2005 American Golf TDI Clutch

[chenly]

I've been driving sticks for fifteen years. Why is the Golf TDI 5-speed so hard to drive? Does VW use one of those silly engine-load sensors to reduce the engine speed when load goes down (i.e., when the clutch is out)? Does the stock clutch need a break-in period? Is the stock clutch just a piece of junk? <font color="red"> </font>

 

[BleachedBora]

Hmm--I've grown up on VW clutches, been driving them for 8 of my 23 years...Around 150,000 miles now... I think they are easy.
Now, night before last when I started driving my dad's new Porsche, yeah, that's a hard clutch to get used to, but the experience is SOOO much fun

Is the stock clutch just a piece of junk?

Yes. Get a VR6 clutch, check my sig.
-BB

 

[chenly]

It kept killing--I'd try to let it out slowly at around 1200 rpm, but the engine wouldn't stay there as I released it; it would drop to around 900 and kill. I tried to rev it to around 2000, but that would kill it sooner. I tried to feather it at around 1500 but, overall, succeeded in not killing it only about 20% of the time. I've driven sticks all my life, so it's not that I don't know how. Does anyone know if the stock 1.9l clutch is metallic, semi-metallic, or orgainic?

 

[billsbuddie]

I have been driving my 2005 Golf TDI for one month, was in a 2000 NB TDI. I have killed the engine twice in that period, I just was in the wrong gear.

I have been adhering to the directions for break in that are posted all over this board. Shift at 2500 when the engine is cold and at 3000 when the engine is warmed up. Seems to work for me.

 

[Bob_Fout]

It kept killing--I'd try to let it out slowly at around 1200 rpm, but the engine wouldn't stay there as I released it; it would drop to around 900 and kill. I tried to rev it to around 2000, but that would kill it sooner. I tried to feather it at around 1500 but, overall, succeeded in not killing it only about 20% of the time. I've driven sticks all my life, so it's not that I don't know how. Does anyone know if the stock 1.9l clutch is metallic, semi-metallic, or orgainic?

It's pretty hard to kill it when the ECU forces fuel to keep the engine at idle. I can let the clutch out slowly w/o giving it any fuel and it won't die. It shudders some, but as long as you've got it in 1st, it shouldn't die.

I'd say something is wrong.