Transmission. Do I know how to drive?

[NJAudi2009]

Hey, I just recently purchased a 2002 A4 3.0l Quattro, 6 speed manual. I have driven alot of manual cars and have never had one that acted like this. If you really get on it through first gear and clutch to shift near redline, the engine just keeps like fucking zooming and the revs take forever to drop. It doesn't sound good and it sounds like I don't know how to drive the car. I don't understand it, it makes it terribly hard to get a smooth 2nd gear going.


Am I just stupid and don't know how to drive? Like I said I've driven many stick cars before and I've never had one that acted like this, really romping through 1st and throwing it into second. Can't do it in this car. Specifically I had a VW Jetta vr6 and 1st gear through 2nd gear felt nothing like this, it was smooth as butter even really flooring it.

Any input appreciated

[s42k5b]

clutch slipping..just a guess

[NJAudi2009]

Thats a possibility. I've never driven a car with a slipping clutch so I wouldn't know.

[jessefrank]

to me it sounds like the opposite...like your clutch isn't fully disengaging thus your engine rpms are still staying high even with the clutch pedal depressed.
If that is the case the main thing that comes to mind is the slave cyl is no longer doing it's job. Check your brake fluid (as the clutch slave cyl runs off the brake fluid). I'm by no means a expert in this area so maybe someone else will chime in.


BTW with a slipping clutch when you are on the gas the RPMs will suddenly increase (how much depends on how much your clutch is worn) while your speed will stay the same or slightly increase...kind of like if you were to rev the engine in N while driving down the road.

[NJAudi2009]

to me it sounds like the opposite...like your clutch isn't fully disengaging thus your engine rpms are still staying high even with the clutch pedal depressed.
If that is the case the main thing that comes to mind is the slave cyl is no longer doing it's job. Check your brake fluid (as the clutch slave cyl runs off the brake fluid). I'm by no means a expert in this area so maybe someone else will chime in.


BTW with a slipping clutch when you are on the gas the RPMs will suddenly increase (how much depends on how much your clutch is worn) while your speed will stay the same or slightly increase...kind of like if you were to rev the engine in N while driving down the road.

Okay, then I'm pretty sure it's not slipping because I've never had that happen. Just this problem with first gear not dropping revs when the clutch is pushed. I'll look into this slave cylinder. Any more input?

[road_tripper]

my 2003 3.0 does the same, so I "fixed" the problem by shifting to second at 5K rpm.

I can't

press clutch pedal -> shift to second -> let out clutch pedal

coordinated and fast enough when letting the revs go too high.

[NJAudi2009]

The most annoying thing, is to get a smooth shift into second you have to like wait 2 seconds after depressing the clutch in high RPM first gear for the revs to drop a little bit. This can't be normal.

[road_tripper]

it seems like it has very small window where everything goes smoothly...

either the rpms are high compared to the accel pedal position and when you shift the engine bogs down (or dies in first gear :( )

or accel pedal is too high compared to rpms and when you press the clutch pedal, the rpms go even higher

I think its the drive-by-wire throttle messing with me. Couldn't possibly be my driving technique!

[NJAudi2009]

Well it's good to know mine isn't the only one that does it. Anyone else have one that is like this? I don't know it it's something wrong or not, but it just doesn't feel right. Especially for such a nice car, I don't understand why it acts like that. First gear is useless to me, and not revving past a certain RPM makes me feel like I can't beat a 4cyl stock honda off the launch.

[Tgr_Clw]

Heavy flywheel. Normal.

[tafc1383]

i guess i baby my car quite a bit i rarely shift past 4,000 rpm

[NJAudi2009]

Heavy flywheel. Normal.

Would a lighter flywheel change this?

[road_tripper]

First gear is useless to me, and not revving past a certain RPM makes me feel like I can't beat a 4cyl stock honda off the launch.

You're not going to beat that s2000 no matter what.

Or were you referring to this travesty:

"Four Cylinders of Silent Thunder!"

[sean1.8t]

Would a lighter flywheel change this?

yes