OK... this has happened twice now, so I know it's not just my imagination. This is on my 2005 S (with 7000 miles if it matters)

Doing a shift from second to third near redline (getting on the freeway)... the clutch never caught in third, obviously slipping (tach never dropped down as would be expected). It stayed that way until I let off the gas and then it caught.

Could this be the infamous Clutch Delay Valve protecting my driveline? I'm wondering how to broach this subject with a service manager.

Thanks!

 

Probably clutch delay valve, does it slip if you shift normally?

 

Not that I've noticed.

The reason I asked is that it kept slipping for a while until I let off the gas. The amount of time it was slipping seemed excessive to me.

 

It's most likely the CDV unless you've been ragging on your clutch from day 1. The way the CDV works will cause your clutch to continue to slip if you're still giving it gas, if you're not slipping driving normally or even mildly hard then it's just the valve doing it's work.

Try this, drive uphill in 5th or 6th in gear and stomp the gas, if it slips again your clutch is probably bad or glazed over but if it engages and holds fine it's probably just the valve. My M3 has the same CDV valve where if you shift hard it will cause the clutch to just slip and slip to try and protect it but in reality just glazes the disc over badly.

 

OK... thanks for the info...

While it's very annoying, it seems that it's doing what it's supposed to be doing.

 

You can get teh older valves online cheap and swap them out. No more delays.