Clutch Masters 01-05 BMW M3 3.2 E46 6 Sp FX300 Clutch Kit Sprung Disc

Clutch Masters 03040-HDTZ-D is the FX300 street clutch for the E46 BMW M3 with the 3.2L S54 and the six-speed manual, built for owners who have already thrown out the factory dual-mass flywheel or are doing it now. If your M3 has headers, a tune, cams or a medium-boost supercharger and the stock clutch is giving up in the upper gears, this is the kit Clutch Masters points at that car. The D at the end of the part number matters: it means the disc carries its own damper springs because the flywheel behind it no longer does.

What the FX300 dampened kit does in an E46 M3

From the factory the S54 bolts to a dual-mass flywheel, which soaks up crankshaft pulses through springs between two flywheel halves. Swap to a solid single-mass flywheel and that damping is gone, so the clutch disc has to do the job instead. The 03040-HDTZ-D disc uses a heavy-duty sprung hub for exactly that reason. Clutch Masters says it is designed to be used with an aftermarket single-mass flywheel. Its sister part, 03040-HDTZ-R, uses a rigid hub and is the one meant to go against the original dual-mass flywheel.

The clamp side is the Power Plus I heavy-duty pressure plate. The friction side is segmented Kevlar on a steel backing with a Marcel spring wafer under the facings for progressive engagement. Segmenting the Kevlar concentrates clamp load into more pressure per square inch, which is how Clutch Masters gets a 110 percent increase in holding capacity over stock while keeping pedal effort only slightly higher. Kevlar is non-abrasive, so it is easy on the flywheel and pressure plate faces. Clutch Masters lists this kit for the street, not the track, and requires at least 500 miles of break-in.

Symptoms that call for this kit

• Revs flare in fourth, fifth or sixth at full throttle while road speed lags, often first noticed after a tune or supercharger install
• Engagement point high on the pedal, a sign the old disc is nearly worn through
• Clutch smell after spirited driving or a hill start
• Harsh driveline vibration or chatter after a single-mass flywheel was fitted with a rigid disc
• Bearing whine or chirp that changes when you press the pedal

A slipping manual clutch does not set a trouble code on its own, so the road test is your evidence.

How to confirm before you buy

Rule out hydraulics first: a low reservoir, a weeping slave cylinder or a pedal that is slow to return can hold the clutch partly released and mimic a worn disc. Then, where it is safe, floor it in fourth from about 3,000 rpm and watch whether the tach rises faster than the speedometer. Our slipping diagnosis guide lays out that test step by step, and shift flare vs. slip helps if you are not sure the symptom is the clutch at all. On an E46, clunks on throttle changes are more often the driveshaft flex disc or rear subframe mounts than the clutch.

Fitment

Our listing covers the 2001-2005 BMW M3 3.2L E46 with the six-speed manual. The Clutch Masters application chart for 03040-HDTZ-D lists the 2001-2006 M3 3.2L E46 six-speed and the E46 M3 SMG. It is specific to the S54 M3 and does not fit a 325i or 330i. Before ordering, confirm what flywheel is in the car: if it still has the original dual-mass flywheel and you plan to keep it, the rigid R version is the correct part, not this one. If you have a 2006 car, an SMG car, or you are not sure what flywheel a previous owner installed, send us your year and VIN and we will confirm. More E46 M3 options are in our rebuild kits and clutch section.

Choosing between the E46 M3 options

If you want one box that solves both the clutch and the tired dual-mass flywheel, the FX100 kit with steel flywheel includes the flywheel but holds less torque. For a supercharged car that needs more grip than the FX300, the FX400 dampened kit uses the same single-mass approach with a more aggressive disc.

Install notes

• Kit contents per Clutch Masters: pressure plate, segmented Kevlar disc with sprung hub and Marcel wafer, release bearing, pilot bearing where applicable, alignment tool, instruction card and decals. No flywheel is included.
• Fit a single-mass flywheel made for the S54 and this clutch; check with us before pairing a flywheel from a different clutch brand.
• Use new flywheel bolts, center the disc with the supplied tool and draw the pressure plate down evenly in a star pattern to the torque in the instructions.
• Inspect the release fork, pivot and input shaft seal while the gearbox is out, and fix any rear main seal weep now.
• Bleed the clutch hydraulics with the fluid grade printed on the reservoir cap, then drive gently for the full 500-mile break-in before hard launches.

What is the difference between 03040-HDTZ-D and 03040-HDTZ-R?

Both are FX300 kits for the E46 M3. Clutch Masters designs the D version with a dampened, sprung disc for an aftermarket single-mass flywheel, and the R version with a rigid disc for the original dual-mass flywheel.

Does this kit include a flywheel?

No. It includes the pressure plate, disc, release bearing, pilot bearing where applicable and an alignment tool. You need a single-mass flywheel for the S54 to go with it.

How much power will the FX300 hold?

Clutch Masters rates it at 110 percent more holding capacity than the stock clutch and aims it at highly tuned naturally aspirated cars, medium-boost turbo or supercharger setups, or up to 100 hp of nitrous.

Can I use it at the track?

Clutch Masters recommends the FX300 for the street, not track use. For regular track days, look at their FX400 dampened kit instead.

Is there a break-in period?

Yes. Clutch Masters requires a minimum of 500 miles of break-in. Avoid launches, high-rpm engagement and towing until it is complete.

Will it fit my SMG M3?

The Clutch Masters chart lists the E46 M3 SMG as well as the six-speed manual. Send us your year and VIN so we can confirm before you order.

• How to Diagnose Transmission Slipping
• Shift Flare vs. Slip: How to Tell Them Apart
• Automatic vs. Manual Transmission Repair Cost