Quickest way to get a replacement clutch?!

ksmoker

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2013
Location
Central VA
TDI
05 Passat
My car is 5 speed swapped. The clutch that's in it now was supplied by Frans, according to the previous owner. I knew it would need a clutch in the not-too-distant future, but today something went way wrong. Maybe broken spring on the pressure plate?? Pedal all the way down, it won't completely disengage the clutch. But it's not like the master and slave cylinders aren't doing their job, because once it's in gear, I have to let the pedal almost all the way back up before I get any go action. Not sure if I'm explaining this well or not, but...

The bottom line is I need a clutch, and unfortunately I was planning on taking this car on a 700 mile trip this weekend and now I'm kind of locked into it.

Does anyone know where I can buy a clutch and make sure I can have it shipped to me in VA by Thurs?? Or even overnight it tomorrow and get it Wed?

Stage 2 tune, colt stage 3 cam. I was debating between stock clutch and southbend before. At this point I might just have to go with whatever I can get in time.

Why do I do this to myself? Ugh...
 

Nevada_TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 17, 2008
Location
Reno, sort of...
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI
I'm with Mr. Uber..up there, the last thing you want to do is hurry a clutch install, and pay to get it towed. I have a question, did you replace the clip, ball, and post? If not you may have just bent the pivot for the pressure plate. Fifty dollars and a couple of hours.
 

97caron

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2015
Location
Lookout
TDI
NB
Sounds like clutch lever is bent-cracked. This is part is not included with clutch kits. Metalman parts sells them ~$35
 

ksmoker

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2013
Location
Central VA
TDI
05 Passat
Yeah, after posting the other night I thought better of it and cooled my jets a bit.

I have very little experience with longitudinal VW setups... can you guys point me to some more info about these levers, clip, ball, etc...?
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
We (IDParts) are in MA so we could easily get you a clutch kit in two days. You probably will need a flywheel, too, because who knows what flywheel is in there. With a stage 2 tune a stock SMF replacement, or a LUK DMF kit would be fine. Get a G60/VR6 clutch kit if you want a little headroom for more power in the future. I don't think you need an SBC clutch unless a turbo, fueling, and tune upgrade is in your future.
 

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
Clutch, flywheel, throw out bearing, clutch lever/arm, pivot pin and clip, get the whole ball of wax
 

PickleRick

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Location
Greenville sc
TDI
05 GLS BHW sedan 5 speed conversion. BHW Carver SantaCruz in progress
I'd buy the Luk smfw clutch kit for the 1.8t passat. Flat rate ship the clutch to south bend for the endurance works.

I'm some year or 2 into daily commute @40 mostly city miles with my 5 speed stage 2 sedan. Clutch and work all together was @700.

Pull and inspect all your parts before ordering anyting.

I wouldnt trust the stock smfw kit without the endurance works, it's a little less than 300 ft lbs torque rated even with the upgrade. I drive it like it's my daily driver not a race car so I've not pushed it. Despite popular belief a passat isn't a sports car.
 

PickleRick

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Location
Greenville sc
TDI
05 GLS BHW sedan 5 speed conversion. BHW Carver SantaCruz in progress
My passat ate the clutch masters fx300 clutch kit in less than 2 years of the same style driving I use wirh my south bend reworked luk. The luk is a very friendly daily clutch with very easy break in. She's a little grippy but once you learn not to ride the clutch it's fine. The fx300 had a miserable 2000 to 2500 mile break in and was never a daily driver friendly clutch. The life span for a 1400 dollar flywheel clutch kit made the price a terrible buy. The ice cream machine at McDonald's was more reliable. The only thing worse than the life span and cost was the customer service at clutch masters. I loved the Whitbread flywheel and there is now an alternative clutch kit you can use with it utilizing a spacer.

I noticed no vibration differences going from the 30 odd some lbs Whitbread flywheel to the 20lbs 1.8t. I did notice a difference in vibes going from slush box with balance shaft to a balance shaft delete and single mass fw 5 speed.
 

ksmoker

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2013
Location
Central VA
TDI
05 Passat
We (IDParts) are in MA so we could easily get you a clutch kit in two days. You probably will need a flywheel, too, because who knows what flywheel is in there. With a stage 2 tune a stock SMF replacement, or a LUK DMF kit would be fine. Get a G60/VR6 clutch kit if you want a little headroom for more power in the future. I don't think you need an SBC clutch unless a turbo, fueling, and tune upgrade is in your future.
Can you tell me more about the g60/vr combo? I know guys use that setup in transverse applications, but isn't that a completely different setup? I called there yesterday and talked to someone multiple times, only to be told today that they'd recommend the valeo kit. When I reminded him that mine isn't stock, he said yeah that won't work 🤷‍♂️.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
My apologies. I mist the longitudional thing in your first post. Yes, it's different. We'd have to source something specifically for your car. But we have local suppliers with same or next day deliveries that would have what you need. Identifying what will work (PNs) may be a bit of a challenge, but we've done that before.
 

dtrvler

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2017
Location
Las Vegas
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI 5 spd
Hey PickleRick!
What stock setup did you go to to replace your whitbread 30 pounder + FX 300. Ive got the engine out for rebuilding and im staring at the whitbread + fx250 and reading about them on here and there seem to be some issues. Id sure like to put in a strong problem free drivable clutch for use with my b5.5 2.0 stg. 2 tune stock turbo setup. Thank you.
 

PickleRick

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Location
Greenville sc
TDI
05 GLS BHW sedan 5 speed conversion. BHW Carver SantaCruz in progress
I think I answered this in a PM. Stock Valeo passat 1.8t gasser single mass flywheel and clutch kit.

The clutch kit fit in a flat rate USPS box, sent it to south bend performance for their endurance upgrade.

Some 700 some odd bucks in the set up. Better than the clutch master kit ever was. The break in period was quick and painless. Still a grabby grippy clutch you are not going to feather without chatter so you either engage it or don't but it's not a brutal grab like the clutch masters was before it very quickly lost all grip power. My passat is a daily driver with mostly back road and city traffic. I think I swapped clutches around 220000 to 230000 miles and im now at 260000. Its been 2 years of so, maybe more as im a terrible judge of time. I put about 500 miles or 1 tank of fuel on it a week.
 

ksmoker

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2013
Location
Central VA
TDI
05 Passat
Well, I FINALLY got this thing back on the road. I have entirely too much going on in life right now.

I ended up going with south bend stage 2 daily. I originally tried to reuse the SMF flywheel that was on the car, then realized that wouldn't work and had to spring another $500 for the south bend fw. Ugh. I hope this thing lasts.

On the plus side, I think this car is finally ready for a big road trip that I've got coming up in a few weeks. When I bought it, it needed a cam and the clutch was slipping under hard 5th gear acceleration. After I put the Colt stage 3 cam in, it lasted 30 mins before a pressure plate spring broke. So last evening's shakedown run was the first time I really got to drive it without feeling like something was about to fall apart. My daughter from the passenger seat: "uh, Dad?... We're going 100mph." I was surprised to see that she was right.

I've had a bunch of ALH and AHU cars, but this is my first PD. The difference is amazing to me. This feels much more like a gasser. Doesn't seem to have much grunt at all down low, and really comes to life above 2500rpm. Is this a tuning thing? Is this normal?

Besides the obvious (tires, alignment, fresh fluids etc) is there anything PD-specific that I should be checking before setting off on a 5k mile trip? Cam is new, full timing service done.
 

Zambee500

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Location
Atlanta, GA
TDI
2005 Passat TDI GLS, 2014 NMS Passat TDI SEL Premium
What's the recommended break-in procedure for Colt cams? Oil/filter changes at 30 minutes engine run time, 500 miles, 2500 miles and then regular OCIs thereafter? If so, seems that would impact a 5k mile trip coming up, although easily addressable on the trip.

Congrats on getting the car back up and running.
 

Tom in PT

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2017
Location
Twilight Zone, WA State
TDI
2005 Passat sedan - SOLD; 2013 Passat DSG; both purchased new
A few suggestions for a to-do list before your trip
1. clean out the snow screen and replace the air filter if needed
2. new fuel filter if you have not changed it in the last 15,000 miles
3. inspect your hoses including the hoses in the boost circuit for chafing or obvious wear
4. pull off the EGR valve and clean it thoroughly
5. Optional - clean the MAF sensor
 

Andyinchville1

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2016
Location
Virginia
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI wagon, 5 sp, 226K miles
HI

FWIW - Since you have a new clutch in the car , I would go easy on the clutch for a bit ... I don't know what the specific break in procedure is BUT I know there is a break in period and method....maybe somebody with more info in this will chime in.

Have fun

Andrew
 

ksmoker

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2013
Location
Central VA
TDI
05 Passat
A few suggestions for a to-do list before your trip
1. clean out the snow screen and replace the air filter if needed
2. new fuel filter if you have not changed it in the last 15,000 miles
3. inspect your hoses including the hoses in the boost circuit for chafing or obvious wear
4. pull off the EGR valve and clean it thoroughly
5. Optional - clean the MAF sensor
My EGR is deleted, but the rest of your suggestions are on my list. (y)
 

ksmoker

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2013
Location
Central VA
TDI
05 Passat
HI

FWIW - Since you have a new clutch in the car , I would go easy on the clutch for a bit ... I don't know what the specific break in procedure is BUT I know there is a break in period and method....maybe somebody with more info in this will chime in.

Have fun

Andrew
South Bend says 400-500 miles of stop and go driving with no hard launches AND NO DOWNSHIFTING?! "Highway miles are ok, but don't count towards your break-in period"...
1. I live in the sticks. Almost all my driving is 55mph+. I'm planning on driving to the city just to drive around and put some use on this thing.
2. The odds of me remembering NOT to downshift are slim. So far I'm doing good.
 

Andyinchville1

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2016
Location
Virginia
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI wagon, 5 sp, 226K miles
South Bend says 400-500 miles of stop and go driving with no hard launches AND NO DOWNSHIFTING?! "Highway miles are ok, but don't count towards your break-in period"...
1. I live in the sticks. Almost all my driving is 55mph+. I'm planning on driving to the city just to drive around and put some use on this thing.
2. The odds of me remembering NOT to downshift are slim. So far I'm doing good.
I can understand all those instructions and the reasoning behind most of them but the no downshifting part is interesting I'm wondering what the reason behind that is? Is it because most people can't match RPMs well and it counts as a hard lunch except maybe as a hard deceleration?

In either event I'll have to file that away in my brain also.

Andrew
 

ksmoker

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2013
Location
Central VA
TDI
05 Passat
I can understand all those instructions and the reasoning behind most of them but the no downshifting part is interesting I'm wondering what the reason behind that is? Is it because most people can't match RPMs well and it counts as a hard lunch except maybe as a hard deceleration?

In either event I'll have to file that away in my brain also.

Andrew
I just noticed you're in VA. Based on your username, I'm assuming you're not far from me.
 

woodwright

Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2013
Location
SD
TDI
05 Passat
Well, I FINALLY got this thing back on the road. I have entirely too much going on in life right now.

I ended up going with south bend stage 2 daily. I originally tried to reuse the SMF flywheel that was on the car, then realized that wouldn't work and had to spring another $500 for the south bend fw. Ugh. I hope this thing lasts.

On the plus side, I think this car is finally ready for a big road trip that I've got coming up in a few weeks. When I bought it, it needed a cam and the clutch was slipping under hard 5th gear acceleration. After I put the Colt stage 3 cam in, it lasted 30 mins before a pressure plate spring broke. So last evening's shakedown run was the first time I really got to drive it without feeling like something was about to fall apart. My daughter from the passenger seat: "uh, Dad?... We're going 100mph." I was surprised to see that she was right.

I've had a bunch of ALH and AHU cars, but this is my first PD. The difference is amazing to me. This feels much more like a gasser. Doesn't seem to have much grunt at all down low, and really comes to life above 2500rpm. Is this a tuning thing? Is this normal?

Besides the obvious (tires, alignment, fresh fluids etc) is there anything PD-specific that I should be checking before setting off on a 5k mile trip? Cam is new, full timing service done.
I take it you got a whole SB daily clutch, not a reline, and that's why it didn't work with your old smf? (likely a Valeo 1.9 tdi from Frans)
 

ksmoker

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2013
Location
Central VA
TDI
05 Passat
Update. New problem. I ended up installing a southbend stage 2 daily.

Now my car ate 3rd and 4th gear synchros, and 2nd gear is trying to hide from me. What to do?

1. Dig into it myself and learn how to work on manual gearboxes? I don't have experience, but I believe I can figure it out, thanks to the information age. Downside: I won't have time any time soon.

2. Pull the trans and send it off to an expert? Downside: cost and likely a long-ish wait.

3. Buy another trans? Downside: cost, and I don't even know where to start looking.

I thought about just selling the car to someone who needs a project more than I do, but I just did full TB service, Colt cam, 4 new tires, and I really like the car overall. What say you?
 

PickleRick

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Location
Greenville sc
TDI
05 GLS BHW sedan 5 speed conversion. BHW Carver SantaCruz in progress
Id say drop in a cheap v6 dvz trans and put the sucker back on the road. Someoene will pay you good money for a euro trans that needs a rebuild.

Im good cruising up to 75 mph. I don't like maintaining more than 3000 rpms, car gets loud.

Car is worth maybe 1200 tops not drivable and sadly unless a stupid clean wagon it's only worth more than 3500 bucks to those of us here are enthusiasts and know how reliable, economical and fun these cars are once you address the very commonly and widely known issues.
 

PickleRick

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Location
Greenville sc
TDI
05 GLS BHW sedan 5 speed conversion. BHW Carver SantaCruz in progress
Also i have a dvz trans but using car parts.com or just a visit to the local lkq will get you a trans for less than shipping.

If you want to come to Greenville SC I have one I got for 200. Came from a 2003 v6 bad timing chain tensioners. I think 180 to 190k.
 

ksmoker

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2013
Location
Central VA
TDI
05 Passat
Car is worth maybe 1200 tops not drivable and sadly unless a stupid clean wagon it's only worth more than 3500 bucks to those of us here are enthusiasts and know how reliable, economical and fun these cars are once you address the very commonly and widely known issues.
Sad but true. My wife and I put 5600 miles on it on a trip out west last month, and I couldn't have asked for it to do any better. 41mpg total for the trip, and I was not driving for economy. Had the cruise set at 105 for a while going across ND and MT. I know this car is worth more to me than someone else.

I'll look around for a dvz! It hadn't even crossed my mind, honestly. I rarely exceed 75mph here around home. This way I can dig into the fhn some rainy day when I need another project...
 

themightyquinn

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 7, 2005
TDI
1999 New Beetle Black
I'd buy the Luk smfw clutch kit for the 1.8t passat. Flat rate ship the clutch to south bend for the endurance works.

I'm some year or 2 into daily commute @40 mostly city miles with my 5 speed stage 2 sedan. Clutch and work all together was @700.

Pull and inspect all your parts before ordering anyting.

I wouldnt trust the stock smfw kit without the endurance works, it's a little less than 300 ft lbs torque rated even with the upgrade. I drive it like it's my daily driver not a race car so I've not pushed it. Despite popular belief a passat isn't a sports car.
I've got maybe 5-10K on my Sachs 1.9TDI 228mm clutch kit. It's been slipping in 3rd and 4th when I hit peak torque for a little while now. I generally baby it, but sometimes it pops up when I'm trying to merge or similar. I assume I can send my current PP and clutch disk in and have them worked on, what could I expect the endurance setup to set me back? I'm sure turnaround times have gotten worse, but what were they running back when you had the work done?

Thanks!
 

PickleRick

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Location
Greenville sc
TDI
05 GLS BHW sedan 5 speed conversion. BHW Carver SantaCruz in progress
The price has gone up since I did mine several years ago. I think another poster said it run 500 now. I don't know if they will treat a used clutch/pressure but at the time time i got it done they offered free flywheel turning with the treatment.

They worked on it within 3 business days. It shipped flat rate shipping. 3 days pre covid.

My clutch is just beginning to slip in 5th gear if I press the throttle too hard. Installed @ august of 2019.
 
Last edited:

themightyquinn

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 7, 2005
TDI
1999 New Beetle Black
The price has gone up since I did mine several years ago. I think another poster said it run 500 now. I don't know if they will treat a used clutch/pressure but at the time time i got it done they offered free flywheel turning with the treatment.

They worked on it within 3 business days. It shipped flat rate shipping. 3 days pre covid.

My clutch is just beginning to slip in 5th gear if I press the throttle too hard. Installed @ august of 2019.

Thanks for the feedback, I assumed they were essentially relining the disc and rebuilding the pressure plate so used/new wouldn't matter. I'll give them a call and get more details. $500+ is kind of the point where I'm inclined to just look at the SRE or figure out a 240mm option. Thank you for the input it was helpful.
 
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