Is my clutch on its way out?

Is my clutch on its way out?

Author
Discussion

VAG1

Original Poster:

784 posts

190 months

Sunday 21st June 2009
quotequote all
My car has now down 50k miles, and its been juddering a bit when setting off for the last few weeks. This happens first thing in the morning and becomes consistent after the car has been driven for a while, quite violent at times but if I rev it enough it won't happen. Is this a sign that the clutch is going?

Defcon5

6,186 posts

192 months

Sunday 21st June 2009
quotequote all
I have exactly this, and have had it since I got the car a 1 1/2 years and 20k ago. It hasnt got any worse at all in that time, and I have absolutely no idea what causes it

VAG1

Original Poster:

784 posts

190 months

Sunday 21st June 2009
quotequote all
What's your car mate?
Mine is also jerky (revs bounce) when you come on and off the accelerator and the gear stick moves in whatever gear it is (never did that before)

Defcon5

6,186 posts

192 months

Sunday 21st June 2009
quotequote all
Mines a Lupo GTI, AVY engine with 6sp box. Aparantley it can be caused by a build up of deposits on the plate and a bit of abuse shifts it, but i dont know how to abuse a clutch so cant say if it works!

VAG1

Original Poster:

784 posts

190 months

Sunday 21st June 2009
quotequote all
We need the help of Dr G and Tame Tech........
I read about the deposit thing on the Porsche forum and the abuse cleared it, could abuse mean quick starts and fast shifts?

Defcon5

6,186 posts

192 months

Sunday 21st June 2009
quotequote all
Suppose so, but I drive like that regularly and it hasnt made a difference. Could just drop the clutch at 7000rpm but I wouldnt dare!

Dr G

15,197 posts

243 months

Monday 22nd June 2009
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Turbo diesel with a dual mass flywheel per chance?

VAG1

Original Poster:

784 posts

190 months

Tuesday 23rd June 2009
quotequote all
Mine is a petrol fsi. Can you get a dual mass flywheel on a non diesel? The clutch biting point also feels a little higher today, but not much judder.

Dr G

15,197 posts

243 months

Tuesday 23rd June 2009
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Model? Engine? Year?

Surprisingly easy to have worn a clutch out by 50k.

VAG1

Original Poster:

784 posts

190 months

Tuesday 23rd June 2009
quotequote all
Golf Mk5 2004 1.4FSI with 50k on clock (full vw service history).
Does it sound right that the clutch could be going about now?
Thanks

istoo

2,365 posts

203 months

Tuesday 23rd June 2009
quotequote all
dual mass flywheel going feels like the opposite of a clutch. it goes fine on a hill start, its major torque it cant handle. Try a pull in 5th gear at 20, will judder and feel like there is no power.

if its a tdi esp a remaped TDi the flywheel wear is increased enormously.

Edited by istoo on Tuesday 23 June 11:34

VAG1

Original Poster:

784 posts

190 months

Tuesday 23rd June 2009
quotequote all
Its a petrol, not a very powerful one either lol. Do petrols have dual mass flywheels?
I shall try the pulling at 20 in 5th gear anyway.

istoo

2,365 posts

203 months

Tuesday 23rd June 2009
quotequote all
well our 1.8T had a dual mass flywheel. Its more efficient as a flywheel to have heavier mass around the outer and lighter in the middle. but in a 1.4FSI golf i wouldn't be looking at the flywheel first, it does sound unlikely given the mileage/ age/ power.

Try the other chaps i really don't knwo what that is, its not an engine issue, ie knock sensor. But that would show on diagnostics for sure.

Seez

656 posts

181 months

Tuesday 23rd June 2009
quotequote all
To abuse the clutch, just rev your car to at least 50% of revs or more and dump the clutch, ie just take your foot off it.

Edited by Seez on Tuesday 23 June 22:53

VAG1

Original Poster:

784 posts

190 months

Tuesday 23rd June 2009
quotequote all
If it's on its way out I really dont want to push it, but then again I don't know what the problem is. I'm assuming its going as the car is at 50k miles and the biting point just got higher yesterday. Is 50k miles when a clutch goes? I read on UKMKIV's that some people had their clutch go really early under warranty and it was a common fault. But I'm well out of the warranty and I think this maybe wear and tear.

Olly

2,174 posts

285 months

Thursday 25th June 2009
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I can't imagine a clutch will have gone in 50k miles on a modern car (unless you spend your whole time sitting in traffic ?).

I've got a chipped 1.9Tdi (130bhp/200ib/ft ish) in a 2003 Seat Toledo which is now up to 121k miles & still on the original clutch.

A juddery clutch can also be the release bearing not being alined properly, although this normally only happens after a clutch change.....

VAG1

Original Poster:

784 posts

190 months

Thursday 25th June 2009
quotequote all
Thanks for that Olly, most of my driving is town driving but I do occasionally do long motorway runs. I don't drive a lot, probably 9k miles in the last year. The biting point is definitaly higher, but it's not extremely high. I shall just take it to VW and get it checked out.

Tame Technician

2,467 posts

205 months

Thursday 25th June 2009
quotequote all
Not quite sure what you mean by revs bouncing when you get on and off the throttle. But I did have a 1.6FSi A3 in recently with the worse clutch judder I've ever seen. Until then I did think the under powered petrols had it, but they do.

Clutch's wear at different rates based on how you drive. I know a taxi driver who does mainly town work, lots of traffic starting and stops, so you would think his clutches wouldn't last, and he did nearly 200k on the factory clutch. Equally a sales rep that sits on the motorway and never changes gear, you would think would last for ages, needed to be replaced at 36k. They just used them differently.

Best get it looked at by the main dealer, ring first so they know your coming, but ask if you can take the master tech or at least a technician out for a drive and show him what is does and ask him what he thinks, you dont have to have the work done there if you think they are too expensive.

But sounds like you need a clutch to me, if its bad, you may need the flywheel too. They are usually all duel mass now, but I'm not sure on that car.

VAG1

Original Poster:

784 posts

190 months

Friday 26th June 2009
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Thanks for that help tame tech. I'll try and go get it looked at tomorow.
I'm looking to order it online and get a local specialist to fit it.
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/Volkswagen_Golf_...
is that all I will need? There are cheaper options, is sachs a good manufacturer? Should I go for the cheaper option as it's only a 1.4?

wullie_t25

117 posts

181 months

Friday 26th June 2009
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I had a similar problem in my 02 polo 1.9TDI with 60k

Clutch felt high and would judder alot mostly when warm, gear changes were also pretty poor especially when stationary. I also had a rumbling noise like the release bearing was gone.

I refused to pay £300 for a DM flywheel and £150 for a clutch from ECP. They offered a soild flywheel conversion kit for £130 and I got that fitted instead. The bearing noise is still there (so Im thinking possibly a bearing in the box), but the clutch feels so much better, still a bit high for my liking (Im used to cable operated clutches, and I presume the Polo will be hydraulic) Ive done about 3000 miles on it so far with no judders or dodgy gear changes (so it wasnt my poor driving) and goes into gear no probs from stationary.

The guy that done the clutch said the old unit was surprisingly fine, with plenty of wear left on both flywheel and clutch. New clutch has definetly made a difference and will wait until the box goes bang before I do anymore.