# CDV Removal Complete...



## BloodRedHog (Mar 9, 2004)

Thanks to all -- my first official mini-mod is complete...next comes the modest clutch stop install.

I did not take pics because this is, in theory, so simple to do and there is a good DIY on Dave Z's site as well as here on the fest.

I would like to offer a few observations for those who may want to do this and who, like me, do not work on their cars on a regular basis. (i.e. changing oil, filters, and brake pads is about all I do except for the springs, shocks and chip I did once on my Passat.)


Get under your car behind the front tire on the driver's side and look for this (I stole this image from JFS's post): cont'd


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## BloodRedHog (Mar 9, 2004)

Mine looks exactly like the above image.

This took me about 3 hours, but if I did it again, maybe 30 minutes.

To start, I used only a floor jack. This was a mistake. You cannot raise the car high enough to really have room to operate and the jack point is at the spot that you really want to lay down. Also, it is dangerous.

So I ran to my brother-in-law's and got his jack stands. These worked better; however, I used the a centerpoint under the car to jack it up to place the jack stands and this deformed a bit. 

See this image stolen from another thread: cont'd


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## LDV330i (May 24, 2003)

Congratulations on a successful mod. At 5:00 PM it sounded like you were in a panic mode. As always 'festers came to rescue. :thumbup:


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## BloodRedHog (Mar 9, 2004)

Deforming the underside of my car really ticked me off but it is my own fault because I did not search this forum enough to find another point to jack the car to get the stands under it. BTW, the stands I used fit pretty well on the jack points of the E46 but make sure the ones you use do fit before you start.

Next, I used vice grips to clamp the hydraulic line. If I did it again, I would use hose pinchers to minimize any potential damage to the line.

Next I loosened the nut on the copper (?) line to the CDV with a 11 mm open end wrench. Some say use a flare wrench but mine worked fine. I did this while holding the CDV in place with a 17 mm wrench. The CDV then pops out.

Here is where I hit a snag. You have to remove the other end of the CDV from the hydraulic line using two 17 mm wrenches. One holds the line, the other turns the CDV. (Here is where I recommend using a lift.) With a lift, you have enough room to do this easily. Under jack stands, this was a struggle for me because I was trying not to upset the vice grips pinching the line. 

I finally held the CDV up to the transmission housing to get leverage and pushed up on the wrench. This did the trick.

Very little if any fluid leaked out. I held the valve up to the light and sure enough, the opening inside there is very small. Dave Z's modified valve has a much larger opening.

Using the two 17 mm's, I tightened the CDV back on the hydr. line. I then pushed the CDV back through the rubber grommet and re-attached the copper line. You have to begin to thread by hand to get it started correctly. I tightened using the 11mm while holding the CDV with the 17mm.

Next, because I am anal, I opened the reservoir and screwed on the cap from the pressure bleeder I bought. (Motive products - $50). I pumped it up to 20 lbs. and checked the CDV for any leaks.

I then took the rubber cap off the clutch bleed valve. I attached the tubing that came with the bleeder to the clutch bleed valve. This is a challenge because you have little room to work with next to the transmission (unless your hands are small). Also, I had to bore out the end of the tube a bit to get it to fit.

I dropped a bucket under the tube and with the pressure still reading 20 lbs, I used a 7 mm open end wrench to loosen the valve. Some say get a box-end wrench that is reversible and offset, but I could not find one at Autozone or Home Depot, so I used what I had. You have enough room to loosen and tighten the valve -- it was hard only because my wrench was so short. A longer 7 mm wrench would have been a piece of cake.

Bubbles did come out but this could have been from the point where the tube attached to the valve. I let it drain for about 5 seconds and tightened. 

I slowly unscrewed the cap on the bleeder and checked the fluid level in the reservoir -- very little drop. I added some Dot 4 just in case.

And that's it. Get a lift and do this in 10 minutes. Use jack stands and maybe 30 minutes. Use a floor jack and you are nuts.


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## BloodRedHog (Mar 9, 2004)

LDV330i said:


> Congratulations on a successful mod. At 5:00 PM it sounded like you were in a panic mode. As always 'festers came to rescue. :thumbup:


I really was freaking for a minute - I could not get that sucker off. Using the two 17 mm's, I could not get any leverage to loosen the thing.

Anyway, without the fest, I would never have tried this.

So are you game for CDV removal in the future?


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## LDV330i (May 24, 2003)

BloodRedHog said:


> So are you game for CDV removal in the future?


 Are you volunteering to come down to Houston to help? I am sure *TLudwig* and myself would appreciate it.


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## BahnBaum (Feb 25, 2004)

BloodRedHog said:


> To start, I used only a floor jack. This was a mistake. You cannot raise the car high enough to really have room to operate and the jack point is at the spot that you really want to lay down. Also, it is dangerous.


NEVER EVER NEVER EVER get under a car supported only by a jack. Jacks alone are a recipe for serious injury. ALWAYS use jackstands (and wheel chocks).

Either that or impose on Pinecone and use his garage and lift.

Congratulations on the mod. So.....notice a huge difference?

Alex


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## BloodRedHog (Mar 9, 2004)

LDV330i said:


> Are you volunteering to come down to Houston to help? I am sure *TLudwig* and myself would appreciate it.


I might - I feel like an expert now that I've been through this. 

What it made me want very much was a lift.
I wonder what those cost? I can see the wife now saying No Way.


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## 2001E46 (Nov 12, 2002)

I know this thread is a month old, but I have a question about your CDV removal procedure. In your write-up you said that you removed the CDV while it was still attached to the hydraulic line. You then proceeded to remove the CDV from the hydraulic line while it was dangling in the air.

Is this the proper way to do it? Is it not possible to remove the hydraulic line from the CDV first, while it's still attached? Then remove the CDV and either replace it with a modified one, or just re-attach the hydraulic line with the CDV removed completely?

I'm going to remove mine this weekend. Thanks!


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## marvelphx (Mar 23, 2002)

This might help...

http://www.my330i.com/mod27.php

Todd


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## BloodRedHog (Mar 9, 2004)

2001E46 said:


> I know this thread is a month old, but I have a question about your CDV removal procedure. In your write-up you said that you removed the CDV while it was still attached to the hydraulic line. You then proceeded to remove the CDV from the hydraulic line while it was dangling in the air.
> 
> Is this the proper way to do it? Is it not possible to remove the hydraulic line from the CDV first, while it's still attached? Then remove the CDV and either replace it with a modified one, or just re-attach the hydraulic line with the CDV removed completely?
> 
> I'm going to remove mine this weekend. Thanks!


I am no expert, but I believe it is better to first remove the CDV on the side of the copper (?) line because you will spill less fluid and that side has a pressure seal that is a bit fragile.


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