Clutch issues: update on page 2

[stealthwolf]

I have an issue with my clutch.

About six months ago, barely a week after its second service, I was on a motorway, heading off onto the slip road. Had to slow down - hence shifted down from sixth gear to fourth (having already braked to bring the vehicle and engine speed down), and hit the gas pedal. The revs went sky high and that's when I noticed the clutch pedal was stuck down and the car wasn't moving like it should have been. After moving on to the hard shoulder of the new motorway, I stopped the car. The clutch had come up after I had been hitting it whilst on the slip road but now was very soft with almost no resistance. However, it did come back up after pressing it down. I couldn't detect a biting point. Carried on and once I'd gotten home, let the car cool for several hours, after which it seemed fine except that the biting point was higher.

Had issues again - this time on a slip road. Almost stationary and had to accelerate hard. Moved through the gears but this time, once in third, the clutch pedal stayed down instead of coming back up. Again, frantically hitting the pedal with my foot managed to release the pedal and after letting it cool down, returned to normal again. With a more detectable burning smell.

Took it to VW who couldn't find anything wrong but wanted £400 to strip everything apart and have a closer look - if there was a fault, they'd return the charge. Given the cost, I didn't want to take the hit.

I'm really wary of pushing the car though in normal driving (city and motorway), it seems fine.

Any ideas?

[Poppa Dom]

Had it mapped so change the clutch for the uprated one, job done 

[Saint Steve]

As dom says, either De-Map it or uprate the clutch so it will last.

Pointless having a remap if the clutch slips jaz.

[stealthwolf]

But I had this issue without the map? 

[Saint Steve]

But I had this issue without the map? 

Then you need to be harder on your clutch, if your still in warranty mate. I suggest many hard starts or burn some gallons

[Top Cat]

Take the map off until you can afford to up rate the clutch. 

[stealthwolf]

I went to midland vw and they tried to dissuade me from a sachs clutch. Apparently the on-off nature and noise has caused a lot of complaints after fitment. What I really need to do is drive a car with an uprated clutch to see if I could tolerate it.

[john_o]

it may be worth considering other reasons as to why its not returning
e.g. piping crsuhed, check in the pedal area. broken mountings etc
certainyl worth a fluid flush and replace
maybe even disocnnect from clutch and see if it still exhibits the same behaviour (and conversely actuating the clutch side using a manual pump)

[stealthwolf]

it may be worth considering other reasons as to why its not returning
e.g. piping crsuhed, check in the pedal area. broken mountings etc
certainyl worth a fluid flush and replace
maybe even disocnnect from clutch and see if it still exhibits the same behaviour (and conversely actuating the clutch side using a manual pump)

Would the dealer not have done this when they checked it out? This goes beyond my competence. I'm already having second issues on doing the diverter valve myself!

[flyboy1976]

Im curious to know the same stealthwolf, dan.payne is running a sachs clutch and cover think thelast prefixes for both parts from sachs are 502 and 787 iirc. Let me know what you decide and your feelings if you do go ahead with the sachs item or alternatively get to experience a car with a sachs setup.

[MancBen]

it may be worth considering other reasons as to why its not returning
e.g. piping crsuhed, check in the pedal area. broken mountings etc
certainyl worth a fluid flush and replace
maybe even disocnnect from clutch and see if it still exhibits the same behaviour (and conversely actuating the clutch side using a manual pump)

... agree with the above.

Mine was doing this (pedal sticking down) ... after much investigation (and cash) it turned out to be the slave cyclinder.

Good Luck

[stealthwolf]

Mine was doing this (pedal sticking down) ... after much investigation (and cash) it turned out to be the slave cyclinder.

Did you get the issue all of the time or just intermittently? Was it replaced under warranty? VW wanted £400 to strip everything down and given I wasn't actively having the issue, i held off.

[MancBen]

Mine was doing this (pedal sticking down) ... after much investigation (and cash) it turned out to be the slave cyclinder.

Did you get the issue all of the time or just intermittently? Was it replaced under warranty? VW wanted £400 to strip everything down and given I wasn't actively having the issue, i held off.

It started out doing it when I shifted hard... over time it got worse, till the point where it was sticking down and I needed to pull it up with the top of my foot.

My mechanic pumped it loads to replicate the issue.. and the pedal sank right to the floor as the slave cylinder finally gave up.

Mine is a 55plate, so out of warranty. VW will want that much as they need to drop the 'box to check stuff out - It's a few hours work.

[stealthwolf]

It started out doing it when I shifted hard... over time it got worse, till the point where it was sticking down and I needed to pull it up with the top of my foot.

My mechanic pumped it loads to replicate the issue.. and the pedal sank right to the floor as the slave cylinder finally gave up.

Mine is a 55plate, so out of warranty. VW will want that much as they need to drop the 'box to check stuff out - It's a few hours work.

Very useful information! How long did it take to get worse? I've got around 5 months warranty left so obviously would want to get it sorted before then. From what the mechanic said, he thought it would be the slave cylinder but he pumped the clutch sixty times and still couldn't get it to happen.

I take it you got the slave cylinder replaced in the end? How much was it? Did you get it done by VW or independent?

[MancBen]

It started out doing it when I shifted hard... over time it got worse, till the point where it was sticking down and I needed to pull it up with the top of my foot.

My mechanic pumped it loads to replicate the issue.. and the pedal sank right to the floor as the slave cylinder finally gave up.

Mine is a 55plate, so out of warranty. VW will want that much as they need to drop the 'box to check stuff out - It's a few hours work.

Very useful information! How long did it take to get worse? I've got around 5 months warranty left so obviously would want to get it sorted before then. From what the mechanic said, he thought it would be the slave cylinder but he pumped the clutch sixty times and still couldn't get it to happen.

I take it you got the slave cylinder replaced in the end? How much was it? Did you get it done by VW or independent?

It took 3 - 4 months from nothing to completely shagged. At first it was frustratingly difficult to replicate and only tended to happen when giving it hard shifts.... you could hear a sort of dry, squeaking sound though. Eventually it would do it on demand....
VW changed it in the end... not ideal, but it needed sorted straight away as I was stranded and they could do it next day. Not sure on the cost... but it wasn't cheap.

They also told me that I needed a new DMF and that my clutch was well worn. They had both just been replaced ! Tossers.