Transmission Issues

[Murph_129]

Well I'm starting to have some issues with my clutch and I need some help diagnosing it all.

Car: 01' 1.8T.. 125k on the factory clutch

My first issue is a buzzing/vibrating feeling in the clutch pedal when pushing in the clutch while in gear. I know this is the throw-out bearing.. I think?

Second issue which I just discovered today. I get a slight "stutter" feeling when coasting in gear. It's comparable to a slight misfire might feel, almost like a hiccup or hesitation. I tested it multiple times and in all gears. While driving with the car in gear, I take my foot off the gas, and every couple seconds I feel this stutter (or another comparable feeling is like going over a bump). If I put the car into neutral and continue to coast, it goes away.

Any ideas? Also, what's everyone suggestion on clutch kits. What are you guys running with?

//I'm almost positive it's not a misfire as it doesn't exist when idling, or on throttle. Also I have a digital boost gauge and the vacuum stays consistent while coasting.

//Walky where you at?

[Wrath And Tears]

Not 100% here but the stutter you are feeling sounds like it might be a worn dual mass flywheel. When they get too much play in them they cause stutters or bumping in the drive train.

As far as where to go from here it depends on how much power you are thinking about putting down. If not much more than stock, and if you enjoy the feeling of the stock clutch step up, you might consider buying a new DMF clutch kit (stock), Valeo clutches are great and their DMF can often be had for less than their upgraded LWFW set up.

If you are staying at not much more than stock power (simple tune, even up to a FT set up) and are interested in a LWFW set up the valeo LWFW kit is great and normally pretty cheap. Your other good option would be the Stage 1 RA4 clutch kit from ECS. It will hold more power than the valeo kit and provide a very slightly more stock feel to the clutch (supposedly), but is normally more expensive although not by much.

DMF
Pro - stock clutch feel
Con - can't be resurfaced (well, most shops won't do it, it can be done yourself)

LWFW
Pro - shops will resurface
Con - stiffer clutch feel

[Davdraco1]

X2 on everything

[Murph_129]

Not 100% here but the stutter you are feeling sounds like it might be a worn dual mass flywheel. When they get too much play in them they cause stutters or bumping in the drive train.

As far as where to go from here it depends on how much power you are thinking about putting down. If not much more than stock, and if you enjoy the feeling of the stock clutch step up, you might consider buying a new DMF clutch kit (stock), Valeo clutches are great and their DMF can often be had for less than their upgraded LWFW set up.

If you are staying at not much more than stock power (simple tune, even up to a FT set up) and are interested in a LWFW set up the valeo LWFW kit is great and normally pretty cheap. Your other good option would be the Stage 1 RA4 clutch kit from ECS. It will hold more power than the valeo kit and provide a very slightly more stock feel to the clutch (supposedly), but is normally more expensive although not by much.

DMF
Pro - stock clutch feel
Con - can't be resurfaced (well, most shops won't do it, it can be done yourself)

LWFW
Pro - shops will resurface
Con - stiffer clutch feel

This is great feedback. Thanks a bunch! I started looking at kits. Is this the cheaper Valeo LWFW kit you were referring to? As of now I have just a reflash and don't plan on doing much more.. other than maybe a FT in the future.

[walky_talky20]

I would recommend the Valeo kit (usually referred to as a SMFW kit - Single Mass FlyWheel). It's not really "light weight" because the flywheel weighs almost the same as the factory piece. Just an OEM replacement that deletes the dual-mass feature for added cheapness and reliability and is otherwise as stock as possible. It so happens to hold a little better than stock, too. The downside to that kit is that supposedly it requires using only the Valeo parts to replace. So in 5 years when you have the engine out and want to just throw in a fresh clutch disc "while you're in there", you can't. You have to buy the whole kit (minus flywheel) from Valeo. The price isn't terrible, but supposedly only their stuff works with their flywheel. Personally, I think there is probably a way around that (maybe a VR6 clutch disc or something), but I've not tried it.

If one were inclined to stick with a dual-mass setup, Rock Auto seems to be source for picking up the OEM dual mass flywheels at a fairly reasonable cost.

[Wrath And Tears]

Never realized that the Valeo SMFW was 22.5 lbs. But yeah that's the kit I was talking about. I swore when I bought my kit it showed the flywheel as 17lbs. I'm sure they just goofed, the vendor I used has a habit of typos and stuff.