on (you remember where the different screws go right?), make sure the brake fluid level is OK, and put the air filter seat and air filter back in place (don't forget the rubber seal).
7) Drive... and feel the way a BMW clutch was meant to work!
I would say this was easy to moderate in difficulty. It took me 2 hours, and an hour of that was prep work (getting on the ramps, and the cladding off).
Disclaimer: I am not a professional mechanic, I just like to do my own work if possible. Work on autos at your own risk.
Tools used:
8 mm socket
phillips
11 mm flare nut wrench
11 mm open ended wrench
13 mm socket (for removing vent cover to access brake/clutch fluid reservoir
14 mm socket
Mity vac and tubing
DOT 4 brake fluid
Large catch pan
I used the Zeckhausen CDV-002, it was cheap ($35) and arrived only one day after I ordered it. Also Dave at Zeckhausen was terrific (I spoke with him for some questions). A really nice guy. This was on a E60 Xi, but I imagine an RWD E60 would only be easier. Ask Zeckhausen with CDV you need though.
1) Get your car so that you can get under it.
I used ramps I bought at a local auto store. Make sure you get ramps to fit your wheel width (too wide for the ramp is bad). BE SAFE in getting the car into the air, the car can flatten you dead if it falls. Being a little paranoid, I placed jackstands under key points (after driving the front wheels up the ramp), and some large blocks of wood under the ramps in case one collapsed, it would only collapse a few inches onto the wood.... I told you I am paranoid. Block the rear wheels so that it can't roll back, even with the e-brake on and car in gear, block it.
2) Take off the aerodynamic under cladding.
There are many 8 mm screws. Two of those 8 mm screws are different, they hold the front-center of the cladding on, are shorter, and have different lettering stamped on the head. There is one 10 mm "nut" on the left center of the cladding, 2 phillpis screws on the sides, and 4 phillip screws in the front. Wiggle the cladding off, and move it out of the way. The right side of the cladding is held in place by a kind of long clip, but the clip pries away pretty easily. Move the cladding somewhere safe.
3) Access the brake/clutch fluid reservior.
Open the hood. On the left side of the car, close to the firewall, pry the metal latch-bar on the right side of the air filter off. Unscrew the 13 mm plastic "bolt" a 1/4 turn counterclockwise. All of these 13 mm bolts in this section (3) are not true bolts, but more latches, and only needs 1/4 turn to release. Swing the filter up, and then pull forward and away. Next undo the 3 or more plastic 13 mm "bolt-latches" holding the filter-seat piece of plastic in place, these are just under were the filter was. There is a torx screw on the front of this plastic piece that has to come off, and another 13mm "bolt-latch" near the center. I think I remembered all of the bolt-latches, but I may have missed one. The center bolt-latch may be under the more than foot-long center plastic "clip" that holds the left and right plastic filter seats together. Regardless, the center clip had to come off too, and it slides to the left of the car by prying up a piece of the clip that acts as a latch and sliding it over. Pull off the rubber 1" wide strip off of the front of the filter seat. It goes the entire width of the car, but I only pulled of the the part over the left filter seat. Now pull the far right part of the left filter-seat UP. The plastic filter sear swings up on the right (part in the center of the car) the left side of the filter seat (still attached to the car) can be pulled free by moving the filter housing towards the car center. Now you should see the fluid reservoir. Unclip the electrical connection, but leave the cap on for now.
4) Remove the CDV.
Back under the car. On the Xi the front driveshaft is just under the CDV. The CDV is easy to find, just look for the metal brake tubing in the form of a 3-4" square, above the drive shaft. This was the hardest part: The driveshaft makes it hard to get the 11mm flarewrench onto the clutch line nut. It can be done however. YOU MAY BE TEMPTED TO USE A STANDARD OPEN 11 MM WRENCH TO BREAK IT LOSE- DON'T DO IT!! You can strip the nut. I had to have the flarewrench between the rubber clutch hose bracket (this hose connects the brake/clutch fluid res to the metal clutch line) and the transmission. There was just enough space to get the wrench on, and twist the nut free. Put a drip pan under the car. Then I used the 11 mm open ended standard wrench to get the metal clutch line nut off completely, and let the brake fluid drain out. Don't worry, only the clutch reservoir will drain, the brakes have a separate mini-compartment in the brake/clutch fluid reservoir. I remove the stock CDV with a 14 mm socket, and put the Zeckausen CDV in. I reattached the metal clutch line to the CDV (be careful threading this on, you can easily cross thread it. I hand-threaded it tight first, then used the flarewrench to tighten it).
5) Bleed the clutch using your preferred method. I "reverse bleed" the clutch using a mity vac, with a hose attached to the clutch slave bleeder screw from the pressure (not vacuum) end of the mity vac. The bleeder screw is 7 mm- I used a 1/4 ratchet and deep socket. Make sure the cap is off of the brake/clutch fluid reservoir (you don't want too much pressure when you bleed it.
6) Clean up any spilled brake fluid, put the aerodynamic cladding back on (you remember where the different screws go right?), make sure the brake fluid level is OK, and put the air filter seat and air filter back in place (don't forget the rubber seal).
7) Drive... and feel the way a BMW clutch was meant to work!
I would say this was easy to moderate in difficulty. It took me 2 hours, and an hour of that was prep work (getting on the ramps, and the cladding off).
