newbie with a clutch life question

[0die]

newbie here...after years of looking and wishing I finally found me a 96 Passat wagon TDI moving up from the 81 diesel Rabbit

decent price but it needs a big list of chassis and assorted trim "restoration"

The entire front suspension is shot so I'm replacing a lot of stuff (tie rods, ball joint, strut mounts, wheel bearings). Since I'm halfway to getting the transmission out with all that stuff being done I wonder if I should do the clutch?

the car has 240,000 on the clock and I'd venture to guess its the original clutch. I have not noticed any slipping or anything.

I've done some searches on clutch life and it's all over the place...some even approaching 500k on the original....so should I even bother at 240K if there is no slipping noticed?

I ask since I just did my escort at 240K (same miles????) as it just began to slip on a trip last weekend. It was a bit of a pain to do. It did have lining left but it was slipping when i reved it in gear so it was on the way out.

FWIW my Jeep wrangler I did at 190K because of a leaky T/O bearing and the old clutch looked brand new, same thinkness as the new one.

So is a clutch replacement a good call at this mileage since I'm pulling a bunch of stuff anyway or is it a hit-miss waste at this point in time?

I don't think the TDI is something a teenager has been trashing the clutch on anyway...unlike say an "Escort"....

 

[StevenL]

I would if you are taking the tranny out. With that mileage it could last hours or years. You could always take it out and inspect the friction plate and how much meat is left on it. I would change though...

 

[0die]

well if the trany comes out it's getting a new clutch period.

But I was wondering if I should bother doing it. The transmission is not coming out to do all the other repairs but I will have many things already removed thus half the clutch job is already done. Well maybe not half...more like 1/3 or 1/4 done...ha ha........ But it's still a pain

 

[Whitecloud1]

Just to keep this thread confusing....246K on the clock, original clutch and had an Upsolute chip in it since 42K.

I consider my driving style "spirited".

If the previous owner was a bit slack with his upkeep, i.e., front end parts shot, most of the trim needs replacing, etc., He may not have been doing the rest of the maintenance as he should have. If you're this deep into it, I would put another clutch in.

BTW-I need to replace the injectors. My guess is that my clutch will slip.

 

[0die]

I'm pretty sure he did just the minimum to keep it running. Over all the car is "fairly" clean...nickel and dime trim pieces broken or missing...

RF Wheel bearing howls like a cat in heat...RF sway bar end link bushing gone and just hanging...both strut mounts are blown, I can grab the strut and move it up and down and watch the top mount go up and down....some slight play in the tie rods

but the body is straight and clean. no rust. Engine runs smooth and solid power. very clean under the hood and no wire harness chopping evident...CV axles solid...etc

 

[IXLR8]

If you have no reason to pull engine or tranny, don't bother with the clutch until you know it is needed. Granted mine is an 02 Golf, but I have 267K miles on the original clutch, RC2 tune from 100k to 210k miles when I up'ed the tune to RC3. I could get the clutch to slip in 5th with just the RC2 tune, I am not hard on the clutch and downshift if I need the extra "go" to avoid slipping the clutch. I would not bother with the time, or expense, of changing the clutch until it shows signs of being an issue.

 

[KLXD]

How much have you driven it? You might change the clutch, start driving and find other problems you could have fixed with the trans out.

I'd wait.

 

[0die]

I drove it home from Houston. 200 miles straight highway so not much clutch action. It sits in my driveway and will not move an inch until the timing belt is done before anything else. They guy claims it was done but lets just say English was not his first language. So I really don't know if he meant timing belt or fan belt and really no clue what time frame he was talking about...as in miles ago or months ago or years ago.....

As far as driving it...there is so much needed on the front suspension that I really need to fix all that before regular driving...at which point, if I discover a slipping clutch, I have already removed and replaced all the stuff external to the trans that would be involved in a clutch job anyway.

either way it's a crap shoot...I'm inclined to leave the clutch alone, even at 240,000 miles, get the other stuff road ready and just go...get a chance to work other bugs out too

 

[BeeJee]

I don't think the TDI is something a teenager has been trashing the clutch on anyway...unlike say an "Escort"....

Up until last year I would've been considered a teenager and my TDI definitely took a beating. I regularly maintain it which really helps the situation though. If I were you I would definitely throw in a new clutch, my logic is that you may decide to upgrade your nozzles/chip it and that could easily slip out an old clutch. I upgraded the nozzles at around 197,000 miles and immediately noticed the clutch slipping whereas it never did before. Good luck