Manual transmission clutch package

simonbee

Active member
Joined
Feb 4, 2014
Location
Wisconsin USA
TDI
2005 Passat 2L TDI
I was wondering what people are using for clutches when doing 5 speed manual conversions and what result they had with it.

I am gathering hardware for another conversion and wondering if the clutch package I used was an overkill. This what I used: South Bend stage 3 Daily with a LUK DMF made for 1.8T gasser. It is rated for 395 FT-Lb of torque. I also have a stage 1 malone power upgrade. The cost of this package was close to $1000. I have about 12K miles on it now with no issues. I like to find cheaper package but as reliable.
 

PickleRick

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Location
Greenville sc
TDI
05 GLS BHW sedan 5 speed conversion. BHW Carver SantaCruz in progress
For not much more you can use the whitbread 240mm clutch kit (300 model i think) which is listed as Matt's personal favorite on his site. It doesnt require a spacer. It has stock pedal feel and will handle anything the motor can put out until you start getting into mods that require heavier duty rods and head studs.

For a budget, if i was not going to use anything other than a stock horse power tune I'd use the heaviest single mass 1.8t passat flywheel kit i could find and a clutch kit capable of holding a 250 ft/lbs of torque.


Should be able to budget one of those for sub 500 bucks..maybe sub 400 if you look for deals/sales.

That's the info I've found, but when getting into kits that handle tunes you're looking in the 700 to 800 range and up
 

zzdiesel

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2010
Location
sask. mostly now Wa.
TDI
05 passat tdi Geared BSM and Bewcam 2nd 2005 deleted ,converted and bew cam stage 2 Malone3 tune.
I used the clutch from Franz. Single mass flywheel. Stage 2 tune. 2 years and approaching 40000 miles with no problems. I do wonder if with the delete kit if a DMF flywheel would be smoother.
 

Jake Brake

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Location
southern IL
TDI
2005 Passat GLS tdi wagon
My clutch slipped

I too went with the european smf cluch and flywheel grom Frans. It was fine until i got my stage 2 tune. It slipped everytime you gor into 4th and 5th gear and got the least bit frisky with it. I had to have Southbend reline my clutch disk with a better material. I do tow a fairly heavy load ever now and then.
 

richmondvatdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2005
Location
Chesterfield, Virginia
TDI
2005 Passat Wagon 5-speed,2003 Jetta GL Wagon, 2003 Jetta GLS Wagon, 2013 CC 2.0T
I bought a recently-converted tdi wagon from a forum owner 2 years ago. I've put 60,000 pretty easy miles on the 1.8t DMF/clutch setup. The clutch is grabbing when stsarting out from a stop and the DMF is beginning the death rattle. No more messing around for me, after reading everything I could find on this topic I just ordered this setup:

https://whitbreadperformance.com/collections/tdi/products/240mm-30lb-billet-steel-smf-for-b5-5-manual-swaps?variant=4708260118557

I really hope it's the end of my clutch issues for a while.
 

PickleRick

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Location
Greenville sc
TDI
05 GLS BHW sedan 5 speed conversion. BHW Carver SantaCruz in progress
I don't have any personal experience with the DMF but I've heard too many failures with them on the little 1.8t to trust it with the torque (and torque pulse) from a diesel.
 

richmondvatdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2005
Location
Chesterfield, Virginia
TDI
2005 Passat Wagon 5-speed,2003 Jetta GL Wagon, 2003 Jetta GLS Wagon, 2013 CC 2.0T
I don't have any personal experience with the DMF but I've heard too many failures with them on the little 1.8t to trust it with the torque (and torque pulse) from a diesel.
Not sure I would generalize to all diesels. I put a Luk DMF in my ALH A4 (Malone Stage 2) at 250k. It's pushing 350k with zero issues. The 1.8T DMF may be exceeding its limits on a mildly tuned PD though.
 

PickleRick

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Location
Greenville sc
TDI
05 GLS BHW sedan 5 speed conversion. BHW Carver SantaCruz in progress
I might be a little over cautious as one of my BHW motors (possibly 2 of them) is going into my boat so after reading/hearing a few stories of them coming apart, im a little hesitant to trust one. Below a car motor is asphalt. Below a boat motor is fiberglass and then an ever changing depth of water. Tow boats USA doesn't cover a sinking. Solid mass for me please and thank you. Just think of the poor manatee. What if my boat sank and they got all my beer? Fat slow vegetarian frat boys. There would be memes.
 

blazen71

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2011
Location
Wiskullsin
TDI
All Gone
I didn't do the swap on my car, but the guy who did it 6 years ago believes he used a euro dmf set-up. At 30k miles it slips in 3, 4 and 5 if I give it more than part throttle. Hope that helps.
 

simonbee

Active member
Joined
Feb 4, 2014
Location
Wisconsin USA
TDI
2005 Passat 2L TDI
One of the reason I used a DMF was wear and tear on the sincros. I also have a Geared BSM. I assume the 240 mm flywheel arrangement is used in the V6 gassers? This also required a different starters than the original TDI? Spacer?
Thanks for all you opinions.
 

50mpgtdi

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 7, 2015
Location
Platteville WI
TDI
04 VW Passat TDI
The flywheel/clutch I used for my swap was a no name single mass flywheel and 6 puck solid disc for a 1.8t passat from ebay. It's holding torque is great. The only recommendation I would make is to get one that has a sprung disc. It can be a little harsh on takeoff with both the flywheel and the clutch disc being solid. But it was cheap and served my purpose at the time of the build. Under $400 for the whole set up.
 

50mpgtdi

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 7, 2015
Location
Platteville WI
TDI
04 VW Passat TDI
Just to update my input in this thread.....I've learned the hard way that solid light flywheel and solid disc is not a good combination. Very hard on syncros. The aforementioned 6 puck ceramic killed off 2 transmissions so I changed to a solid organic disc and it has now KOed another transmission. I will be changing to a heavier flywheel and disc, either dual mass flywheel or sprung disc, whichever I find to be more suitable to my application with the Malone stage 2 tune I will be getting.
 
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