How soon to remap after clutch replacement? (S3 8P 2006)

[Daveyonthemove]

Due to a split DV, when I installed Bluefin on my S3 the car ran fine but wasn't producing peak power.
When the split DV was identified and replaced and the car was transformed, but the clutch started to slip so the remap was removed until I had the clutch replaced, which is happening now.

As it is an uprated Sachs clutch, can I put the stage 1 map back on the car and drive off into the sunset, or should I bed the clutch in for a set distance before putting the map back on?

Obviously I'm reluctant to fry a new clutch, so advice is needed.

Thanks

 

[Gazwould]

500 miles , then put Stage 1 back on or 500 miles of Stage 1 and light throttle.

 

[Daveyonthemove]

500 miles , then put Stage 1 back on or 500 miles of Stage 1 and light throttle.

Excellent, thanks. I'll leave it off for the first 500 miles and then put it back on.

 

[ab1702]

Due to a split DV, when I installed Bluefin on my S3 the car ran fine but wasn't producing peak power.
When the split DV was identified and replaced and the car was transformed, but the clutch started to slip so the remap was removed until I had the clutch replaced, which is happening now.

As it is an uprated Sachs clutch, can I put the stage 1 map back on the car and drive off into the sunset, or should I bed the clutch in for a set distance before putting the map back on?

Obviously I'm reluctant to fry a new clutch, so advice is needed.

Thanks

Just go somewhere that has a good reputation for custom remapping and have an actual remap rather than using the bluefin then you’ll not have to worry about the clutch.

 

[Daveyonthemove]

Just go somewhere that has a good reputation for custom remapping and have an actual remap rather than using the bluefin then you’ll not have to worry about the clutch.

Thanks for the advice.
The reason I got the Bluefin was exactly for this scenario. I bought a used car with 103k on the clock which had a good service history and no signs of clutch problems during the test drive (probably due to split DV) but I had a feeling it was due a clutch and didn't want to map the car and be stuck with a slipping clutch if it did go.
My intention was to make do with Stage 1 Bluefin if the clutch was ok, or uprate the clutch if it was needed and then look at Stage 2 with MRC. I am now in that position, so it worked out well for me.

I am perfectly happy with the Bluefin and wouldn't say it was bad, even though it is widely known that they are conservative on gains.

 

[prt57]

Just saying 500 miles is not enough information. It needs to be 500 miles with lots of gear changes. Town driving is ideal. Also it will help you remove any judder if there is any there to begin with.
3 weeks ago I went from Solihull to Newcastle upon Tyne. Into top gear going onto the M42 then only changed down coming off the A1 by the Angel of the North. 200 miles but no use to help run the clutch in.

 

[ab1702]

Thanks for the advice.
The reason I got the Bluefin was exactly for this scenario. I bought a used car with 103k on the clock which had a good service history and no signs of clutch problems during the test drive (probably due to split DV) but I had a feeling it was due a clutch and didn't want to map the car and be stuck with a slipping clutch if it did go.
My intention was to make do with Stage 1 Bluefin if the clutch was ok, or uprate the clutch if it was needed and then look at Stage 2 with MRC. I am now in that position, so it worked out well for me.

I am perfectly happy with the Bluefin and wouldn't say it was bad, even though it is widely known that they are conservative on gains.

In your OP you made it sound like the clutch started to slip once you had full use of the bluefin after you had fitted the new DV. If so then maybe that bluefin isn’t ideal for your car and was causing the clutch to slip (which is what a poor remap can do if the torque isn’t correct on the map). A good remap like a custom remap at stage 1 shouldn’t cause the clutch to slip unless the clutch was already on its way out for some reason.

 

[Daveyonthemove]

In your OP you made it sound like the clutch started to slip once you had full use of the bluefin after you had fitted the new DV. If so then maybe that bluefin isn’t ideal for your car and was causing the clutch to slip (which is what a poor remap can do if the torque isn’t correct on the map). A good remap like a custom remap at stage 1 shouldn’t cause the clutch to slip unless the clutch was already on its way out for some reason.

You read it correctly, the Remap did cause the slip once the DV was replaced.
But as it had done 103K before I owned it and I later found out it was already mapped (no idea by who, previous owner declared it as standard) then it's not surprising that it slipped once it was getting full power.
Since reverting to stock and driving carefully it has continued to suffer, although not as often.
According to the MAF reading (which is healthy) it is 273bhp stock and 298bhp mapped, so torque is unlikely to be very high and causing a healthy less used clutch to slip. I think it's fair to say that it's done very well on an original clutch and would have gone sooner or later anyway.

Now the clutch is uprated and should handle stage 2 or 2+ I will look at getting the mods required over the next few months and get it custom mapped to make the most of the new clutch.

For now, I want to bed it in and enjoy it as it's been hard driving it like a nanny everywhere to prevent clutch slip.

 

[prt57]

In your OP you made it sound like the clutch started to slip once you had full use of the bluefin after you had fitted the new DV. If so then maybe that bluefin isn’t ideal for your car and was causing the clutch to slip (which is what a poor remap can do if the torque isn’t correct on the map). A good remap like a custom remap at stage 1 shouldn’t cause the clutch to slip unless the clutch was already on its way out for some reason.

A custom map can prevent clutch slip but only if the torque figures are held back.
Best to have a good clutch so the custom mapper can release the best for the particular hardware on the car at the time.

 

[ab1702]

A custom map can prevent clutch slip but only if the torque figures are held back.
Best to have a good clutch so the custom mapper can release the best for the particular hardware on the car at the time.

That’s not particularly true, it’s not so much the final amount of torque but it’s the way in which it is delivered. If it’s delivered too aggressively then it would chew the clutch up, but if its delivered smoothly then on a stage one map it would normally be fine with the standard clutch.
Having said that in this case he’s planning on going to stage 2 anyway so either way he would have needed the better clutch.