Clutch pedal sits on the floor

moon1234

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 13, 2020
Location
Wisconsin
TDI
2015 Passat SE TDI 6MT, 2015 Audi A3 Premium Plus TDI DSG
Have a 2015 Passat SE TDI 6MT. Has 147K miles, bought at 49K.

Clutch pedal is sitting on the floor and will not come back up without pulling it up with my hand. Master Cylinder is not low on fluid. I assume this is the slave cylinder. Means dropping the transmission to replace.

Due to mileage I am going to have the following down as well:

- Clutch Kit
- New Dual Mass Flywheel
- New Pilot Bearing
- New Rear Main Seal

Should I be looking at anything else while this down and out?

Next Question. I called VW and they quoted 4K and change for the above service. Called largest independent shop around that focuses on European Imports. They quoted $3200 for the same service. Finally I called my local garage down the road that is ALWAYS busy. He said "If you have a list of parts you want installed, buy them, leave them in the car and I will install them at the shop labor rate. Anything you F*** up or mis-order I will order for you."

I am inclined to go the third route. Dealer labor rate is $200/hour. Large Euro Shop is $150/hour and local garage is $135/hour. I have to wait two weeks to get into the local garage. He said he has an engine to install and a new transmission on a country snow plow to install first along with the normal stuff. Then he is going on vacation for a week,

Question is, would you trust a local guy like this to do the transmission work on a TDI? I want to get another 150-200K miles out of the car. The rest of the car is in excellent shape. Have done all the normal maintenance. Oil changes every 10K at the dealer since it's only $10 more than I can buy and do it myself and they vaccum the car and wash it at the same time. I have changed fuel/enginer/cabin air filters and replaced brake fluid. Timing/Camshaft kit has been done.

I am looking at putting in a Sachs Clutch Kit and DMF. OEM slave cylinder and rest of parts will come from rock auto.

Phase two has not been done yet and I don't plan on it until I am past 162K miles to get the extra 60K mile warranty. Existing DPF ash load is only at 30% so the factory DPF would probably go until 300K or more miles. Most of my miles are highway and I am not racing around.
 

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
TDI
2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
I'd have to have previous work complete by the local guy before asking him to drop the transmission, or at least their word he's done similar type of VW transmission work.

Not down playing the ability to save money, but if he's charging some time to "figure it out" vs "been there done it 3 times this week", you may not be saving any money.

I'd be more inclined to have the local guy do a pad and rotor, or suspension/wheel bearing job vs a transmission/clutch job.

But that's just my personal take.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
You don't need a rear main seal, and that would be a HUGE expense above and beyond a clutch (it is not what you think).

There is no pilot bearing on manual cars.

I would stick with whichever brand clutch components are in there (may be Luk).
 

moon1234

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 13, 2020
Location
Wisconsin
TDI
2015 Passat SE TDI 6MT, 2015 Audi A3 Premium Plus TDI DSG
You don't need a rear main seal, and that would be a HUGE expense above and beyond a clutch (it is not what you think).

There is no pilot bearing on manual cars.

I would stick with whichever brand clutch components are in there (may be Luk).
What are your thoughts oilhammer? Should I go to the local Euro shop and have them do it or would a local shop be ok? He claims he has worked on TDIs before and didn’t seem concerned. $3200 is a large chunk of change to the Euro shop and they seem to be getting parts from VW and charging retail for them.

Also is there a benefit to the Sachs clutch kit and Sachs DMF vs the LUK? Is there any problems with switching vendors if replacing the clutch kit and flywheel at the same time?

Also is the Sachs upgraded dmf worth it if I was to put a kerma tune (stage 1 only) on in the future?

Is there more work to a rear main seal than just swapping when the tranny is split? Maybe there is on the TDI. Seen a few videos where it seems like it was just the seal. Or are the seals a major expense vs other brands.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
The seal is part of the flange. It order to change the flange correctly, you have to remove both the lower and upper oil pans. They don't seem to leak, however the front one does (under the timing belt), but that won't require anything with the transmission if you need to address it in the future.

I cannot speak to any aftermarket clutches on that car, but I know the stock one works fine for minor upgrades which is probably more than I would ever do anyway (150hp TDIs run pretty darn good as they left the factory to me).

Our shop doesn't allow customer-supplied parts, I wouldn't expect any other shop to do so either, but if they do, that's between you and them. I can only say we charge 6 hrs labor, and would use whatever the car came with (Luk or Sachs) and would source it in the aftermarket (so it would be a genuine Luk or Sachs product, but without the VAG symbol and number on it, which will cost anywhere from a bit to a lot less... meaning you would pay less while we can earn a better profit... make sense?).
 

yadic

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 9, 2023
Location
United States
TDI
just looking
Have a 2015 Passat SE TDI 6MT. Has 147K miles, bought at 49K.

Clutch pedal is sitting on the floor and will not come back up without pulling it up with my hand. Master Cylinder is not low on fluid. I assume this is the slave cylinder. Means dropping the transmission to replace.

Due to mileage I am going to have the following down as well:

- Clutch Kit
- New Dual Mass Flywheel
- New Pilot Bearing
- New Rear Main Seal

Should I be looking at anything else while this down and out?

Next Question. I called VW and they quoted 4K and change for the above service. Called largest independent shop around that focuses on European Imports. They quoted $3200 for the same service. Finally I called my local garage down the road that is ALWAYS busy. He said "If you have a list of parts you want installed, buy them, leave them in the car and I will install them at the shop labor rate. Anything you F*** up or mis-order I will order for you."

I am inclined to go the third route. Dealer labor rate is $200/hour. Large Euro Shop is $150/hour and local garage is $135/hour. I have to wait two weeks to get into the local garage metallic epoxy flooring Brisbane. He said he has an engine to install and a new transmission on a country snow plow to install first along with the normal stuff. Then he is going on vacation for a week,

Question is, would you trust a local guy like this to do the transmission work on a TDI? I want to get another 150-200K miles out of the car. The rest of the car is in excellent shape. Have done all the normal maintenance. Oil changes every 10K at the dealer since it's only $10 more than I can buy and do it myself and they vaccum the car and wash it at the same time. I have changed fuel/enginer/cabin air filters and replaced brake fluid. Timing/Camshaft kit has been done.

I am looking at putting in a Sachs Clutch Kit and DMF. OEM slave cylinder and rest of parts will come from rock auto.

Phase two has not been done yet and I don't plan on it until I am past 162K miles to get the extra 60K mile warranty. Existing DPF ash load is only at 30% so the factory DPF would probably go until 300K or more miles. Most of my miles are highway and I am not racing around.
It sounds like you have done thorough research and have a good understanding of the necessary parts and work involved in replacing the clutch components on your Volkswagen Passat. Given the mileage on your vehicle, it's wise to address other components while the transmission is out, such as the dual mass flywheel, pilot bearing, and rear main seal. This allows for a more comprehensive repair and helps ensure the longevity of the new components. Regarding the choice of repair shop, it ultimately depends on your level of trust and confidence in the local garage you mentioned. If they have a good reputation, are experienced with European imports, and are willing to work with you in terms of installing the parts you provide, it can be a cost-effective and convenient option. However, be sure to clarify the warranty or guarantee they offer for their work and any potential issues that may arise. Since you want to get another 150-200K miles out of your car, it's important to choose quality parts. Sachs is a reputable brand for clutch kits, and using OEM parts for the slave cylinder and other components is generally a good idea. As for phase two (likely referring to emissions-related components like the DPF), if you plan to address it later and the current DPF is functioning well, it should not impact the immediate repair you're undertaking. In summary, if you feel comfortable with the local garage's expertise and they have a solid track record, going with them for the transmission work can be a viable option. Just ensure that clear communication and expectations are established, and double-check the warranty or guarantee they provide for their work.
 
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