Clutch Masters 82-86 BMW 325E 2.7L / 528E 2.7L / 86-91 BMW 325I 2.5L / 86-93 BMW 325IC 2.5L...

Clutch Masters 03010-HDC6 is the FX400 six-puck ceramic clutch kit for the M20-powered BMWs of the 1980s and early 1990s: the E30 325e and E28 528e with the 2.7L eta engine, and the E30 325i, 325is and 325iC convertible with the 2.5L. Most people searching for this part own an E30 that now makes far more power than it left the factory with, usually a turbo M20, a 2.7L stroker or a dedicated drift and track car, and the stock-style organic clutch has started to slip or burn.

What the FX400 clutch does in an M20 BMW

The M20 cars use a single-plate dry clutch bolted to the flywheel and released hydraulically. The FX400 swaps the factory parts for Clutch Masters' Power Plus I high-leverage heavy-duty pressure plate and a sprung ceramic button disc with six friction pads. Clutch Masters rates it at a 170 percent increase in holding capacity over stock and calls it an extreme-duty street, road race and drag system. The sprung hub keeps some damping in the driveline, but the six-pad disc has no marcel cushion between the linings, so it grabs quickly. Clutch Masters warns it may chatter slightly in first and reverse and says ceramic discs are never recommended for stock or near-stock cars.

That matters on these cars in particular. The 325e engine was built for low-rev torque, and a lightly modified 325i makes modest power. If your E30 is close to stock, a sprung organic kit will be far nicer to live with. This kit is for builds where holding power comes first.

Symptoms that point to this kit

• Rpm jumps without the car pulling harder in third or fourth once boost comes in
• Burning smell after launches, autocross runs or a drift session
• The bite point has moved near the top of the pedal travel
• Judder on takeoff from a glazed disc or a hot-spotted flywheel face
• Squeal or rumble with the pedal pressed, typical of a tired release bearing
• A pedal that sinks or sticks, which points to the hydraulics rather than the disc

How to confirm before you buy

On a 30-plus-year-old car, rule out the cheap things first. Check the clutch master and slave for leaks and make sure the pedal returns fully, since a dragging slave can feel like a bad clutch. Then do a roll-on in fourth gear from low rpm at full throttle: if the tach climbs ahead of road speed, the disc is slipping. Before the new clutch goes in, look for oil on the bellhousing from the rear main seal or the gearbox input seal, because oil will ruin a ceramic disc just as fast as an organic one. Our transmission slipping diagnosis guide walks through the road test, and flare versus slip helps you tell a clutch problem from an engine or tune problem.

Fitment

Our listing names the 1982-1986 BMW 325e and 528e 2.7L, the 1986-1991 325i 2.5L and the 1986-1993 325iC 2.5L. Clutch Masters' own catalog for 03010-HDC6 lists the 1984-1986 E30 325 2.7L, the 1984-1993 E30 325 2.5L, the 1982-1986 E28 528 2.7L built up to 04/86, the 1989-1990 E34 525 2.5L and the 1988-1991 E30 M3. The E28 528e is split by build date, so check the production month on the door or VIN label. Later 2.7L cars such as the 1987-1989 325es and 1986-1988 528e built after the change are covered by our Clutch Masters 03011 kit instead. Engine swaps are common on these cars, so if your E30 has a different motor or gearbox than it was built with, send us the year, VIN and what is installed. More options are in our clutch and rebuild kit collection.

Install notes

• The kit includes the pressure plate, FX400 disc, an OEM-or-better release bearing, a pilot bearing where the application uses one, an alignment tool, an instruction card and decals. No flywheel is included.
• Have the flywheel resurfaced or replaced; a ceramic disc on a glazed or cracked face will chatter badly. Pull the old pilot bearing with a proper tool such as the OEMTOOLS 25089 pilot bearing puller.
• Center the disc with the supplied tool, then snug the cover bolts in a crisscross pattern before final torque.
• Inspect the release fork, pivot pin and fork clip, which wear on these cars and cause poor release.
• Bleed the clutch hydraulics with fresh brake fluid of the grade marked on the reservoir.
• Follow Clutch Masters' break-in: about 500 miles of normal driving before hard launches or full-throttle shifts.

If you would rather keep the car street friendly, compare the SPEC SB101 Stage 1 kit for the same M20 cars.

Will 03010-HDC6 fit my 1990 BMW 325i?

Yes, Clutch Masters lists 03010-HDC6 for the 1984-1993 E30 325 with the 2.5L six, which covers the 325i, 325is and 325iC. If the engine or gearbox has been swapped, send us the VIN and what is installed so we can confirm.

Is this clutch too aggressive for a stock E30?

For most owners, yes. Clutch Masters says ceramic discs are never recommended for stock or near-stock cars, and the six-puck disc has no marcel cushion, so it engages quickly and may chatter in first and reverse. A sprung organic kit suits a mostly stock car better.

How much more will it hold than the stock clutch?

Clutch Masters rates the FX400 at a 170 percent increase in holding capacity over stock. It does not publish a single ft-lb rating for this kit.

Does the kit come with a flywheel?

No. It includes the pressure plate, disc, release bearing, pilot bearing where used, an alignment tool, an instruction card and decals. Resurface your flywheel or replace it before installing.

My 528e is a 1986. Which kit do I need?

Clutch Masters lists 03010-HDC6 for E28 528 2.7L cars built up to 04/86. Cars built after that use a different kit. Check the production date on the door label or send us the VIN and we will match it.

What else should I replace while the gearbox is out?

The pilot bearing, release fork clip and pivot are worth replacing on cars this age, and any rear main seal leak should be fixed before the new disc goes in. Bleed the hydraulics with fresh fluid when you are done.

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