Need help/advice with a new clutch install

[the_window12345]

I'm in a terrible way- the clutch in my 2010 S4 was going out so I replaced it with all oem parts. Replaced all standard wear items.

I just got it all back together and went to push the clutch pedal in, and it went 3/4 of the way in normal pressure, then it seemed to hit a wall. After some digging, I thought that it may just be the pressure plate needing to be set, so I pressed past the resistance enough to start the car. I noticed the clutch was still at least half way engaged. Tried working the clutch a but more and the pressure was so much that it blew up the slave cylinder.

Has anyone had any problems with the pressure plate not working? My only thought is that per Audi's official instructions, they want you to use a press and seat the pressure plate to the flywheel, but I followed the instructions from ECS and started all the pressure plate bolts and then did a star pattern in 90° increments until it was seated.

Any advice would be great, I'm REALLY hoping I don't have to pull it all back apart... 😣

[Ginge247]

Did you replace the clutch release arm m8? I put the wrong one in mine and the slave was too far away to operate the clutch fork it so the ram popped out the slave. Just an idea....

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[the_window12345]

No, my issue is when operating the clutch pedal, it travels 3/4 of the way, then stops. I was able to force the the clutch pedal far enough to start the car, but can tell that the clutch is roughly half engaged.

The only thing I can reasonably see is that the pressure plate is jamming up and not allowing full travel. Anyone have anything similar?

[MME1122]

I've heard reinstalling the slave can be difficult, you can miss the arm essentially is it's not lined up right. So when you push the pedal the ram just keeps going into the housing and then can pop out of the slave, leaking fluid everywhere. Might be a possibility.

[ellwood]

prior to popping the slave, could you get into gear with the car is on? something is apparently binding between the slave and the pressure plate... perhaps you damaged the slave when reinstalling?

edit: is it possible you installed the friction disk upside down?

[Ginge247]

I think whatever it is the box is gunna have to come back out. Least you'll find out then

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[Jimcoily]

No, my issue is when operating the clutch pedal, it travels 3/4 of the way, then stops. I was able to force the the clutch pedal far enough to start the car, but can tell that the clutch is roughly half engaged.

The only thing I can reasonably see is that the pressure plate is jamming up and not allowing full travel. Anyone have anything similar?

I had a problem with my pressure plate, I would have to pump the clutch to get the clutch to fully disengage to get it in gear. I first thought master cylinder but it wasn't....... it turned out to be a 2 bolts on the pressure plate has loosened up. I used blue threadlocker and torqued to 16 foot pounds + 1/4 turn. I replaced this clutch with a JHM set up, using JHM's instructions red threadlocker and 18 foot pounds, working my way up 10, 15 then 18. 2,500 hard miles later and no problem.
Did you use red threadlocker?
What was your Torque sequence? (16 FT + 90 degrees)
Did you clean the threads? bolt and bolt holes

[the_window12345]

Thank you for all the replies! So I've been digging all morning, and I think the issue is in how I mounted the flywheel to the pressure plate. Audi's manual instructs you to put the flywheel and PP into a press, and press the PP fingers until the PP is just flush with the flywheel, and have a second person install the bolts. I followed the ECS Tuning way, which said to align the flywheel and PP, get all the bolts finger tight, and then do a star pattern at 90 degree increments until fully torqued. Can anyone confirm using this method? Or, like Audi cautions against, have I "distorted the pressure plate"?

Also, the fact that I blew up the slave cylinder, which I know to have been seated correctly in the clutch fork, by pressing on the pedal really hard tells me that I was at the end of the slave travel, without fully disengaging the clutch. Could someone shed some light on how the "Self adjusting" part works? Is it at the end of the travel (when the clutch is disengaged)? Or does it happen at the other end of travel, when you let off the pedal? I almost feel I need to somehow manually press the clutch fork with more travel than what the slave cylinder was giving me.

Again, any and all advice is much appreciated!! I just went to 3 local shop and asked for any advice and hardly anyone had done a clutch with the SAC. (shows how small-town I am).

[the_window12345]

prior to popping the slave, could you get into gear with the car is on? something is apparently binding between the slave and the pressure plate... perhaps you damaged the slave when reinstalling?

edit: is it possible you installed the friction disk upside down?

No, it wouldn't go into gear with the car running, but with the car on the ground and running, I could tell the the clutch was roughly half-engaged- the car wanted to roll, but with brake pressure, it wouldnt roll and didnt stall.

I actually replaced the slave, and then went back to the original to troubleshoot, with identical symptoms. And the friction disc wont install backwards, I tried just to verify when lining it all up.

[the_window12345]

I had a problem with my pressure plate, I would have to pump the clutch to get the clutch to fully disengage to get it in gear. I first thought master cylinder but it wasn't....... it turned out to be a 2 bolts on the pressure plate has loosened up. I used blue threadlocker and torqued to 16 foot pounds + 1/4 turn. I replaced this clutch with a JHM set up, using JHM's instructions red threadlocker and 18 foot pounds, working my way up 10, 15 then 18. 2,500 hard miles later and no problem.
Did you use red threadlocker?
What was your Torque sequence? (16 FT + 90 degrees)
Did you clean the threads? bolt and bolt holes

Given that I installed a direct replacement OEM flywheel/clutch/PP, I just went with Audi's recommended torque. I don't remember exactly off hand but it was something like 30Nm +90, no loctite.

Edit: just looked it up, factory spec was 22Nm + 90

[the_window12345]

Did you replace the clutch release arm m8? I put the wrong one in mine and the slave was too far away to operate the clutch fork it so the ram popped out the slave. Just an idea....

Holy shit. This is it. Major rookie mistake. The dealership sold me the superceded longer ball pin and plastic guide, but I bought the clutch fork online, then accused the dealership of screwing the order up. It was super obvious that the ball pin and plastic guide was longer, but I blatantly missed that I also ordered the superceded clutch fork. Thanks for the answer- sorry I looked past your response and missed it, great call!! 🙏

Time to go pull a transmission... Again... 🙄

[Ginge247]

Holy shit. This is it. Major rookie mistake. The dealership sold me the superceded longer ball pin and plastic guide, but I bought the clutch fork online, then accused the dealership of screwing the order up. It was super obvious that the ball pin and plastic guide was longer, but I blatantly missed that I also ordered the superceded clutch fork. Thanks for the answer- sorry I looked past your response and missed it, great call!!

Time to go pull a transmission... Again...

Exactly the same happened with me m8. Hope it all works out now.

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[ellwood]

Holy shit. This is it. Major rookie mistake. The dealership sold me the superceded longer ball pin and plastic guide, but I bought the clutch fork online, then accused the dealership of screwing the order up. It was super obvious that the ball pin and plastic guide was longer, but I blatantly missed that I also ordered the superceded clutch fork. Thanks for the answer- sorry I looked past your response and missed it, great call!! 🙏

Time to go pull a transmission... Again... 🙄

glad you figured it out! for what it's worth i used the ECS method of installing the pressure plate to the flywheel and have had no issues.

[the_window12345]

glad you figured it out! for what it's worth i used the ECS method of installing the pressure plate to the flywheel and have had no issues.

Thank you for this. Since I've got it out, and it was causing me stress as a possible issue, I was considering taking the flywheel/PP assembly to the dealership and just having them remount the two using the press method, but maybe I'll hold off.

[Ginge247]

Mine was fitted using the ecs guide as well m8.

Thank you for this. Since I've got it out, and it was causing me stress as a possible issue, I was considering taking the flywheel/PP assembly to the dealership and just having them remount the two using the press method, but maybe I'll hold off.

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[S4'ed]

You also need to make sure the SAC (Self adjusting clutch mechanism) is in the "home starting" position before you put the pressure plate on.

[the_window12345]

You also need to make sure the SAC (Self adjusting clutch mechanism) is in the "home starting" position before you put the pressure plate on.

Thank you, I double checked this as I was installing the the two, but you can bet your ass I was questioning it as soon as I was having problems! I actually found a post of a guy with almost identical symptoms but his issue was that he replaced the clutch disc with old flywheel and PP, and didn't reset it. Had me worried I bought mine new and somehow it wasn't in the start position...