08 RS4 hard to shift into gears

[MattRS6]

So I have a feeling that I have to adjust either my shifter or my linkage needs to be adjusted. The clutch feels good for me. Drove manuals in my whole life. Clutch engages when the pedal is in all the way, as I start letting it off it work immediately. No slip, no problems.

But the difficult shifting into gears is with every gear. 1-6 and reverse also!

Teach me people!!! :D

[CoreyRS]

edit: [irrelevant]

[MattRS6]

It's not an issue with me. I'm standing, and engage the clutch and the shifter wont go in 1st, that's not something i can do wrong. Reving and shifting won't help. It's deffinitely a shifter or a linkage problem. I'll jump on it this weekend and fix it

[CoreyRS]

Ohhhhh, getting into gear? I experience that when rolling to a stop and shifting into first occasionally. As you found, releasing the clutch a bit fixes it for me as well.

Anyway, hopefully you don't have the same issues as I described in my first reply


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine

[your daddy]

its either your clutch slave, or clutch assembly. that SAC feels great, until its gonzo.

[Gansel]

My car does the same thing getting into first.. I notice it mostly when im in traffic or city driving.

[MattRS6]

It might be a slave cylinder. I'll get underneath it and try to do some adjustments because the clutch doesn't feels worn out. Fingers crossed that i don't have to swap the clutch! Just don't have much time...

- - - Updated - - -

My car does the same thing getting into first.. I notice it mostly when im in traffic or city driving.

I'll let you know what I came up with as a solution!

- - - Updated - - -

I made a video. I'll upload it tomorrow and you guys can see what's the deal..

[lucidmatt]

This has been a recent issue in my car as well, like others, it gets worse the longer I sit in traffic. Almost feels like the clutch isn't fully disengaging, because once you start rolling it gets notably easier to shift. This tells me it's not necessarily a synchro issue.

[MattRS6]

Well here is the deal. if i get rolling it's still hard to put it in gear. I've tried everything to make it easier to shift it into gear, rev it up, roll a little while shift, move up the clutch pedal a bit, release the clutch and than engage it again and nothing will make it easier. That's why i'm thinking it's a shifter or linkage issue. The car doesn't grind

[MattRS6]

So! I made a video and i rethought my theory here.. When the engine is off the shifter goes into gear like knife in butter... As soon as the engine is on the shifter has difficulties to go into gear.. I guess it's either master or the slave cylinder. I don't think it's the clutch bc it's not slipping or doesn't have any typical sign of a worn clutch. Anyways check out the video:

[WinterRunner]

Get the 034 metal slave and SS lines, flush the fluid and it will help loads.

[MattRS6]

Any good DIY write up?

[Gansel]

yeah that is messed up. Mine is no where near that bad on any level

[MattRS6]

Oh yeah it is. So we did some thinking here with my friend and we came up with either the master or the slave cylinder being bad.. So i ordered both, should be here beginning of next week, and we'll jump on it to replace them quickly. I'd like to get a good DIY on bleeding the system though, bc i have an idea how i'd do it but i'm not completely sure about it..

[lucidmatt]

Get the 034 metal slave and SS lines, flush the fluid and it will help loads.

I cant see anything about slaves or hoses for our cars on 034, is this the same unit as the USP all metal slave and hose? link for reference: http://www.uspmotorsports.com/Drivet...onversion.html

[particulardude]

Great vid - I'm dealing with this on the daily since picking up my RS in September - curious to hear your results from the upcoming planned replacement of the slave and/or master.

[MattRS6]

Next week I'm dropping the tranny out of the car. I'll be putting a new clutch kit and a new slave cylinder on it. We'll see. It might be the slave or it might be a throw out bearing idk... but f**n hate it. I'm not even driving the car bc of this..

[MattRS6]

So i talked to the dealer today. They where very helpful to me surprisingly. They told me just to replace the brake fluid with a flush first... If not that than check out the synchrons in the tranny. I don't think it's the synchrons, i think it's more like slave cylinder which i just got in the mail..

[ven0m]

Good video, helps a lot with the description of the issue. The clutch is not disengaged completely even though you have the clutch-pedal pressed down completely - it has nothing to do with the synchros or trans.

I would start with the fluid - the brake and clutch fluid share the same reservoir. Do you experience "spongy" brakes or do the brakes work normally? If the brakes don't work as they should, you could simply have air in the line and a bleed would do the trick. (you bleed at the slave cylinder on the driver side of the trans above the front-left drive axle)

After that I would do the slave and the fluid line.

If all that fails, I would go for a complete clutch-kit (also maybe a lightweight flywheel, because f*** it )

[MattRS6]

Good video, helps a lot with the description of the issue. The clutch is not disengaged completely even though you have the clutch-pedal pressed down completely - it has nothing to do with the synchros or trans.

I would start with the fluid - the brake and clutch fluid share the same reservoir. Do you experience "spongy" brakes or do the brakes work normally? If the brakes don't work as they should, you could simply have air in the line and a bleed would do the trick. (you bleed at the slave cylinder on the driver side of the trans above the front-left drive axle)

After that I would do the slave and the fluid line.

If all that fails, I would go for a complete clutch-kit (also maybe a lightweight flywheel, because f*** it )

Thank You sir! I'm heading to my newly friends at the dealer to pick up some gearbox fluid from them. Already got the DOT4 brake fluid from the dealership yesterday for whole $18 for 2 liters. I have a slave cylinder just laying around as extra, so in case i have a leaking slave cylinder i got it all...

FINGERS CROSSED!!!

[65vetteC6]

Thank You sir! I'm heading to my newly friends at the dealer to pick up some gearbox fluid from them. Already got the DOT4 brake fluid from the dealership yesterday for whole $18 for 2 liters. I have a slave cylinder just laying around as extra, so in case i have a leaking slave cylinder i got it all...

FINGERS CROSSED!!!

Might as well replace the slave before you do a full flush of the system...

[MattRS6]

So this didn't work... I'm putting a new clutch kit into the car and since the tranny will be out also a new slave cylinder..

[ven0m]

So this didn't work... I'm putting a new clutch kit into the car and since the tranny will be out also a new slave cylinder..

Bad news. Good luck on the replacement. Let us know how it worked out.

Ps: When removing the old slave, take care not to let the brake fluid reservoir run out. If that happens you get air in the ABS pump and it's a real PITA to bleed the system after that. IF that happens, head to an Audi dealer, they have the OEM VAG bleeder tool, that pressurizes and bleeds the system at 2.4bar.

[MattRS6]

So today i flushed the brake fluid in the car and changed the gearbox fluid also. The slave cylinder is a real b+tch to get to! I ordered a clutch kit with the throw out bearing in it obviously and whenever i'll be doing that the slave cylinder will be replaced on the car also.

Conclusions: Since it is hard to put into all gears, it is NOT a synchron issue. It is a clutch engaging issue. Simple, the clutch is not engaging all the way and this is what's causing it to go into gears hardly. The car shouldn't be driven in these conditions, bc You'll wear the synchonrs out if You do so! Basically the clutch pedal is pushing the master cylinder, which engages the slave cylinder with pushing brake fluid in the line, which engages the release lever what's on the throw out bearing, that moves the pressure plate, what moves the clutch to the flywheel. It's a simple hydraulic system. So if the car stays in gears, and it's not throwing it out one of these will be the problem. Often the throw out bearing wears out quickly bc people like to leave their feat on the clutch pedal, and a minimal pressure to the pedal can cause the lever to move. Also this bearing has lack of lubrication, instead a bunch of clutch dust...

So if the car is not engaging gears easily than the problem is either broken down fluid, bad master cylinder, or slave cylinder, or throw out bearing or pressure plate! Master cylinders rarely fail. Slave cylinder OFTEN fails! It's $70, a new clutch set about $200. Drop the transmission out, change the clutch kit ( clutch disk, pressure plate and throw out bearing) put it back together and it should be fixed!

If the car has difficulties shifting into certain gears it'll be more than likely the synchrons. Audi has weak 3-6 synchrons...

I wrote all these down bc i wan't people to understand how it's working, and hopefully i can help some with my information!

Don't have much time so i don't know when i'll be able to drop the transmission.. :( Car is parked :(( I'm not having fun with it :(((

[MattRS6]

Bad news. Good luck on the replacement. Let us know how it worked out.

Ps: When removing the old slave, take care not to let the brake fluid reservoir run out. If that happens you get air in the ABS pump and it's a real PITA to bleed the system after that. IF that happens, head to an Audi dealer, they have the OEM VAG bleeder tool, that pressurizes and bleeds the system at 2.4bar.

Thank You sir! Will do!

[Kambesama]

Im leaning towards it being something mechanical in the transmission. Especially since it works w/o engine running and has difficulty with engine is running meaning its got to deal with a moving component. With the fluid issues it wouldn't matter because the fluid doesn't require engine to run or not its all hydraulics.

I think its possibility the pilot bearing is having issues or the clutch is partially engaged causing the input shaft to spin thus creating issues when shifting gears.

[your daddy]

ahh, no. not an internal trans issue. replace the clutch, break it in, and enjoy.

[MattRS6]

ahh, no. not an internal trans issue. replace the clutch, break it in, and enjoy.

Yepp fingers crossed!

[MTN]

So today i flushed the brake fluid in the car and changed the gearbox fluid also. The slave cylinder is a real b+tch to get to! I ordered a clutch kit with the throw out bearing in it obviously and whenever i'll be doing that the slave cylinder will be replaced on the car also.

Conclusions: Since it is hard to put into all gears, it is NOT a synchron issue. It is a clutch engaging issue. Simple, the clutch is not engaging all the way and this is what's causing it to go into gears hardly. The car shouldn't be driven in these conditions, bc You'll wear the synchonrs out if You do so! Basically the clutch pedal is pushing the master cylinder, which engages the slave cylinder with pushing brake fluid in the line, which engages the release lever what's on the throw out bearing, that moves the pressure plate, what moves the clutch to the flywheel. It's a simple hydraulic system. So if the car stays in gears, and it's not throwing it out one of these will be the problem. Often the throw out bearing wears out quickly bc people like to leave their feat on the clutch pedal, and a minimal pressure to the pedal can cause the lever to move. Also this bearing has lack of lubrication, instead a bunch of clutch dust...

So if the car is not engaging gears easily than the problem is either broken down fluid, bad master cylinder, or slave cylinder, or throw out bearing or pressure plate! Master cylinders rarely fail. Slave cylinder OFTEN fails! It's $70, a new clutch set about $200. Drop the transmission out, change the clutch kit ( clutch disk, pressure plate and throw out bearing) put it back together and it should be fixed!

If the car has difficulties shifting into certain gears it'll be more than likely the synchrons. Audi has weak 3-6 synchrons...

I wrote all these down bc i wan't people to understand how it's working, and hopefully i can help some with my information!

Don't have much time so i don't know when i'll be able to drop the transmission.. :( Car is parked :(( I'm not having fun with it :(((

Thank you for starting this thread. I am experiencing the exact same problem but mostly with 1st and reverse. Temporarily to get around the issue, I would shift into third first before 1st or reverse. Looking forward to the result of your replacement clutch kit and slave cylinder replacement.

[MattRS6]

Thank you for starting this thread. I am experiencing the exact same problem but mostly with 1st and reverse. Temporarily to get around the issue, I would shift into third first before 1st or reverse. Looking forward to the result of your replacement clutch kit and slave cylinder replacement.

Well sadly if only your first and reverse is giving You hard time i'd think it's Your synchron.. That sucks!! it's not expensive, You can buy the whole synchron kit for $165 but labor is BIG!

Try to pump up the clutch a few times before shifting.. If You want i can make a video how to pump a clutch correctly, just let me know

[MattRS6]

Thank you for starting this thread. I am experiencing the exact same problem but mostly with 1st and reverse. Temporarily to get around the issue, I would shift into third first before 1st or reverse. Looking forward to the result of your replacement clutch kit and slave cylinder replacement.

BTW how You like the C63 AMG? I drove a 2016 E63 AMG Wagon and i'm deeply madly in love!

[MTN]

Well sadly if only your first and reverse is giving You hard time i'd think it's Your synchron.. That sucks!! it's not expensive, You can buy the whole synchron kit for $165 but labor is BIG!

Try to pump up the clutch a few times before shifting.. If You want i can make a video how to pump a clutch correctly, just let me know

I'll double check and try to replicate your steps in the video to see if mine has an issue with more than just 1st and reverse.

[MTN]

BTW how You like the C63 AMG? I drove a 2016 E63 AMG Wagon and i'm deeply madly in love!

The C63 AMG produces a better sound than the RS4 and has gobs more torque. It handles surprisingly well for a 2 ton car with better steering feel than the RS4 IMOH. The 2016 version utilizes turbos. Mine is a 6.2L (larger displacement than my A8L W12 ) normally aspirated v8 which sadly is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. However, I love to do my own shifting so the C63 serves a different purpose for me.

[MattRS6]

I'll see what i'll get after the RS4.. Something AWD probably if it's gonna be winter time still.

[ven0m]

Thank you for starting this thread. I am experiencing the exact same problem but mostly with 1st and reverse. Temporarily to get around the issue, I would shift into third first before 1st or reverse. Looking forward to the result of your replacement clutch kit and slave cylinder replacement.

If only 1st and reverse are troublesome then also your shifter assembly could be simply miss aligned. It's an easy fix from inside the cabin, it just takes time and a lot of calibrating. When installing a short-shift kit it often happens that 1st and reverse cannot be engaged any more due to bad alignment.

[MattRS6]

^^^ Yes! I've tried this one with mine although i don't have the tool You're having but it seemed perfectly fine. Btw how did you get a hold of this tool????

[ven0m]

^^^ Yes! I've tried this one with mine although i don't have the tool You're having but it seemed perfectly fine. Btw how did you get a hold of this tool????

Hey Matt, I got the tool from JHM when I bought their short-shifter. It's magnetic and quite cheap.

https://jhmotorsports.com/shop/catal...=21_56_310_317

[MattRS6]

Thank You sir!! I've been looking for it for a while now

[wednesday]

http://www.harborfreight.com/dial-ga...der-34214.html

[MattRS6]

SOOOO! The car is fixed. I'm glad i did a clutch job on it it was about to be due anyways.. Finally got the source of the problem also! Below are some pictuers of it. The old clutch plate was kind of worn down, not to bad but it could use a new clutch. The throw out bearing was grinding when i turned it. also made noises when i shook it on the video. The biggest surprise was that someone messed with the slave cylinder and the push rod was backwards in there. I guess this was the main cause of the shifting hard into gears problem. A $67 part caused all this headache..

Other: When a couple weeks ago i was flushing the brake fluid and the car was up in the air, i've noticed some oil leak on it. Couldn't really tell where it was coming from, but i knew it's in the back.. So as i had the transmission down i noticed that the rear main seal is leaking, so i replaced that also!

Now the car is leak free, with a new clutch and shifts smooth like a dream. You'll see in the video.









And the videos. 1st video is me shaking the bearing.. 2nd is how the car shifts gears now. Easy peasy mac and cheesy! :)