clutch

[blkmagic2006gti]

Call me crazy, but my clutch feels like it lets out further then when i first got it. The car has 1,256 miles on it. i dont beat the car, and i KNOW how to drive a stick. Anyone else have this happen? is this normal?

 

[heftylefty]

i have that same kind of feeling too...but knowing me its just my imagination.

 

[MHS216]

Call me crazy, but my clutch feels like it lets out further then when i first got it. The car has 1,256 miles on it. i dont beat the car, and i KNOW how to drive a stick. Anyone else have this happen? is this normal?

Not trying to be a dick, so please don't take it this way. Is this your first new from the dealer Manual tranny car? The clutch will soften up a little bit when first breaking in. It can be kinda hard to diagnose over the Interweb.

 

[AntiRice292]

i noticed that on my GTI too. its most likely a normal thing. Prolly the clutch seating in the flywheel and pressure plate. i know my clutch still works fine i test it all the time:burnrubber:

 

[Nikos147]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with your clutch.

There is, however, a way to test it, and it is not very good for you clutch if you do it all the time.

Take your car to a complete stop. Raise the handbrake, and shift into second gear. Try to move your car forwards as if your starting in 1st gear. If your car stalls...then that means your clutch is in great shape...and new! If your car starts creeping towards the front...then you are also ok. If your car, however, does not move...then engine does not stall if you have pulled away your foot from the clutch...then you are in trouble and in need of a new one!

Note that your clutch is never the same any time of the day. It de-clutches in different positions throughout the day, mainly depending on the temperature of that time. If you are racing...and you are pushing too much the car...then you would feel that you need more gas now than before when shifting. That's normal cause it is very hot.

A way to see that you are having a problematic clutch, like mine in my Alfa Romeo here in Greece, is that when you start your car with first normally as you always did at about 1,000rpms removing your foot gradually from the clutch...your engine starts to shake! You feel very large vibrations coming from the engine. That means that your clutch is grabing your flywheel then releasing then grabing again...and you need more gas to start driving.

Now...if you keep pushing the gas pedal...releasing the clutch and nothing happens...your clutch is all eaten out!


That's all I can offer for now for a small clutch lesson from all of Europeans here that use stick-shifts.

 

[blkmagic2006gti]

Not trying to be a dick, so please don't take it this way. Is this your first new from the dealer Manual tranny car? The clutch will soften up a little bit when first breaking in. It can be kinda hard to diagnose over the Interweb.

no i understand really. Well i had a 2005 gti 1.8t, i dont remember if it did the same thing, but really, i appreciate it, Thanks for your help:thumbup:

 

[Bad hare]

great information from the GREEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MHS216]

great information from the GREEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah thanks for that Nikos. Believe it or not, they don't teach you that stuff in drivers' training here in the US:biggrin:

 

[Nikos147]

No problem guys! I'm here to help.

When I took my car at the track...I felt the clutch boiling hot when I was pushing my Alfa to the limit. When you get your GTIs at the track, if you ever do it, make sure when racing...or even when shifting gears at very high RPMs (i.e. 5,000 and above) to make quick changes. That is because the less time your flywheel is in contact with your clutch...the better!

Also...avoid downshifting when coming to a complete stop! It is very very bad for your clutch. And avoid having it in first gear when waiting for that green light on the road. Unless, if you are about to drag race with some poor guy with less horsepower than you...I'm sure they are easy to spot!