Is my clutch on the way out? [A4 1.9TDi Sport 130]

[brixo]

Driving to work today, like any other, except noticing that when I release the clutch in first gear, there is a slight hesitation (maybe a little judder from underfoot - I maybe imagining it). Then when I hard accelerate and change gear, the revs seem to raise slightly higher than normal with no extra acceleration, then the revs fall back to normal and then get acceleration as before.

It's got 80k on it and don't *think* it's had it replaced previously.

The car drove perfect at the weekend, but now I am starting to sweat. I am hoping that it will all miraculously go away when I drive home tonight, but I doubt it.

I am pretty sure the clutch is on it's way out... but can someone confirm that these are the symptoms??

If it is the clutch, I have seen I can get the part for £155 inc VAT, but can someone enlighten me to how many hours labour it would take?

Thanks. Yet again.

 

[auroan]

Hey Briscoe. Did you used to go to the CTC in Bradford, then Shef uni ?

 

[bainsyboy]

brixo, park car, put handbrake on then try pulling away in 1st your soon suss out if clutch going, also your fuel consumption will be worse.

 

[AndyMac]

It must have a hard life if the clutch is going at 80k, both our A4's are still on their originals at 140k & 122k, but it's all been motorway driving which makes the difference I guess.

 

[madvw]

yep, sold mine on 135k with the original clutch in it.

 

[imported_gjrquattro]

Hey, yeah sounds like your clutch is on its way out, park on a hill, pull away in first and see if your revs rise up and you get no drive. Dont want to make things worse but if you gettin a vibration your flywheel might be going too, sorry. this can only be checked on removal of the clutch. everyone is different mileage wise, well done to those with 100k plus but it can happen at any mileage depending on driving conditions and driver. This would take 3-4 hours tops at a dealer.

 

[mikeA2B]

You think you got problems!!

I think mine is on the way out and mines not yet touched 50k! plus its a quattro!
I have never had a clutch go in 15 years of driving, my last car had 152,000 miles and never had one (owned from new)

The clutchs slips usually when on the motorway, sounds crazy but say if im travelling at 60 in 6th gear and put my foot down the car wont pick up speed as it normally would, and the engine revs away, im gutted as I never ride the clutch, I learnt this after watching my mum visit to Mr clutch every year!

Sadly no warranty either.

 

[mikeA2B]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey, yeah sounds like your clutch is on its way out, park on a hill, pull away in first and see if your revs rise up and you get no drive. Dont want to make things worse but if you gettin a vibration your flywheel might be going too, sorry. this can only be checked on removal of the clutch. everyone is different mileage wise, well done to those with 100k plus but it can happen at any mileage depending on driving conditions and driver. This would take 3-4 hours tops at a dealer.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey GJ I get a vibration too! but it feels like its coming from the rear, Is this bad news?

 

[brixo]

Poo! Large amounts of poo!

I did the parking on a hill thing, also did the handbrake on thing... none of which showed symptoms of clutch slipping, it just wanted to set off as normal, trying to drag the back wheels and no odd revs rising.

However, I did notice the following...

...driving at a constant 2000rpm in 3rd, then floor it... [max torque is at 2200rpm for my remap] the revs rise slightly but then catches up with itself and accelerates as normal.

The judder is underfoot when I set off from STATIONARY in 1st only. It could be because the biting point seems to be very high compared to normal and I am just getting used to it.

Is the prognosis sounding even crappier??!

 

[brixo]

Gutted. GJRQUATTRO is the man. Unfortunately.

Gearbox out. Revealing a very "burnt" clutch along with a very burnt flywheel. New clutch I can cope with, but the flywheel looks like the bottom of a burnt pan. And from what the garage say (not an Audi stealer), they aren't the cheapest of components. He is looking into seeing if we can get it cleaned/skimmed to keep the cost down.

Unsure as to what could cause this... and no, I don't "drive like i stole it". It has traction control so can't really cane it, I have only put 4k on the car, so I am wondering if the previous owner (a lady rep) lazily rode the clutch for it's entire life.

I am prolly facing a bill of £450 + vat for the clutch and labour plus the extra cost of skimming (if possible), or a new flywheel /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Merry Christmas to one and all. ****.

Girlfriends Christmas presents are on ebay!

 

[arthurfuxake]

I wonder if the AMD remap has anything to do with it? Is the 130tdi clutch and flywheel the same as on a 1.8T? Maybe the 130tdi has a "weaker" cluch than the 190bhp 1.8T? If so, might be a good idea to get an upgraded clutch to handle the extra bhp and torque while the gearbox is out.
Christmas is not a good time for it, but when is?

 

[brixo]

I was wondering that too. Apparently, the clutch should be able to handle a shed load more torque than the 1.9TDI engine can throw at it, even remapped.

I may expect to shorten the life of the clutch, and maybe other components, but wasn't expecting it after 3000 miles of it being remapped.

I have also been told that these clutches are testing like crazy in development and should be fine (with normal driving conditions) up to about 200k. I appreciate I don't drive like I had Miss Daisy in the back, but don't cane the hell out of it as it's (or was) nice and shiney and new...

Will give full details once I get a price for stuff and once I have stopped crying...

2 months of ownership, 2 faults, 1 minor (brake pedal switch causing ABS, EPS and Engine Management lights to go crazy - didn't panic, honest), 1 major (clutch, flywheel, slave cylinder)... Maybe I am jinxed!

 

[mikeA2B]

This is strange!
I unplugged the tuning box yesterday, travelled 400 miles since and not once did the clutch slip or vibrate when accelerating!

 

[brixo]

I sit here and weep.

At the end of the day, I don't think the AmD remap (in fact, I am certain) has caught the clutch burn out. These clutches should be bulletproof and it's not as if it's a piece of crappy engineering, it's an Audi, not a Citroen (sorry Citroen owners!)

AmD wouldn't have done my remap if they knew it would burn out my clutch in 3000 miles... so I am not pointing any fingers anywhere.

Maybe it was a dying clutch and dipstick here finished it off with my over enthusiastic acceleration in the torquey part of the curve.

I dunno. Maybe I just bought a duffer!

I am just waiting for the bill in the morning. *weep*.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[brixo]

Done and dusted.

£700 sees a new clutch, reskimmed flywheel, new slave cylinder... oh and a cleaned car...!

Quite lucky as the flywheel was not 100% smooth, but a company managed to skim it, and so far, I haven't noticed any judder.

3rd Party Warranty company will be paying some of it, not all. They won't pay for the flywheel as they said this was due to the clutch... so I take it I am expected to stop the car immediately and get someone to pick it up when I noticed something slipping???! It was driven from my house to the garage only! They also said they won't pay full for the clutch as the car had 78K on it and said it would have been more than half worn anyway.

Lesson - 3rd party warranty companies suck royal ***... or the ones I have heard about do. Anyone remember "Warranty Holdings"????!!!!