DMF - Intermitant fault ?

[ADC74]

If the DMF had failed would the vibration be intermitant ?
Basically I've had the car now for 6 mths & in this time I've had servere vibration coming through the car on 3 seperate occassions. The car seems to loose power, the clutch doesn't feel the same & you get this terrible vibration.
Took the car to 'Midland VW' who have diagnosed the fault as being the DMF / clutch - @ £1000 in the ribs if the warranty company won't pay up ! ! !

Just looking for some advise really before I instruct the garage to strip the car ready for the warranty assessors' inspection. Hopefully they will cover the bulk of the cost & I will only end up paying for the clutch as it is a 'wear & tear' item - i,e, not covered under warranty.

Does the DMF just fail or is this too a 'wear & tear' item ?
Any help would be appreciated, Thanks.

 

[quattro tony]

Normally when a dmf goes its knackered, and you can get a lot of vibration and it may clatter when you depress the clutch. Its unusual to get one that is intermittant, some one may have exprienced it but i have not. It does sound like a missfire maybe, im sure your garage would have checked this, Can you tell me what yr and engine your audi is,

 

[hades-]

yeah year miles etc
i cant see the dmf been under warranty
i had 1 go at 37k under audi and they wouldnt replace it

 

[ADC74]

2002 2.5 TDI Sport Avant - 99k.

This is my concern, don't want to be spending a grand to find that the problem hasn't been resolved
Misfire has been checked & ruled out. The guy said that the vibration is constant it's just at times it gets worse, I guess I'm just used to it hence why i may be thinking it's intermitant.

 

[adamss24]

Normally when a dmf goes its knackered, and you can get a lot of vibration and it may clatter when you depress the clutch. Its unusual to get one that is intermittant, some one may have exprienced it but i have not. It does sound like a missfire maybe, im sure your garage would have checked this, Can you tell me what yr and engine your audi is,

DMF can move in 2 planes: from right to left (wich explain vibrations at iddle when engine warm) and rocking back and forth wich explains the judder on take off. The springs inside get hot thus loosing their hardness and cannot keep the separate masses in balance to cancel the vibrations from the engine. If you have a missfire then you should see the rev needle bouncing up and down, if theres vibrations and no fault code logged in and the rev needle stays steady then it's the flywheel. You need specialised equipament to measure a DMF or you need a lot of experience when checking if a used DMF is still safe to use with a new clutch so its wiser to replace the clutch and flywheel combo when taking the gearbox off...

 

[ADC74]

DMF can move in 2 planes: from right to left (wich explain vibrations at iddle when engine warm) and rocking back and forth wich explains the judder on take off. The springs inside get hot thus loosing their hardness and cannot keep the separate masses in balance to cancel the vibrations from the engine. If you have a missfire then you should see the rev needle bouncing up and down, if theres vibrations and no fault code logged in and the rev needle stays steady then it's the flywheel. You need specialised equipament to measure a DMF or you need a lot of experience when checking if a used DMF is still safe to use with a new clutch so its wiser to replace the clutch and flywheel combo when taking the gearbox off...

Now that's the first technical explaination I've heard all week, cheers Adam :icon_thumright:

 

[aragorn]

Not quite as intermittant as yours, but the DMF on our old A4 went wacky for a month or so, then "fixed" itself.

When it was "broken" it would judder REALLY violently in reverse and when slipping the clutch to pull away in first. Once your foot was off the pedal it did seem to drive more or less normally, no real loss in power and onl a very slight harshness from the engine. Then one day the juddering went away and it drove normally again.

I had the engine out the car shortly afterwards and the flywheel had tonnes of slop in it, so i put it down to that.

 

[itsmeagain]

I just had my DMF and clutch replaced, it cost me 700 quid

 

[ADC74]

Well the news is in & it ain't good

Basically The warranty company have assessed the clutch & DMF and have deemed the damage as "wear & tear". In other words because neither had totally failed the're saying I'm not covered

What a load of ****** !!!!!!!!!!

I'm currently pushing "MH2K" FOR A FULL REFUND on the warranty stating that they have mis-sold me a product which basically covers **** all due to the fact that everything can be excluded due to wear & tear. I have all the previous parts including a clutch which is by the assessors own admission, 95% worn & I will be going with parts in hand & placing them on the managers desk tomorrow asking for an explaination - to say i'm ****** would be an understatement

On the plus side, the car is now a total joy to drive after spending the best part of a grand on a new clutch & DMF

 

[hades-]

but at 99k how can u expect it not to be wear an tear ?
99k is good

 

[ADC74]

Not disputing this Bez, but due to the fact that my car has covered almost 100k now if anything else goes then the warranty company will also just put it down to wear & tear. That's why I believe I have been mis-sold the warranty - plus I have covered less than 4k since ownership & still MH2K are not interested.

Even Midland VW say that they should at least make a contribution towards the costs seeing as how they sold me the car with a clutch / DMF in need of replacement.

 

[Funkyfin2000]

Jodie at Midland VW rocks Great garage....don't go there very often now as it's easier for me to get to Dave @ BVR Automotive who is just as fine (we are spoilt for top VW Independents in the Mids!)

Thumbs Up all round......

ADC - Has this now sorted the misfire type issue that we talked about on the other thread? You were having the asme problems as me weren't you!?

 

[swarcup]

my DMF judders on take off in first after a long drive as chris says above but then it wont do it again for weeks so have left it. When i come to do it i will purchase the clutch and DMF and then get a good friend to fit it. prices vary as i have seen genuine LUK sets for as little as £350 and up to £600 so it will pay to shop around

 

[ADC74]

TBH mate, haven't had any real issues since the cold weather stopped back at the begining of the year. Were due some coldness soon from what I've read so we'll see eh.....

 

[Funkyfin2000]

Ahhhh no worries. Think mine is heading down an expensive route

Camshaft/Clutch/DMF or Injectors, or all 3! Who knows.... After Thursday I might know more!

Mine is better in the warmer weather, but still issues.

How big was the vibration you were getting on yours before the clutch/dmf change?

 

[ADC74]

It was more intermitant than a constant vibration but when it came it was seriously annoying & very hard to live with day by day. I took the car down to Bristol & got caught in traffic & it was this that really sealed the deal for me personally, whats the point of driving an Audi if it runs like bag of ****e

IMO If your Audi is going to be a keeper then it's money well spent, but if not then why spend @ a grand for someone else to benefit. I don't think this is linked to my winter woes so we'll have to wait & see.