Gearbox/Clutch problems

[Nodz]

I've been having a few problems of late when the gearbox is cold, it was struggling going into 2nd from 1st and 3rd with grinding or being very difficult to put into gear but once warmed up all is well.

This week I've noticed everytime I come on and off the clutch in queuing traffic (1st and 2nd) I'm getting a clunk/thud then this morning when I went for 2nd gear and it was as if it weren't there and suddenly sorted itself.

Tonight when I was trying to take my mum to Hammersmith, in the queuing traffic, I started to get a grinding/whining noise when crawling along in traffic (constantly on off the clutch, using both clutch and accelerator) but after a a couple of miles of clear traffic and very light and steady acceleration the noise disappears unless I mash my foot into the floor then under heavy load you can hear it.

I had done some research before today's symptoms and borrowed it down to gear linkages, clutch or synchromesh's (already had 'box oil changed) but after today I'm thinking its def the clutch more than anything. Does this sound right or could there be other things a miss? All symptoms are when pulling away on the clutch or slightly hard acceleration

Any help greatly appreciated

[GrayMK5GTI]

Sorry to hear about your problems matey 

Id have thought that if your clutch was kaput, it would be slipping (revs rising without car accelerating with the revs).

Strange noises are often down to the DMF - mine made a rumble when pulling away, especially from cold and can make pulling away smoothly difficult.

May be worth taking the clutch / flywheel off for inspection as a first as it's difficult to diagnose from the symptoms. I've seen gearboxes going for a few hundred £'s on the bay.

Graeme

[Veee-dubber]

Similar issues myself mate, don't think it's clutch more likely to be DMF or the box itself I'm afraid pal... Mines going for a second opinion this week so I will let u know the findings! Good luck!

[Nodz]

Mines sorted for now tuned out the bolt on the dogbone mount had sheered so the noises I was hearing was the aux belt eating its way through the A/C pipe.

Alex had a look at the clutch and there's slight play in the DMF but nothing major and both the DMF and clutch will last for ~20k. The gearbox can still be a pain to put into 2nd from 1st when cold but since the warm weather has appeared it's been fine.

Just gonna run it for the next year or so and hope to get away without having to put a new one in as hopefully by then i'll be looking into an s3 saloon