2015 GSW Man- Pulsation shifting into 1st and rev

HI--
I am having a problem that occurs sporadically. When at a stand still engaging the clutch there is a slight fast pulsation during approximatly the last 7/8 of the engagement period, with and without throttle, once it is in gear it goes away. I would be helpful if it was consistent but it is sporadic but happens more when it is warm outside and or raining and on inclines. The portion of engagement that it is pulsating at is very hard to hold the postion of the clutch peddle due to the short distance and the car is starting to move at this point.
I have tried the following: Monitoring the RPM during the pulsation to see if it is the engine, but i cannot see anything on the dash rpm gauge. Monitoring for any indication of TCS or ESP by dash lights (nothing). Slow or fast engagement it doesn't matter.
What do you all think fuel, turbo, clutch, transmission, ECU ?

What is pulsating? You mean you can feel it in the pedal as you release? It could be the flywheel. Not 100% sure about these newfangled diesels, but the older ones had two piece flywheels that would fall apart.

Is this clutch chatter or judder, as the English call it? Intermittent depending on temperature and humidity fits with this explanation. Distinct from DMF rattle.

Sorry for the late response:
I really don't feel any pulsation in the clutch pedel at all, it feels like its more in the drive train very strange. and gets worse if you drive it awhile and then let it sit for an hour and then drive it some more.

lriddick said:

HI--
....When at a stand still engaging the clutch there is a slight fast pulsation during approximatly the last 7/8 of the engagement period, with and without throttle, once it is in gear it goes away.

.....The portion of engagement that it is pulsating at is very hard to hold the postion of the clutch peddle due to the short distance and the car is starting to move at this point.

Click to expand...

I don't think I follow. Why are you trying to hold the clutch at 7/8 of the engagement period. What you are describing sounds like riding the clutch to me. But I'm probably missing something in your description. The only place I ever hold my clutch is down. When engaging a gear its a continuous motion.

That and the DMF springs doing what they are supposed to do. I don't think anyone should be slipping the clutch long enough to really investigate or worry.

One thing you can do is remove the clutch spring, i've heard it helps the peddle feel and engagement, but removes a linearity of the pedal feel.

lriddick said:

Sorry for the late response:
I really don't feel any pulsation in the clutch pedel at all, it feels like its more in the drive train very strange. and gets worse if you drive it awhile and then let it sit for an hour and then drive it some more.

Click to expand...

So, clutch engagement begins smoothly but near the end of engagement the drivetrain shudders very rapidly, then shuddering stops when engagement is complete? Trying to modulate the clutch pedal at that point to eliminate the shuddering doesn't usually help? Likely to happen after or during a rain? Likely to happen at a certain temperature but sometimes happens under the opposite conditions (i.e., cold vs. hot).

This is classic clutch chatter.

it will get better when your clutch brakes in or you can remove the clutch delay valve and see if this helps with the engagement point, it will be more direct

what rpms are you engaging the clutch at?

Shudder is going to be there if you're just off idle and using that "diesel torque" as that's how you drove your tractor for the past 20 years. Feed her some beans and keep the rpms up above 1200 and a quick engagement of the clutch.

Answering question:
1. The reason i was holding the clutch was to see if the engine RPMs where dropping on the torque apply or if it was grabbing onto the fly wheel (out of round flywheel) i cannot determine it because its to fast and short stroke. This was the only reason for staying in that range, so riding the clutch was only to troubleshoot the symptoms. I got the car with 36K on it so i don’t know how the other driver drove it before me.
2. Once the clutch is engaged it goes away, modulating at that point does not make a difference fast slow, no throttle, with throttle any rpm, within 1,500. Rain, and heat more prodominate cold not as much. once the car has been driven and then left to sit awhile its even worse
3. i try and engage low but usually around 1100-1200 for first on a hill 12-14.
Yesterday i started it cold 50F and it immediately shutoff, but restarted on the second try.
Today no throttle clutch release stalled
Im going to change the fuel filter and see what happens

(just my two cents) Big thing to keep in mind is that the DMF is actually two difference plates held together by rivets and springs. It's design is to reduce vibrations and smooth out pulse shocks of the engine. If the clutch isn't fully engaged and slightly slipping those springs are going all crazy and I'm thinking causing this pulsation your feeling. Just like with every mechanical thing after it's warmed up, the DMF prob feels different than cold.

As for the stalling after start up even at 50 degrees, no idea on that, i'd be surprised if a fuel filter change would solve it, but odder things have happened.

I'd just avoid slipping the clutch for the most part. I will say that when I got my golf it took a little while to adjust to the clutch release in first gear. I stalled it the first time I took off in the dealer lot. The sales guy just laughed and said everyone does that.

Replaced fuel filter and syphoned the fuel filter canister out with a 2oz syringe, filter didn't look that bad but trying to suck the diesel fuel up with the syringe was very strange to say the least. When pulling a suction it was VERY HARD to pull the fuel into the syringe, it was so hard that i pulled the post out of the stopper. The fuel had a slight green ting color to it almost like a slight green antifreeze color, for the most part it was almost clear / no visible droplets of water, there was a slight amount of sediment/rust in the bottom of the can, but i wiped that out. I used to pull fuel samples all the time in the NAVY so I've seen a lot of different types of samples but not low sulfure fuel but diesel should be yellow to clear, unless automobile diesel has an additive to it i have never seen this color before. Anyways i drove it yesterday no issues, today it has been raining all day, no issues. But if it didn't work ill post back, but so far its driving better then usual.

i dont think changing the fuel filter will cure your problem with the pulsation. The diesel fuel in my filter looked the same, greenish-yellowish but there were no rust sediment

Update #2 aparently when the AC is on it happens more---- BUT i found something new ---- STICKING Clutch and i just went over 36K someB****. Question, if you have a sticking clutch is that covered under warantee to have the clutch replaced or am i SOL. i would probably be better off have a shop replace the clutch then the dealer anyways. Anyone know of a good shop in the Charleston SC area that does clutches??

don't beat yourself up, VW more than likely would have probably claimed you damaged the clutch (operator error) and wouldn't have warrantied the replacement anyways.

I'd try a clutch bleed as the option to try and see if it helps.

update

Well in desperation i bleed the clutch fluid looked grey and metalicish, it actually cleared it up some of the issues for a couple of months, it started off better, less sticking, felt better, and then seemed to go soft, had some very minor clutch sticking but it always popped back out, and it stated to develop a symptom where it didn't feel like it was fully engaging into the gear when shifting into gear ( it doesnt seen to click all the way in, its hard to explain, like going over a mound you start at the bottom and then go up and over it feels like it goes mostly up but not over) , when releasing the clutch it either grabs at the bottom or the top its never consistent,i took it to the stealership and they say nothings wrong with it, BULL*&^ so i flushed 1L of fluid thru it today and No Air no metalicish debris. Weird Weird Weird almost ready to replace it but, really dont want to untill it starts to slip Suggestions (x)wait untill it slips, (X)replace it something is really wrong,(x) im just paranoid,

(x) replace another component

There's a cheap little white plastic piece in the linkage (under the battery) that can break or pop off. Happened to mine and I replaced all the plastic junk with a sigma six shortshifter. The linkage might also just be out of adjustment.

Did you ever find the problem, i have similar symptoms, when i drive for couple hours taking off in first really notice on a slight hill clutch pedal feels like its grabbing almost at the end and then i shakes and then grabs.