Question for all the 6MT owners, clutch inconsistency

[M3hf80]

Hello fellow F8X owners,

I purchased a used one owner 2016 F82 3 months ago and it had about 9k miles at the time. I've put 2.5k miles on the car in the past 3 months and I'm starting to notice this issue more and more in my everyday driving.

I've read up on how the clutch engages weird and differently while the car is cold but I live in California where it's never really "Cold" and this happens even when the car is warmed up after 20-30min of driving.

The issue is that the clutch catch point is a lot higher and feels a bit more stiff than normal during random times of my everyday drive and it causes these clunky and super jerky shifts where it feels like I'm dumping the clutch but the reality is it's just catching differently, but then it goes away immediately after I come to a dead stop and go back to 1st gear.....

Currently not seeing anybody with this issue so just want to see if this is something serious or if it's normal? Maybe something similar?

Please chime in guys, thanks a lot!

[Alan l.]

I do not experience this with my 18 M3.

The only thing i notice that requires me to change the way i let the clutch out slightly is between engine modes Comfort/Sport/Sport+. Never experienced it changing on me at random throughout the day.

[ShoNufff]

What mode are you driving in? Sport + mode can feel like this, but in efficient and Sports mode not so much.

[jfritz27]

I'm not sure if this would explain your issue, but by any chance do you have your A/C turned on all the time? For me, when the A/C compressor is kicked in, there is a noticeable impact on engine load and RPM behavior when I'm in-between gears... I notice during upshifts that the engine RPMs definitely fall quicker as a result of the increased engine load. I therefore need to adjust my clutching to accommodate this change (i.e., be faster) in order to maintain smoothness. In theory, I suppose this could be perceived as a change in the "catch point" -- again, not sure if this describes your situation, but worth considering.

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

i used to have a lot of clutch issues as such you describe...theres sooo many factors that can influence how the car chooses to behave...

I would say that trying to drive in between normal(DD) vs balls to the wall is diffcult. ie. you cant give a decent push in a gear; than slowly shift into the next, it just wont be smooth. rev- matching is evil....you'll tend to forget that you need to SLIP the clutch in vs waiting for rev-match to get there and then dumping clutch.

Tips:
shift early. before 3k rpms...1st and 2nd gear.
forget about the rev-matching even tho its there....youll begin to rely on it too much and begin dumping clutch and then punching gas...when those two actions should be done together.
just let certain days when its acting up, just be....people on the road are unpredictable; and if you live in a congested area...it can become very difficult to drive smoothly; like you speed up in second and get ready for 3rd; at that split second you gotta let off the throttle since the guy infront of you is doing dumbshit(texting, lost, whatever)

My biggest pet peeve if people who tailgate me from 0-25mph. Like its impossible to shift as fast as a 10-speed automatic. And if I punch it in first and second; its racecar and Im not trying to do all that. Then i punch it in 3rd to get them off my ass...slow down to speed limit and they up my ass again. SMH. I've stopped tailgating and in general try to be the nicest person on the road; and its made my drives so much better.

TL;DR...car is a trackrat at heart; but does function very well as a daily. My boys miata is straight butter rowing through the gears no matter what. really fun car; very underestimated.

might want to drop it off at service...only to get...could not duplicate customer complaint...checked clutch..OK...updated idrive and computer so a mechanical system will shift better

[M3hf80]

Originally Posted by G35POPPEDMYCHERRY

i used to have a lot of clutch issues as such you describe...theres sooo many factors that can influence how the car chooses to behave...

I would say that trying to drive in between normal(DD) vs balls to the wall is diffcult. ie. you cant give a decent push in a gear; than slowly shift into the next, it just wont be smooth. rev- matching is evil....you'll tend to forget that you need to SLIP the clutch in vs waiting for rev-match to get there and then dumping clutch.

Tips:
shift early. before 3k rpms...1st and 2nd gear.
forget about the rev-matching even tho its there....youll begin to rely on it too much and begin dumping clutch and then punching gas...when those two actions should be done together.
just let certain days when its acting up, just be....people on the road are unpredictable; and if you live in a congested area...it can become very difficult to drive smoothly; like you speed up in second and get ready for 3rd; at that split second you gotta let off the throttle since the guy infront of you is doing dumbshit(texting, lost, whatever)

My biggest pet peeve if people who tailgate me from 0-25mph. Like its impossible to shift as fast as a 10-speed automatic. And if I punch it in first and second; its racecar and Im not trying to do all that. Then i punch it in 3rd to get them off my ass...slow down to speed limit and they up my ass again. SMH. I've stopped tailgating and in general try to be the nicest person on the road; and its made my drives so much better.

TL;DR...car is a trackrat at heart; but does function very well as a daily. My boys miata is straight butter rowing through the gears no matter what. really fun car; very underestimated.

might want to drop it off at service...only to get...could not duplicate customer complaint...checked clutch..OK...updated idrive and computer so a mechanical system will shift better

Thank you for the reply! I will try to shift at a later RPM and not follow the BMW recommended shifts.

Here's a better way to put it, I feel like the clutch is shifting without the rev match like it's in Sport+ when I'm in just normal Sport mode. Which tends to throw me off because I'm so use to rev matching being there in regular sport mode.

Maybe a ECU malfunction that it forgets to rev match occasionally?

[M3hf80]

Originally Posted by jfritz27

I'm not sure if this would explain your issue, but by any chance do you have your A/C turned on all the time? For me, when the A/C compressor is kicked in, there is a noticeable impact on engine load and RPM behavior when I'm in-between gears... I notice during upshifts that the engine RPMs definitely fall quicker as a result of the increased engine load. I therefore need to adjust my clutching to accommodate this change (i.e., be faster) in order to maintain smoothness. In theory, I suppose this could be perceived as a change in the "catch point" -- again, not sure if this describes your situation, but worth considering.

Thanks, but I just feel like the car is shifting in Sport+ when the car is in Sport....

The rev match goes away for like 30 seconds then it comes back. Weird as hell

[M3hf80]

Originally Posted by ShoNufff

What mode are you driving in? Sport + mode can feel like this, but in efficient and Sports mode not so much.

I drive in Sport 80% of the time, and to summarize my point. I'm confused as to why my car's rev match goes away when going from 1-2. 2-3, 3-4, 4-5 etc but rev match is there on the downshifts. Also the second I come to a dead stop the car rev matches again when up shifting in sport.

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

Originally Posted by M3hf80

Thank you for the reply! I will try to shift at a later RPM and not follow the BMW recommended shifts.

Here's a better way to put it, I feel like the clutch is shifting without the rev match like it's in Sport+ when I'm in just normal Sport mode. Which tends to throw me off because I'm so use to rev matching being there in regular sport mode.

Maybe a ECU malfunction that it forgets to rev match occasionally?

no shift earlier in the low gears...tends to be clunky because the car is more eager at the higher RPMS. 1-2 is the shift you want to apply this. I shift below 2.5k...1st gear for me is literally to get the car moving..than second.

As to your post above...the rev-matching will only hold so long..If you go into neutral(clutch in) before a turn its not going to hold it forever..you have to clutch out and clutch back in for the rev-match. so i typically either shift into second before the turn; or shift during the turn...after 3 years with this car...I honestly wish it never rev-matched because its made me a worse manual driver; further it disconnects the feel of the manual

[gabriel.psd]

Originally Posted by M3hf80

I've read up on how the clutch engages weird and differently while the car is cold but I live in California where it's never really "Cold" and this happens even when the car is warmed up after 20-30min of driving.

This doesn’t have as much to do with weather, as it does with operating temperatures.

[gabeo]

2016 F82 6MT that I bought in 2017 and I have never noticed this. I'm on my second engine even

[M3hf80]

Originally Posted by gabeo

2016 F82 6MT that I bought in 2017 and I have never noticed this. I'm on my second engine even

What are your driving habits like? My foot's always planted in the clutch during stop lights. IDK at this point lol hopefully it goes away.

[Brasko]

Originally Posted by M3hf80

What are your driving habits like? My foot's always planted in the clutch during stop lights. IDK at this point lol hopefully it goes away.

Could be part of the problem. No complaints with my 6MT and I almost never have my foot on the clutch at a light. In neutral and only press the clutch when necessary.

[M3hf80]

Originally Posted by Brasko

Could be part of the problem. No complaints with my 6MT and I almost never have my foot on the clutch at a light. In neutral and only press the clutch when necessary.

Update,

I had just came back from a nice long local drive to run some errands. I find that the car did not rev match when in sport or efficient mode after driving for about 15-20 min, the car drove smooth for the first 15-20min and then after sitting in a drive thru (Maybe too much 1st gear?), I had switched the car into efficient mode which did not rev match anymore like it's suppose to and then samething in sport mode. Is this some type of soft ware issue? Or is this common after a long local drive? I'm actually starting to like the car without the rev match lol but I don't think this is normal.

[Brasko]

Originally Posted by M3hf80

Update,

I had just came back from a nice long local drive to run some errands. I find that the car did not rev match when in sport or efficient mode after driving for about 15-20 min, the car drove smooth for the first 15-20min and then after sitting in a drive thru (Maybe too much 1st gear?), I had switched the car into efficient mode which did not rev match anymore like it's suppose to and then samething in sport mode. Is this some type of soft ware issue? Or is this common after a long local drive? I'm actually starting to like the car without the rev match lol but I don't think this is normal.

Your M should not rev-match in Sport+ unless those variables have been changed by a tune. Efficient and Sport are the only 2 modes that should rev-match.

[scott13]

Originally Posted by M3hf80

I drive in Sport 80% of the time, and to summarize my point. I'm confused as to why my car's rev match goes away when going from 1-2. 2-3, 3-4, 4-5 etc but rev match is there on the downshifts. Also the second I come to a dead stop the car rev matches again when up shifting in sport.

As far as I understand the rev match feature, you're MUCH more likely to trigger it (notice it) on DOWN-shift since that's when you typically need the throttle "blip". I think under the right circumstances it will rev match on UP-shift, but I think in general it's pretty rare to need that blip when going up a gear.

Basically, you pick a gear, rev match adjusts RPMs IF needed. One of the rev match gurus will correct me if I'm wrong on that, but I'm pretty sure that's the gist of it.

[AlterZgo]

Originally Posted by M3hf80

I drive in Sport 80% of the time, and to summarize my point. I'm confused as to why my car's rev match goes away when going from 1-2. 2-3, 3-4, 4-5 etc but rev match is there on the downshifts. Also the second I come to a dead stop the car rev matches again when up shifting in sport.

There is no need for rev matching when you upshift. The car’s revs will naturally drop to the correct RPM as you move to next higher gear during the time you depress the clutch and move the shift lever to the next upper speed.

I don’t understand what you mean by the car rev matches when you’re at a dead stop. My car never automatically revs when I’m at a dead stop. Why? Because even in the lowest gear - 1st gear, from a dead stop you don’t need more than idle RPM to get the car rolling forward. It won’t rev match at dead stop because if it did, it would overrev as you engage 1st gear. It would overrev even more if you engaged a higher gear from a dead stop.

[Suds]

At a dead stop when I release the clutch slowly the car controls the rpms and slowly accelerates the car.
I'm guessing that's what he means.

[M3hf80]

Originally Posted by AlterZgo

There is no need for rev matching when you upshift. The car’s revs will naturally drop to the correct RPM as you move to next higher gear during the time you depress the clutch and move the shift lever to the next upper speed.

I don’t understand what you mean by the car rev matches when you’re at a dead stop. My car never automatically revs when I’m at a dead stop. Why? Because even in the lowest gear - 1st gear, from a dead stop you don’t need more than idle RPM to get the car rolling forward. It won’t rev match at dead stop because if it did, it would overrev as you engage 1st gear. It would overrev even more if you engaged a higher gear from a dead stop.

Sorry if I confused you, what I mean is let's say the car driving smooth and nothing is wrong and I come to a full stop at a red light. The second I start moving the car again in the car wouldn't rev match on up shifts or down shifts and then I come to a complete stop at another red light. Then all of a sudden my car rev matches on upshifts and downshifts again like nothing ever happened lol. I did some research and I think it's a rev match malfunction, going to take it to the dealer soon but I'm a bit skeptical because I live in the bay area and all the dealers try to sell me into buying some stupid parts when I didn't need it with my last M3 lol.

[AlterZgo]

Originally Posted by M3hf80

Sorry if I confused you, what I mean is let's say the car driving smooth and nothing is wrong and I come to a full stop at a red light. The second I start moving the car again in the car wouldn't rev match on up shifts or down shifts and then I come to a complete stop at another red light. Then all of a sudden my car rev matches on upshifts and downshifts again like nothing ever happened lol. I did some research and I think it's a rev match malfunction, going to take it to the dealer soon but I'm a bit skeptical because I live in the bay area and all the dealers try to sell me into buying some stupid parts when I didn't need it with my last M3 lol.

My car has never rev matched on upshifts. Not one single time... ever. Because it doesn't need to do it. Revs DROP when you upshift. The car won't rev up to match an upshift. Neither will it artificially reduce RPMs when you upshift. Rev match only works on downshifts because you need to increase RPMs to match in the lower gear ratios.

I think your definition of a rev match may not be the same as mine.

[AlterZgo]

Originally Posted by Suds

At a dead stop when I release the clutch slowly the car controls the rpms and slowly accelerates the car.
I'm guessing that's what he means.

That's not rev matching. That is a natural thing all manual transmission cars do. It is basically moving the car forward at its natural idle speed RPMs, i.e. 700 rpms or so.

This is a basic technique people use to help others learn how to drive a manual transmission car. Don't touch accelerator, release clutch slowly and learn the engagement point of the clutch and try to get the car moving without blipping the throttle. No rev matching involved.

[llvsixaxisvll]

Originally Posted by AlterZgo

My car has never rev matched on upshifts. Not one single time... ever. Because it doesn't need to do it. Revs DROP when you upshift. The car won't rev up to match an upshift. Neither will it artificially reduce RPMs when you upshift. Rev match only works on downshifts because you need to increase RPMs to match in the lower gear ratios.

I think your definition of a rev match may not be the same as mine.

This here. I'm very confused by the rev matching while changing up in gears. Thought I was missing something as this is my first manual car.