For 6MT owners - Is this normal?

[ES_TRADER]

When driving in a parking lot slowly in first gear and you press the clutch to get ready to stop/cut power going few mph I hear this clucking sound or slight chattering from underneath. Happens a little in 2nd too. Also hear it in stop and go traffic. It's a short slight sound.

Is this just how it is? My dct would also make this noise sometimes.

[dmk08]

Originally Posted by ES_TRADER

When driving in a parking lot slowly in first gear and you press the clutch to get ready to stop/cut power going few mph I hear this clucking sound or slight chattering from underneath. Happens a little in 2nd too. Also hear it in stop and go traffic. It's a short slight sound.

Is this just how it is? My dct would also make this noise sometimes.

I have not heard it in my 110 miles but its a dual disk clutch im pretty sure so i would expect some chatter. My e90 did for sure.

My shifter has some vibration in neutral. Im wondering if its normal.

[Tha Baron]

Originally Posted by ES_TRADER

When driving in a parking lot slowly in first gear and you press the clutch to get ready to stop/cut power going few mph I hear this clucking sound or slight chattering from underneath. Happens a little in 2nd too. Also hear it in stop and go traffic. It's a short slight sound.

Is this just how it is? My dct would also make this noise sometimes.

I have 350 miles on mine and was thinking of asking this exact same thing. My 6MT sounds exactly like what you describe in these situations. It's not a grinding or loud sound, but a muffled few clanks just as I push in the clutch before full stop. Sounds like it's coming from underneath.

Edit: thinking more about the sound, it sounds like empty tin cans. Also, it doesn't always happen... Maybe 1-2 times in 5.

[Black Gold]

the diff. Same noises from my e92 and big time from my e46

[FC4]

Originally Posted by ES_TRADER

When driving in a parking lot slowly in first gear and you press the clutch to get ready to stop/cut power going few mph I hear this clucking sound or slight chattering from underneath. Happens a little in 2nd too. Also hear it in stop and go traffic. It's a short slight sound.

Is this just how it is? My dct would also make this noise sometimes.

I take it this the first car with a manual transmission you've owned?

[Doctor///M]

I got this too during my ED and thought it was odd. It's an audible shudder just as you described it, unlike any previous experience I've had driving other brand MT cars.

[califlove]

Originally Posted by ES_TRADER

When driving in a parking lot slowly in first gear and you press the clutch to get ready to stop/cut power going few mph I hear this clucking sound or slight chattering from underneath. Happens a little in 2nd too. Also hear it in stop and go traffic. It's a short slight sound.

Is this just how it is? My dct would also make this noise sometimes.

Same here, about 500 miles on ours already and yep, cruising slowly around parking lot and pushing in clutch that very noise/feeling will happen every once in a while. I guess its refreshing to know that this may be normal? Though begs to question if it is normal, why does it not always happen? There has to be a cause?

Originally Posted by FC4

I take it this the first car with a manual transmission you've owned?

Not for me, whatever is happening on the M3 was not happening OR not noticeable on the 2 previous cars we've driven for years - IS300 and a VW Jetta. Obviously not comparable types of cars at all (performance or otherwise) but we have driven manuals for quite some time now...

[solstice]

Normal. BMW's LSD is a wonderful thing but it ain't quite or predictable with it's noises. You'll soon enough accept it.

[ES_TRADER]

Originally Posted by dmk08

I have not heard it in my 110 miles but its a dual disk clutch im pretty sure so i would expect some chatter. My e90 did for sure.

My shifter has some vibration in neutral. Im wondering if its normal.

Yes I have a small vibration in N as well. It goes away when moving

[ES_TRADER]

Originally Posted by FC4

I take it this the first car with a manual transmission you've owned?

No, I have an e36m but that thing is so old and any noises I've ever heard are written off as wear and tear.

Also a 330ci but I don't think I ever paid attention to anything in that car

[bdoooh]

I had the same thread on this when I first picked up the car back in July. Yeah it's normal. Almost @ 7k miles now & it's still doing it.

[brianeck]

Originally Posted by ES_TRADER

When driving in a parking lot slowly in first gear and you press the clutch to get ready to stop/cut power going few mph I hear this clucking sound or slight chattering from underneath. Happens a little in 2nd too. Also hear it in stop and go traffic. It's a short slight sound.

Is this just how it is? My dct would also make this noise sometimes.

Try doing the same exact thing, but keeping your foot on the gas as you hit the clutch instead of taking it off first. Your engine will rev slightly, but you won't feel the clutch vibrating. It is literally the exact opposite of that and is notable in most manual cars, it was exactly the same in my 335i. . . the clutch is disengaging at unstable low engine speeds and it is under strain from engine braking and then you release it so it actually speeds back up slightly to its normal idle speed which causes a bit of a notable vibration due to the quick change in RPMs as it comes away. That's a bit over simplified but if you get the concept you should understand why you feel the vibration and hear the sounds.

To minimize it, as I said, disengage while you're still slightly on the throttle OR don't engine brake down to super low speeds. Either way its nothing to worry about.

[ES_TRADER]

Originally Posted by bdoooh

I had the same thread on this when I first picked up the car back in July. Yeah it's normal. Almost @ 7k miles now & it's still doing it.

What's annoying is that my dct e92 did this and it drove me bonkers. Heard it on several other too. So I thought I'd get a 6mt this go around and it's still there lol

[RickMonet]

I definitely hear some clunking coming from the rear end sometimes.

Great LSD for putting the power down - but not so quiet.

[fun2drv]

Clunking is normal in M manual cars. The E46 M3 was a lot "clunkier" than the new F82.

[JoeFromPA]

I hear normal drivetrain lash clunking when I'm soft on the throttle in 1st or 2nd and lift-off suddenly at very low speeds. Just the sounds of the gears bouncing off each other a bit since they no longer have pressure holding them snug against one tooth.

[BlackCobra08]

I have the 6MT as well, and this is completely normal.

[nbennettksu]

Originally Posted by KennyPowers

the diff. Same noises from my e92 and big time from my e46

correct, normal operation on my F80 (currently sitting at 430mi on the clock)... my E46 also does this

[MaynardZed]

Originally Posted by JoeFromPA

I hear normal drivetrain lash clunking when I'm soft on the throttle in 1st or 2nd and lift-off suddenly at very low speeds. Just the sounds of the gears bouncing off each other a bit since they no longer have pressure holding them snug against one tooth.

Bingo, it's just drivetrain backlash. It's more noticeable in this car than others I think because of the diff and trans mounts are very stiff.

I'm guessing it's not actually the gears inside the trans because their tolerances are very tight. I think it's actually coming from the driveshaft connections which should have some built in slack.

[cctm4me]

I have learned to love the clunk even at 1100 miles. Normal but will worry you at first. If you push the clutch in slowly, you generally do not hear the noise.

[sandwi54]

Yup this is normal. I also found it weird when picking up the car but took a drive with a BMW foreman who confirmed it's normal.

[M Vier]

2500 miles on a 6 MT and it is normal. There are a couple of sounds, one from the LSD, another from the dual plate clutch (an advanced stage high grip performance clutch), and the third from the flywheel. Honestly, I like it, makes the car feels more mechanical.