has any "normal" changed the clutch on an S3 on axle stands?

[Stuart B]

I'm really considering either

1. do the work myself - is it feasible ?
2. pay a man (what like £800 - even with an oil burning / leaking / puffing engine - really it needs £3-4K on engine at the same time)
3. sell the car as is "broken" ~£1K
4. buy an 8N TT and move over the few worthwhile bits I have (TIP, filter, downpipe, FMIC - and sell the odd bits from engine bay, brakes, boot, seats, wheels, haldex, ECUs, maybe some old panels and trim etc of the S3, and push the remaining shell onto a scrap van on ebay space saver wheels

The thing about TT's is I haven't found trim as nice as the blue or cream alacante yet - a TT 225 is like 2.5K

What's put me off is the clutch is 4 spanners in Haynes, the drive shafts are only 1 year old so I know they will undo but it is doable on the drive?

I know another car will also have problems and £800 is less than 2.5K, but like I said the engine has been puffing for 8 months now and unlike a cut engines don't fix themselves.

 

[<tuffty/>]

Can be done mate if you are patient... just be aware that the 02M box is a very heavy beast...

You will be best off removing the transfer box to help you get the box off nicely... I would drop the subframe completely as this can be an a55... mark it up to be able to align and get a tracking check after...

Power steering pipes get in the way round the end of the box...

Good luck dude... and get a friend to help...

<tuffty/>

 

[tcg]

Ah mate,hope you can get it sorted...at least if you do it yourself it may allow your budget to stretch to that performance clutch you're going to need when you reach 300bhp.

Good luck,I feel your pain,may need to hang around your local Audi dealership and convince an apprentice it would extend their knowledge base by helping you over a weekend for a few beer tokens.

 

[xDaNx]

Done a TT on stands twice, straightfoward to be honest, as above the power steering pipes are annoying.

 

[IPG]

Done a TT on stands twice, straightfoward to be honest, as above the power steering pipes are annoying.

It’s a daunting task if you’ve not done it before but it can be done on stands

If you can take the engine out = much less headache but if that’s not an option

You will definitely need a friend for when you’re splitting or installing the gearbox back on.

Another tricky part is navigating what even needs to come off before even undoing the tranny mounts. There’s a whole bunch of earths, plugs, starter and hydraulic line you need to undo and push off to the side.

Definitely remove both wheels for access.
Clamp the clutch slave hose to save you headache of bleeding.
Get a good set of Allen keys to be able to get the transfer case off (8mm).
Don’t forget about the 6mm Allen inside the driveshaft flange. Otherwise your transfer case isn’t going anywhere! (Impact comes In Handy with this one so you don’t have to faff with holding the flange still.)

Plenty more to note but you’ve got the Hanes to tell you everything.

I also like this one as it’s got pretty pictures.


http://bd8ba3c866c8cbc330ab-7b26c6f...1.8T_Lightweight_Flywheel_Installation_R1.pdf

 

[Stuart B]

I can take the power steering pipes back off, they only went on in September.
I just wonder how much extra effort is it too remove the engine and gearbox with a crane? I did this with my old 1986 T25 camper to change the exhaust? Then at the same time I can change the other bits and pieces, sump, thermostat and consider the rods etc

My back really isn't what it used to be, I have days of pain after doing the clutch master cylinder.

 

[IPG]

If your back is out - access is much easier with the engine out.

MUCH!

 

[Stuart B]

it's an all or nothing decision really - I need to ponder.

 

[killfame]

I see no worries on Jack Stands. My car is laying on Jack Stands up front for past 2 months and thats how my mechanic is working on currently.

 

[Stuart B]

SLK 230 for £1K or a clutch for a piece of crap Audi? that's my pondering - move on

 

[tcg]

SLK 230

Isn't that a brand of hair straighteners

 

[Stuart B]

he he... I was waiting for a

"that's a hair dresser's car"

and I would have returned

"well an S3 8L is a rich mechanic's car"

all I have ever done with this car is repair it.. the only person to stand forward and say "it's been faultless" has spent £3K purchase + £10K modificatiohs on a 2001 S3 and has driven 14000 miles in 3 years - for 14K you can get a 2010 S5 or a 2012 S4 lol...

to be fair this is the longest I have owned a car for about 20 years.

It's been fun - I did do the mapping thing and get 225 g/s from the MAF which is about maxed out but I'm tired now. I've considered all options even looking again today and am still wondering what I could do - but to be fair eBay had a max £3 selling fee this weekend so might junk it tomorrow.

the only other route was to get a TT and put in the DP, B5 TIP+filter and FMIC - which I'm still pondering.

 

[tcg]

Whatever you decide will be right mate.Whichever way you go,will be the right way...and you've gained so many more tools...me included.

 

[Stuart B]

I do have a lot of tools but unfortunately you cannot buy patience - to keep it I would need to buy another car so my wife can use a car when ever she wants to.

 

[tcg]

All I can say is...

If you leave me now, you'll take away the biggest part of me
Uh uh uh uh no @Stuart B please don't go
And if you leave me now, you'll take away the very heart of me
Uh uh uh uh no @Stuart B please don't go
Uh uh uh uh man I just want you to stay

But if you do leave and get another car,just make sure it's the right colour.

 

[IPG]

All I can say is...

If you leave me now, you'll take away the biggest part of me
Uh uh uh uh no @Stuart B please don't go
And if you leave me now, you'll take away the very heart of me
Uh uh uh uh no @Stuart B please don't go
Uh uh uh uh man I just want you to stay

But if you do leave and get another car,just make sure it's the right colour.

Hahahaha got this song playing in my head now

 

[Stuart B]

I am wondering whether I should be including a set of axle stands with the car in the advert as a good-will gesture.

This has really torn me, I just went out to photo it and I don't want to sell - it looks so good especially in blue (it's like the person that walks into the club and no-one can hear the music anymore, but like that person - having any kind of success is very expensive and is high maintenance) - but I do need a car. I have 10 days to change my mind once it goes up for bidding wars.

 

[Tj 0785]

I was in the same boat mate seeing it sat on drive thinking it would make more sense to move it on but cannot bring myself to do it. If I get rid I’d buy another and have all the same issues so.

Why not buy a cheap run around so your always on the road. Seems to be a must for every s3 owner

 

[hendo#1]

SLK 230 for £1K or a clutch for a piece of **** Audi? that's my pondering - move on

How much of a wallet raping do you think a £1K SLK will give you?

If it makes more sense you should move the Audi on for the Merc, but go into Merc ownership with your eyes, and your wallet wide open.

 

[Stuart B]

all 1999 slk230's are about 1K - I have already had a 1996 C200, all i did with that was pull a fuse to disable the alarm when the alarm horn battery went flat - it'll only be for a year or so - that's back to my normal. The S3 was a project (like they all are)

 

[mattyy]

You won’t see many people posting on a forum, that is mainly used for asking for advice on fixing issues, posting about how faultless their cars have been.
There are many S3 owners that have had relatively faultfree motoring (I’m one of them)

I say relatively because they are almost 20 years old at that kind of ages parts WILL need changing regardless of car. I mean Audi don’t make every part in your S3 so they can’t be held responsible for every part failing.

From this and all your other posts it sounds like you want a cheap, super reliable, performance car, that you don’t want to spend the money on fixing. The Merc won’t fit that, the B5 S4 won’t fit that (a mate of mine has just gone through an egt sensor at £300 and x2 turbos within 6 months of ownership)

For what it’s worth, I’ve ended up with two S3s recently and I’ve pondered about selling and buying something else ( I don’t need a car ) but for the money there simply isn’t anything else I’d like as potentially whatever I buy will still need the general wear and tear otherhaul anyway due to the age.
I’d fix it. Don’t waste your time searching ebay for wings in the same colour, just buy some and get them sprayed and be done with it. Don’t go and buy a TT which shares 95% of its mechanical parts with the S3 but pick up an engine instead - AMK blocks are going for £200-£300. Engine is out so it’s easy access to do the clutch and then you know where you’re at with the car.

I’m not a mechanic, I don’t have much in the way of skill and even less tools but I have just done a complete strip down and overhaul of the entire back end of my S3 and by doing it all myself it’s honestly not cost that much with bushings being the bulk of it at £150.
Oh and that was done on axel stands!

 

[Stuart B]

I wouldn't class the SLK as a performance car I think they are about 180BHP, it's just a fad like the S3 was supposed to be - but if you let yourself get too far down the rabbit hole it's never worth coming back up, I already have another car but my wife wants to be able to drive too, and usually when I am at work so we need two working cars.

this is all hypothetical in any case, all the advice is good thanks