Quick clutch question please...

[S3Si]

I need a new clutch for my stage 1 chipped S3 (originally 210bhp, face lift model) and have been getting a couple of quotes. One quote has included the clutch slave master cylinder for £200!! Does this really need replacing or is the garage just being cautious and replacing it at the same time? Just thought if your clutch went that's all you had to replace?

Thanks.

 

[madvw]

depends if your master cylinder is broken! why replace it if it's not broken?

 

[S3Si]

Well thats what I thought!!!! But it got me wondering if this is like the water pump and cam belt thing, where you replace it for the sake of it because its known to fail or might do soon. Just wanted to know peoples' thoughts...

 

[madvw]

for £200, it seems an expensive preventative measure, plus i've never really heard any common accounts of one breaking..

depends on your level of paranoia really! - but saying that, your car's coming upto 5 years old (at the most), so I really wouldn't expect it to need replacing.

 

[S3Si]

Cheers madvw, well, unless someone else comes along and says this is a must, my car will die without it, I think I will save myself £200. Ta

 

[S3Si]

Right, sorry to go on about this but I have just spoken with this garage again and they say that the release bearing and clutch slave master cylinder now come basically as one part (never used to) and they say they are not sure whether they could warrant the clutch work if i didn't have this done. I usually trust this garage and have never had any problems with them before but I am not convinced this extra work is necessary, but they have made me doubt my judgement now!!

Anyone other comments would be appreciated just to make me feel a bit better about making a decision, thanks.

 

[HTC]

Your garage is telling the truth.

Take a look HERE

The release bearing and hydraulic unit is indeed one part.

I have heard of one failing on the forums, but I wouldn't say it was common. Maybe they have seen others.

Usually you would replace the release bearing when doing the clutch which is probably in the garages policy. Its just unfortunate for your wallet that the S3 has this design.

 

[S3Si]

HTC: But is the release bearing and slave cylinder one part? I pressume 'hydraulic actuator' isn't the same as slave cylinder? I'm not sure I made it clear in my previous posts, but I understand that the release bearing has to be replaced, but surely the slave cylinder is a sepate part and probably doesn't/shouldn't need replacing? Southampton Audi don't replace the cylinder, niether do AMD, so someone has got it confused...

They are saying that the bearing and cylinder used to be separate but now they are integral. Is this true? Sorry if i'm going round in circles!!!

 

[HTC]

Its fine, I'm as interested as you are. Plus its no bother.

As far as I can tell the slave cylinder and actuator are the same thing, so as far as I can tell, they are joined.

In the service manual they refer to the item as an actuator sometimes and sometimes a slave cylinder.

Good news tho, I just got a price for you and its £34.04 + vat for the item.

Give Audi a call and ask them to double check the price on part number "0A5 141 671".

ETOS does list a slave cylinder with a part number of "1J0 721 261H" but I think thats only for FWD gearboxes. Even if you do need this as well it should only be about £36. So I'm not sure where the garage is getting the figure of £200 from?

Get them to check with a tech guy as to what you really need and then get those particular parts from Audi and give them to the garage.

Hope that helps.

 

[HTC]

Just re-read your first post. You don't need the "master" cylinder as this very separate to the gearbox, just in case they argue that one.

Its located at the pedal.

 

[S3Si]

Thanks again HTC. Yep, just realised I shouldn't have put master cylinder in. Just got a breakdown of parts from Audi and I need a clutch (obviously!), the plate and the release bearing and the guy said he thought the actuator and the slave cylinder were the same thing. And indeed you are right about the price of £34.04, so I think another call is needed to the other garage!! Will let you/anyone else interested know the outcome soon, have to go now.

 

[S3Si]

HTC/anyone: The car went in for the work today and they have turned around and told me that they couldn't release the slave cylinder from the master cylinder, or something like that, and they now need to order a master cylinder to finish the job!! Am I being paranoid or do you think they are trying to take the /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/swear.gif?! They quoted about the £60 mark for the master one.

 

[HTC]

I think either they have their car component terminology mixed up or they are trying to fleece some extra cash out of you.

Take a look at this pic.

Part No.3 is the master cylinder. As you can see it is attached to the bulk head and pedal. It is nowhere near the gearbox. They shouldn't have to touch it at all.

The slave cylinder is part No.15. All they need to do is remove the clip No.11 and then unscrew 3 bolts inside the bell housing to remove it.

I don't understand why they want to charge you for the master cylinder unless they are talking about a different component all together.

Perhaps you need to pay them a visit or show them this pic and ask them to point out the parts in question.

 

[S3Si]

Excellent info again HTC. Will ask some questions tonight when I collect the car, thanks.

 

[S3Si]

Just in case you are still interested HTC, I had a little 'discussion' with the garage and we came to an agreement. I think that the person who was giving me the quotes got a little confused and the tension had built up after that. Although they still charged me for the master cylinder, about £30, they didn't charge me any labour for it. Still not quite sure why they had to replace it, but after arguing with them about the slave clyinder and price i thought it best to let it go as i still want to return to the garage because they have been pretty good until now. Don't want them hating me then doing something dodgy to my car next time its in, like ragging it from cold or something. Anyway, am waffling now, cheers again, it was a great help and saved me some money! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif