Clutch slippage

[MayorDJQ]

Has anyone experience clutch slippage when installing 520's in an otherwise stock car? I tried to do as much research as I could before buying the nozzles, and read that going up one size on the nozzles wouldn't in itself cause slippage. I didn't have slippage immediately after installing the nozzles, but after a few months I've noticed it when flooring it to pass in 4th or 5th gear. It doesn't seem to matter if the weather is cold or if the engine is cold or warmed up. It doesn't do it all the time.

My car is a 2001 Golf 5spd w/ 60k miles. Nozzles installed at ~50k. No other power mods.

Any thoughts? Did I not do enough research?

 

[dieseldorf]

PP or Sprint?

 

[MayorDJQ]

Sprint.

 

[greenskeeper]

It is has been said that the A4's have a weaker stock clutch. Personally my A3 has Kerma's .205's and rocketchip stage 3 and no clutch slip.

Maybe your clutch is beginning to show wear and the extra power is showing it. I've seen clutches start to slip at 20,000 and 200,000 miles...depending on driver.

 

[mobe]

Has anyone experience clutch slippage when installing 520's in an otherwise stock car?

Yes, mine started slipping in October under identical circumstances to yours. I installed Sprint 520s in July. I have no other power mods.

('03 Golf 5 speed)

I'm saving for a new clutch that I'd like to have installed before the cold weather hits in 2005. I'm waiting to see what collective knowlege comes out of all the clutch threads. 'Til then, I'm taking it easy on my go pedal.

Look at it this way; After installing the beefier clutch I'll be in the clear for that chip!

Oh, Dear!

 

[MayorDJQ]

I spoke with an indepent garage that specializes in european cars. He said he's seen TT's with the DMF's that have leaked fluid and burned the clutch out. Does the TDI DMF have fluid in it? There's about a million DMF threads here, so after spending a good hour last night searching, I didn't find anything about fluid filled TDI DMF's.

 

[sucko]

mayor- my03 also slips with just sprints. I adjusted Iq with vagcom to as high as it would go (~4.5) and that helped reduce it a bit. It is barely there, but will happen up hill floored in 5, and sometimes in 4th.

I dont think that is all that unusual, but it is unfortunate.

 

[roadlust]

There is no rhyme nor reason to these cars. I put in b205 injectors at 18,000 mi no slip. Added r/c asv stage 2 at 30,000mi, and even in some sub freezing temp don't have any clutch slip at 35,000mi.

We see the same diferences in mpg. Some cars struggling to get 45 and others averaging well above 50.

Belive me I feel fortunate to not need a clutch with 2 performance mods, and the only time I got below 50mpg was driving 75-80 and had to go over 3 major mountain passes in Wa, Id, and Mt. That was with the mods installed! 47mpg going and 48mpg comming back. I love my 03 golf.

 

[dieseldorf]

WOW, pretty crazy. I have heard of slippage with the PP nozzles but not the Sprints and this was during very cold weather.

 

[mycruiseagent]

I guess we are seeing that the stock Sachs clutch is good for on average 200 ft*lbs. Unfortunately there is also a standard deviation that needs to be taken in to account for that figure. Some don't start to slip until two mods are stacked (probably in excess of 210 ft*lb) - while some can slip with just one (probably about 190 at a minimum).

MCA

 

[VelvetFoot]

I had no slip with just RC 2 but when I added the b205's, slip galore. Admittedly I was kind of trying to make it slip by flooring it in 4th and 5th, but what's the use of having extra power without using it. The VR6/G60 cured the slip for me.

 

[KomarekTDI]

I felt clutch slippage for the first time in my '03 with PP520s this morning on the way to work. The slipping went away when it warmed up (after about 20 miles) and set off mixed emotions. Whoo hooo! Time for that new clutch I've been wanting so I can handle a chip! Crap. That's going to be a pain in the a$$ to swap.

I have 52k miles on my Golf right now so maybe in the spring it will be about the time to do a timing belt and swap the clutch at the same time.

 

[flex94]

Timing belt at 60k on an '03??

 

[DVDVW]

I only have Bosch .205 injectors and experience clutch slippage on 4th an 5th gear

I bought the car at 77000 km and now it has 145 000km, so I don't know how it was driven before me...

Next summer, a custom disk with G60 flywheel and a chip

 

[Dunhamjr]

I am slipping too with Sprints.
I got the 764's (p502 equivalents).

When I put them in at about 38k miles no slip. (back in July)

Now I have cold airbox, OMI, DG racepipe and muffler-ectomy.

Since the cold weather began (or the miles, at 45k now) I can slip 5th, 4th and sometimes 3rd.

 

[MayorDJQ]

With the exception of the last few days, it's been very cold here the last week or so. -5*F a few mornings, which is colder than usual in December here. Strangely enough, my clutch wouldn't slip in that cold weather. Maybe something else is/was going on. I stepped on it a few times yesterday, it was in the 30*'s, no slip.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that its fixed itself.

 

[classen]

OK I'm new to the clutch slippage issue, and although I have self diagnosed my car with slippage I would appreciate some feedback.

background:

I have a 2003 Jetta 5spd manual. 19,500 miles.
I live in the San Fran Bay area so temps are usually very moderate.
On some mornings the car chatters a bit when I am getting into 1st gear. I'm not really sure this is clutch slippage, but it is a bit disquieting.

Now recently I took a long road trip up to Canada (it was very cold...at least to my wimpy Californian sensibilities

).
I was driving on the Coquihalla highway in 5th gear doing about 75mph and using the cruise control, and everything was hunky dory. Then the road got a bit steeper and all of a sudden it felt like the clutch was starting to intermittantly slip. The road was not icy so I can only conlude that the clutch was slipping. Is that what was happening? Is my clutch toast? Should I start saving for the big $$$ clutch failure? I really think I know how to drive a manual transmission since I've been driving manuals since a learned to drive. Doesn't 20,000 miles seem like a pretty low milage clutch to start acting up?

ACK!!! any advice?

Thanks

 

[VelvetFoot]

Check with the dealer? You're a mature driver, haven't abused the clutch. No way it should be slipping at 20k miles.

Is there a hill near you so you could duplicate for dealer?

You might be able to drive it for many miles. Maybe even until after the warranty expires.

 

[vwboy]

2003 Jetta TDI Wagon Bosch 216 injectors otherwise stock. Huge clutch slip especially in cold weather. 30,000 miles.

 

[KomarekTDI]

Timing belt at 60k on an '03??

No, sorry to mislead by my poor wording. I figured that I may be around 80k by spring time, maybe 100 by late summer. Depending on when I buy the clutch/chip I may end up doing the TB at the same time.

 

[Darren_J]

When I first got my car with about 30K Km's the clutch would slip in 5th with just the Evry mod. Now, 3 1/2 years later and with PP520's, IQ of 2.8, OMI and +3 timing advance, I can't get it to slip and the car pulls harder then ever in this cold. It's almost like the clutch has healed itself, or at least all the glaze is worn off. Go figure.

 

[Dunhamjr]

I am slipping too with Sprints.
I got the 764's (p502 equivalents).

When I put them in at about 38k miles no slip. (back in July)

Now I have cold airbox, OMI, DG racepipe and muffler-ectomy.

Since the cold weather began (or the miles, at 45k now) I can slip 5th, 4th and sometimes 3rd.

Just providing an "update"
Now that the weather is getting warmer I don't slip the clutch anymore, maybe in 5th WOT on a bit of a hill.

 

[n1das]

It's known that the A4s have weak clutches. When doing performance mods, plan on upgrading the clutch! The added torque is enough to over-torque the stock clutch setup and cause slippage, even with a new stock clutch.

My 02 Golf TDI was bone stock up until about 2 weeks ago at 148k miles. I got Rocketchip Stage 3 installed and I'm loving the nice power upgrade but I've also got some clutch slippage if I get on it under 3000RPM in any gear. As long as I'm kind to it and keep the revs up, no slippage. Never had any slip with stock performance. I suspect I'm about due for a new clutch soon anyway after close to 150k miles on it.

There are several clutch upgrades possible for TDIs. I'm going to upgrade to the G60/VR6 clutch using the upgrade kit from Dieselgeek. This clutch can handle 300 lb-ft torque or more. The stock clutch can handle only about 250 lb-ft of torque, maybe less than that. There are a few other clutch upgrades out there that will work too.

Injector nozzle upgrade alone...stock clutch MAY be OK.

Chip upgrade alone...stock clutch MAY or MAY NOT be OK, depending on amount of power added and the condition of the stock clutch.

Chip + Nozzle upgrade however always equals a clutch upgrade!

~ n1das

 

[n1das]

OK I'm new to the clutch slippage issue, and although I have self diagnosed my car with slippage I would appreciate some feedback.

background:

I have a 2003 Jetta 5spd manual. 19,500 miles.
I live in the San Fran Bay area so temps are usually very moderate.
On some mornings the car chatters a bit when I am getting into 1st gear. I'm not really sure this is clutch slippage, but it is a bit disquieting.

Now recently I took a long road trip up to Canada (it was very cold...at least to my wimpy Californian sensibilities

).
I was driving on the Coquihalla highway in 5th gear doing about 75mph and using the cruise control, and everything was hunky dory. Then the road got a bit steeper and all of a sudden it felt like the clutch was starting to intermittantly slip. The road was not icy so I can only conlude that the clutch was slipping. Is that what was happening? Is my clutch toast? Should I start saving for the big $$$ clutch failure? I really think I know how to drive a manual transmission since I've been driving manuals since a learned to drive. Doesn't 20,000 miles seem like a pretty low milage clutch to start acting up?

ACK!!! any advice?

Thanks

Sounds like you know how to drive a manual and 20k miles is way too early to be having clutch problems.

The Dual-Mass flywheel (DMF) may be coming apart, causing the intermittent "slip" you described. Could also be oil getting onto the clutch surface. Have you noticed any oil leak(s) around the rear of the engine?

Our TDIs have a DMF for smooth and quiet operation. For my clutch upgrade to the G60/VR6 clutch, I'll be giving up the DMF and installing the G60/VR6 Single-Mass flywheel that has to go with the VR6 clutch.

Good luck.

~ n1das