Replacing a clutch in a BMW can be very difficult. There are a lot of tools needed when attempting to change one. It also can be very dangerous if not done properly. Only a certified mechanic should attempt this job. The following will explain the correct way to change a clutch.
Clean the area around the hoist you will be using, so that if you drop a nut or bolt you will be able to find it. Lay out your tools so they are easily accessible. After, your area and your tools are prepared for the job, put the car on the hoist. Raise it about a foot off the ground. Push down on the bumper of the car to make sure that it is secure on the hoist. If it is secure open the hood. Place a fender cover over each side of the car, so the fenders don't get scratched and dirty.
The first thing that needs to be done is to disconnect the battery. 'Disconnect the battery so you don't short out the electrical system.' As stated by Boze, R., a Master Certified Mechanic at European Imports (1999). Failure to do so could cause major damage to the car.
Raise the car up in the air, and drain the fluid out of the transmission. While the fluid is draining remove the entire exhaust system, and the heat shields that are above the exhaust. Next get a crayon or something that can be used to mark the drive shaft, so when it is removed it can be put back on in the exact same spot it was before. Remove the drive shaft and set it out of the way. Now remove the starter. Sometimes this can be difficult. The best way to remove it is to have the car in the air. One person is under the car holding a wrench on the nut. While the other person gets above the car with a ladder and uses a ratchet to remove the two starter bolts.
Place a transmission jack under the transmission. Raise the transmission up about two inches. Remove the rear transmission mount. Lower the jack so the transmission drops far enough to easily access the wiring harness, the clutch slave cylinder, the shifter linkages, and the bell housing bolts. Disconnect all of the wires going to the transmission. Remove the shifter linkages. Some of the wires and part of the shifter linkage will have to be tied out of the way. Disconnect the hydraulic line from the slave cylinder. Insert a rubber plug into the line so the fluid doesn't drain onto the floor. Now remove the slave cylinder from the transmission.
Double check that everything is disconnected from the transmission. The bell housing bolts are the next things to be removed. The best way to remove the bell housing bolts is to ' use a half inch impact gun with a four foot extension and a half inch swivel with a E8 socket on it'(Boze,R.). Make sure that the transmission is secure on the jack before doing this. After the bolts are removed Place a pry bar in between the motor and the transmission. With a little bit of force pry the transmission apart from the motor. Being ...