My wifes 02 Cooper got brought home today by the RAC!
Guy said hydraulic clutch failed. Have a quick look before dark and fluid has gone down in the resevoir, seems to be dry up around the clutch pedal so I guess it must be the slave end - will find out in the morning.
Are repair kits available for the slave cylinder or is it a 'buy a replacement' situation?

Alan

I think these days it is mostly a straight replacement as few garages wish to become involved in fitting repair kits anymore:
RealOEM.com BMW R50 Cooper Clutch control (http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=RC32&mospid=48010&btnr=21_0177&hg=21&fg=10)

Thanks for that! It was kind of what I thought
Had a proper look today and the slave cylinder is not leaking (if only) so I have changed all the brake/clutch fluid and bled it but the clutch wont lift enough to engage gears, it also seems very light - I am thinking pressure plate springs? There is also a strange smell from the clutch area.
There have been no problems with clutch or gearbox and the car had only been driven about 1/2 mile before it packed up, but it does smell like a burnt out clutch (not that I have ever smelt a burnt clutch)
Suspect I will be undertaking some repair work, but before this I shall remove slave cylinder and prevent it moving just to see if it seems to be working ok.

Alan

The smell of a burned clutch is rather distinct. Smells like a combination of burnt rubber and electrical burn. It's quite pungent and very unpleasant. When I my clutch changed out, the entire workshop of the dealer smelled like burned clutch. It's a cloying stink that you can immediately recognize once you've smelled it.

You say you can smell it from the clutch area - do you mean from the pedal or from the bell housing?

It was very strong with the engine running with head under bonnet, but as I am stripping it down I am getting the odd 'waft' (bell housing end)
I an surprised it smells like this as it has not been driven with a slipping clutch, the pedal went limp the car was stopped and recovered home?

Alan

Keep us posted on what it turns out to be.

Continued to dismantle today but cannot remove gearbox.
Its all come apart ok and I have the box off the engine but I cannot (as it says in the manual) manouvre it from the engine bay
Jacked engine up/down but no joy - main culprit seems to be the gear selector lever getting in the way
Any body got any tips?
While doing all this I have a large gap between engine and box and peering in I retrieved a very seized thrust bearing which had melted it plastic mount (the smell)
So if nothing else I know what caused it all!
I will post a separate question on gearbox removal because it is driving me nuts and I must get it out.

Alan

Got the box out today and found the cause of the problem - thrust race seized, melted its plastic mounting then the release lever acted directly on the rear of the bearing carrier further destroying the bearing which had also damaged the pressure plate fingers.
Was surprised to find that after 61K the 'dust grooves' were still present in the faces of the friction plate.
Just got to put it all back together now!

Alan

Well done, glad you found the problem in the end.........a lot more work than just a slave cylinder but at least you don't have to pay any labour charges! :)

So the smell was the melted plastic mount and not the friction disk?

Good to hear it's back together again.

Got the box out today and found the cause of the problem - thrust race seized, melted its plastic mounting then the release lever acted directly on the rear of the bearing carrier further destroying the bearing which had also damaged the pressure plate fingers.
Was surprised to find that after 61K the 'dust grooves' were still present in the faces of the friction plate.
Just got to put it all back together now!

Alan

Yes, it was plastic I could smell - but not plastic as we know it as I think it had actually been burning!
Spent the day assembling. So much to put back together, so little room, took me longer than it should because I have been cleaning/waxoyling bits as I go. Just got the grill/bumper assy and wheelarch liners to go on.
I spoke to the BMW dealer we bought the car from 6 years ago just to get an idea of how much it could cost - £1100!! they suggested it's not the sort of job you would want to tackle on the drive! (think I might agree)!
Testing tomorrow.

Alan