That’s confusing. [MINI content]

[Qaaaaa]

Got it all torn apart. Here’s what you need to remove to get to the clutch:
Here’s the gross ass transmission:
And the clutch assembly:
PP has some hot spots but I expected worse from how much it slipped. But the disc itself looks fine. Nowhere near the rivets. Looks like a 7k mile disc should look. Some rust on the flywheel. A while ago there was a coolant leak from the water outlet because the shop omitted a spring clamp. Maybe it got coolant on it and nuked it in a way that isn’t obvious? Idk.

[pip bip]

@Qaaaaa check the rear main seal

[Qaaaaa]

@pip-bip no signs of leaking, nor oil contamination on the disc.

[pip bip]

@Qaaaaa buggers that theory then

[pip bip]

@Qaaaaa slap a clutch plate in and send it

[Qaaaaa]

@pip-bip yeah I have a new kit to install. Not super happy about this, still confused

[e90m3]

@Qaaaaa Maybe something with the slave cylinder? Maybe it wasn't disengaging and just acted like the clutch was slipping.

[Qaaaaa]

@e90m3 That's feasible, but I've experienced that in another car (sketchy saturn, which had a similar setup). In that scenario, the pedal lacked good return and pumping it a few times would get it "unstuck" and no more slip would happen. Not so in this case... disengagement was way up the top of the travel of the pedal, so my thinking is, with the pedal not being touched, very little clamping force was on the disc, which means either the pressure plate was preloaded by something or was very weak for some reason.

[e90m3]

@Qaaaaa that also makes sense. Just seeing the clutch, was thinking it had to be something else, that said you're a lot more competent in this area than I am.

[Qaaaaa]

@e90m3 tbh I know nothing about cars, I just bought a bunch of wrenches and a lift