New LUK clutch slipping

[zslnk]

Hi
I just replaced my original Sachs clutch with 520k-km with a LUK rep set. It is wonderfully smooth with a light pedal. I have a stock PD wagon and in my first day with the new clutch I found I could make it slip at full throttle. I replaced the old clutch because the throw out bearing was noisy and there was a deep groove in its face that made the pedal hard.

I did the work myself and is there anything that I could have overlooked to get this result?

Thanks

 

[zslnk]

I noted that my slave cylinder extends itself when it's removed from the car. You can push it back in with your thumb but would this force cause my old worn throw out bearing condition and the new clutch to partially release.

 

[mjydrafter]

Just did mine last weekend. Mine was supposedly replaced by the PO, I assume it was replacement, it was a Sachs. The only reason I think it was actually a replacement, is the pressure plate fingers had the holes like the new LUK I put in, so it could be installed all as one piece. I don't know that for sure though. Did your original have them?

From my understanding the new clutch needs a bit of break in. IIRC 500 miles was the number I found most.

My Slave cylinder acted just as yours. When removed the rubber boot and piston moved out. I then had to push it in carefully and hold it while I installed the bolts.

When I first got in and started it I really thought I did something wrong, as the pedal feel was so light. It seems to work just fine, although I have been driving it pretty easy so far, I think I'm up to 40 miles. So I may go joy-riding a bit this weekend. I will try to get to 200 miles before I really get on it. Although I have driven harder than I would like in traffic and it seems to hold fine.

 

[\/\/0J0]

Hi
I just replaced my original Sachs clutch with 520k-km with a LUK rep set. It is wonderfully smooth with a light pedal. I have a stock PD wagon and in my first day with the new clutch I found I could make it slip at full throttle. I replaced the old clutch because the throw out bearing was noisy and there was a deep groove in its face that made the pedal hard.

I did the work myself and is there anything that I could have overlooked to get this result?

Thanks

Did you resurface your flywheel/install new? That's the first thing.
Second is that new clutches need to need to bed in. There are warnings in the literature that came with it and on the manufacturer's site about proper break in. For example, the center force clutch I just put on my ride came with warnings that instruct the driver not to apply full throttle or heavy loads for at least 500 miles after install.
Hopefully you haven't smoked your clutch before it even got a chance to work for you.

Sent from my mobile look-at device

 

[mjydrafter]

Did you resurface your flywheel/install new? That's the first thing.
Second is that new clutches need to need to bed in. There are warnings in the literature that came with it and on the manufacturer's site about proper break in. For example, the center force clutch I just put on my ride came with warnings that instruct the driver not to apply full throttle or heavy loads for at least 500 miles after install.
Hopefully you haven't smoked your clutch before it even got a chance to work for you.

Sent from my mobile look-at device

Yep, a quick google search reveals this as the correct break in mileage. Most seem to recommend as much stop and go in town driving as you can manage.

I read this (on a non TDI site and had an LOL): "Besides, 500 miles is like nothing. Thats about 2 tanks.

After the 2nd fill-up after you've done the clutch, it's basically broken in. You can then enjoy 7k clutch dumps!"

 

[zslnk]

Thanks for the info. I also thought that I did something wrong as the pedal was so light and smooth. I'll put some in-town miles on it and keep the hooning to a minimum and see if I get some additional grab. From the wear on my original clutch the break-in period may take a few years

 

[jimbote]

as stated above break in required ... the pedal effort will increase slightly as the surfaces bed in and the clutch geometry alters slightly

 

[maxmoo]

fwiw.....I've installed a couple of these clutches in our mk4's with mild tunes and never had even a hint of slippage.

I could be wrong but I would think if a new luk 17-050 is slipping right out of the box on a stock or relativly stock tdi something is not right.

 

[Windex]

Same here - installed and driven the 17-050 in modified TDIs (nozzles, tune) and never came close to slipping, even new - maybe you got a bad one.

Where did you get the kit?

 

[\/\/0J0]

Still wondering if flywheel was resurfaced, new, or untouched

Sent from my mobile look-at device

 

[jimbote]

i have some slip on initial install on both tuned and untuned cars ... never any issues down the road though ...probably installed thirty of these

 

[Mavrick]

i have some slip on initial install on both tuned and untuned cars ... never any issues down the road though ...probably installed thirty of these

Ditto.

On a stock or lightly modified TDI.. take it easy (no wide open throttle) for 100-200km. Never had a problem after that.

 

[AnotherPerson]

Do people resurface dmf flywheels? That sounds kinda hard to even do because of the spring system.

On a side note, is the release arm in good shape? I figure if it gets tweaked somehow it can cause the clutch to not 100% engage. Even tho I know it usually fails to the point of not allowing a full disengage.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[zslnk]

The clutch came from Amazon.ca ($275cad). After a few days of driving it seems to be fine now. The pedal feel has changed slightly also. I'm happy with it. Unfortunately the car is now down with a bad injector that I've been limping along with(diesel purge) for a while as an intermittent mis. It started running on 3cyl so I need to find an injector after I troubleshoot it definitively.

 

[jimbote]

The clutch came from Amazon.ca ($275cad). After a few days of driving it seems to be fine now. The pedal feel has changed slightly also. I'm happy with it. Unfortunately the car is now down with a bad injector that I've been limping along with(diesel purge) for a while as an intermittent mis. It started running on 3cyl so I need to find an injector after I troubleshoot it definitively.

most likely the harness pins under the valve cover need to be tightened up ... it's rare an injector goes bad

 

[mjydrafter]

most likely the harness pins under the valve cover need to be tightened up ... it's rare an injector goes bad

I agree, with the cost of an injector for a BEW, I would just get a new injector harness and give it a try or tweak the connectors under the valve cover.

At the age of these cars I would suspect wiring/connection before an injector. Other than the CEL, I don't know that there is any way to test the injectors to know if they are good or bad. But, most of the threads with injector trouble seem to be harness, rather than injector.

 

[zslnk]

Update
The clutch no longer slips and the misfire has been resolved as described here.
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=469573