Slave Cylinder

[Josmas]

I've read a bit about the problems with leaking slave cylinders and how they contaminate the clutch, causing it to slip.

I bought my '05 LT brand new two months ago. It now has 2800mi on it. I haven’t had an issue until yesterday. I was on the highway at around 75mph in 5th gear. When I hit the throttle I got a slight vibration, the tach climbed but the speedo did not. It was very obvious that the clutch was slipping. I grabbed and released the clutch a few times with no improvement. Finally, I downshifted to fourth and then back up to fifth and the problem was gone.

I've ridden at least 150mi since then and the problem has not occurred again. From what I've read, it sounds like the clutch deteriorates very quickly once the slave cylinder begins to leak.

I'm hoping this was an anomaly, but I thought I should get some opinions.
:confused:

[JPSpen]

Anytime the clutch slips is not a good sign..

Since it's under warranty I'd get it in to the dealer asap..

That has been the most common problem on the newer bikes for some reason.

I've read here about quite a few slave cylinders failing on 05's..

Good Luck

John

[mjordans2000]

I agree, get to a dealer. If the clutch is contaminated you want a new one. At the very least you want the dealer to make sure all is working correctly.

[Dewman]

I had mine go out at 3200 miles. I was riding in the mountains of Utah and the clutch started to slip and about 100 miles later it gave out completely. I was about 90 miles from home and and to ride it without a clutch to get back. Got it to the shop and they fixed it under warrenty; no problems since at 14,000 miles.
Dewman

[murray]

Check the resivor to see how much fluid you may have lost. I am not sure how much fluid loss needs to occur to commence the clutch to slip. If the slip is due to clutch fluid I bet the resivor will be low. LOL

[kevincook]

It seems as though there have been more early failures on the slave cylinder on the 2005 bikes, I don't know about the 2006's. Is there a possibility that the cylinders are not made as well as before or that the vendor has changed?

Is it a good idea to replace an older one with 30k-50k miles on it with a new one that may have an early failure?

Thanks,
Kevin

[hschisler]

The slave cylinder on my '05 LT failed at 1200 miles, taking the clutch with it. Both replaced under warranty and no problems since then.

[JCabranes]

Bought a new 05 LT a month ago. At approx 1200 miles I experienced the exact same symptoms you describe. It was the slave cylinder which not only needed to be replaced but so did the hose leading into the rear of it. That hose is apaprently not available or not in stock in the US so it had to be shipped from Germany. End result 10 days in the shop... but all is well now since I brought it home last night (in a pretty spectacular storm, btw). Hope you have better luck than I did... I concur with the other recommendations you have received... get it checked NOW

[cfell]

Mine slipped the other day.. and some "slow engagement" appears to happen when HOT (yes. it is HOT in Texas these days). Gonna have to take my baby in for checkup (warranty and all).,,

[rkirker]

Is The output cylinder clutch as referred to on the parts list the same as the "Slave cylinder" ? :confused: Me thinks it is.

01 21 52 2 333 433 output cylinder clutch (D=20) (part number for a 2002 LTC) it can be found for $88.

[Josmas]

I rode the bike to work today and had trouble all the way in (40 miles) while in gears 3-5. I called the dealer and they said they couldn't look at it until next Thursday (seven days). Was worried about the ride home, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't make it slip!

Could we be looking at something other than a cylinder leak? I would think that once the clutch plate got fouled it would stay fouled. This problem comes and goes. We did have 100 degree weather up here in New England the past few days, and the ride home today was only high 70s and no slipping.

I checked the fluid and with the bars turned all the way right, the fluid is exactly halfway up the sight glass.

Thanks for the ideas

Joe

[blouw]

Is The output cylinder clutch as referred to on the parts list the same as the "Slave cylinder" ? :confused: Me thinks it is.

01 21 52 2 333 433 output cylinder clutch (D=20) (part number for a 2002 LTC) it can be found for $88.

Yep, that is the PC description. I paid just over $100 for mine.

[Rockdoc]

Could we be looking at something other than a cylinder leak? I would think that once the clutch plate got fouled it would stay fouled. This problem comes and goes. We did have 100 degree weather up here in New England the past few days, and the ride home today was only high 70s and no slipping.

I may be talking out of the wrong end here as the LT's clutch is single-plate, like a car, rather than multi-plate but you might be seeing plate distortion. Perhaps the clutch isn't able to shed the heat generated by stop-start riding and, once the plate warps, the friction area can be greatly reduced. That said, my UK 2004 LT (US 2005) has run happily two-up and laden with luggage in temps in the mid to high thirties Centigrade (say 93F and upwards) several times over last two years and I've never had a slipping clutch.

You certainly need to get it to your dealer ASAP but, in the meantime, keep an eye on the fluid level in the reservoir. If it doesn't fall, however slowly, you won't have a slave-cylinder problem.

Keith

[ecirwin]

I rode the bike to work today and had trouble all the way in (40 miles) while in gears 3-5. I called the dealer and they said they couldn't look at it until next Thursday (seven days). Was worried about the ride home, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't make it slip!

Could we be looking at something other than a cylinder leak? I would think that once the clutch plate got fouled it would stay fouled. This problem comes and goes. We did have 100 degree weather up here in New England the past few days, and the ride home today was only high 70s and no slipping.

I checked the fluid and with the bars turned all the way right, the fluid is exactly halfway up the sight glass.

Thanks for the ideas

Joe

The other thing that comes to mind is air/water in the lines. If it is only happening at high temps, my suspicion is water. The water expands with tempurature and would then make any hydraulic system at least a little mushy.

The clutch bleed is a relative easy thing to do, but you'll need a few things. You have to put a bleed screw in the end of the tube that you bleed from. For some reason BMW just puts a grub screw in the end. Other than that, it is pretty straight forward. Typical hydraulic bleeding.

Eric

[bushj1]

I've read a bit about the problems with leaking slave cylinders and how they contaminate the clutch, causing it to slip.

I bought my '05 LT brand new two months ago. It now has 2800mi on it. I haven’t had an issue until yesterday. I was on the highway at around 75mph in 5th gear. When I hit the throttle I got a slight vibration, the tach climbed but the speedo did not. It was very obvious that the clutch was slipping. I grabbed and released the clutch a few times with no improvement. Finally, I downshifted to fourth and then back up to fifth and the problem was gone.

I've ridden at least 150mi since then and the problem has not occurred again. From what I've read, it sounds like the clutch deteriorates very quickly once the slave cylinder begins to leak.

I'm hoping this was an anomaly, but I thought I should get some opinions.
:confused:

Get it to the dealer immediately as 05's are notorious for bad SC's, probably bad batch from vendor. It WILL NOT get better, only worse and sooner than later. Get it remedied while still under warranty. Don't ask questions, don't try to over analyze/rationalize. Just do it !! If you don't it will cost you.

[Josmas]

Ok, you guys are right. I took it for a quick spin today and there is definitely a problem.

It's going to the shop on Thursday.
I'll let you know what they find.

What's the turnaround time for a slave cylinder/clutch job?

[hschisler]

...What's the turnaround time for a slave cylinder/clutch job?FWIW, it took my dealer 2 weeks. :( That included time to order and receive parts.

[JCabranes]

Ok, you guys are right. I took it for a quick spin today and there is definitely a problem.

It's going to the shop on Thursday.
I'll let you know what they find.

What's the turnaround time for a slave cylinder/clutch job?

10 days... they had to order a part from Germany on mine

[Josmas]

I dropped the bike off tonight and was told 2-3 days.

When I mentioned the slave cylinder, the owner told me that if it was leaking I'd see "oil leaking all over the place". :confused:

If he can get this bike back on the road in three days he'll have a very happy customer. :bmw:

[Dick]

I dropped the bike off tonight and was told 2-3 days.

When I mentioned the slave cylinder, the owner told me that if it was leaking I'd see "oil leaking all over the place". :confused:

If he can get this bike back on the road in three days he'll have a very happy customer. :bmw:
Hmmmm - when Toad's slave cylinder went south several years ago, we were in AR. Rode up to KS, and 700 miles back to Boerne, then another 100 over to Austin for the warranty fix. Never dropped a drop of oil, butt sure did toast the clutch. Unless you've ripped the seals at the clutch/tranny input/output shafts, I don't think you'll be seeing a LOT of oil on the garage floor. I could be wrong, butt at least Toad didn't spot his parking place!!

[dshealey]

I dropped the bike off tonight and was told 2-3 days.

When I mentioned the slave cylinder, the owner told me that if it was leaking I'd see "oil leaking all over the place". :confused:

If he can get this bike back on the road in three days he'll have a very happy customer. :bmw:

He is a doofus! If the slave cylinder fails it leaks BRAK FLUID, and unfortunately not to the outside (the reason we drill the drain hole, to correct this bit of German stupidity), but into the clutch, where it could eventually show up at the bottom of the intermediate housing, but the clutch is gone before anyone sees outside evidence of the leak.

If you see oil at the bottom of the housing, it is either engine oil from a failed rear main engine oil seal or transmission oil from a failed tranny seal. You can smell the fluid and tell which it is.

My dealer replaced two clutches on mine under warranty, the first one in two days, the second one in three. First time was a tranny seal, second time it was the slave cylinder.

[Josmas]

I just got home with the LT.
It was the slave cylinder that leaked. :(

The repair was fully covered under warranty.
There is a noticeable difference in the force needed to pull the clutch lever now. The clutch feels much "softer" now than it did before.

Two thumbs up :thumb: :thumb: to Max BMW in North Hampton, New Hampshire. I dropped the bike off at 6PM Wednesday and at 1PM Friday Max called me himself to let me know it was ready to go. Thanks to Max and his guys, my wife and I will enjoy the weekend in Stowe, Vermont.

Although I am disappointed in the defect, I am impressed with the quality of service I received. My confidence in the reliability of this bike took a hit, but I still love the bike.

Thanks to all of you for your advice on this matter and good luck to those of you who run into the same problem.

Joe