02A clutch issues

[gldgti]

Hey guys,

I've just pulled the gearbox on my mk3 again (let me see, EIGHT times in 3 years) because my clutch wasnt fully disengaging.

I expected a cracked release arm or something, but instead I found 3 bent release finger springs on the pressure plate.

This was a brand new LUK clutch kit only 5000km's ago.....

anyone else had a clutch issue with LUK kits lately? (vr6 owners really, since all the GL and CL people have 020 boxes....

[mk3pete]

your best bet to find this out is in the 12v vr6 section on vortex
i remember reading about this but cant remember if it was the same brand or not

[gldgti]

thanks for the heads up.

PS - i put everything back in with a second hand SACHS pressure plate and friction disk that wasnt very worn, and everything works perfectly.....

I've lost my receipt for the LUK clutch kit, but i will take it back in to Tooleys and ask them if they have sen any others like it anyway....

[gldgti]

The Saga Continues...

Upon very very careful examination, I found a tiny shard of hardened metal, like the corner of something broken off, wedged in between the backside of the pressure plate friction surface and the diaphragm spring. This caused 2 things to happen - the diaphragm spring fingers appeared to be bent, but were not actually deformed wrongly - and also, the presure plate put out of alignment, causing the driven plate hub to be off centre, and wear, and also causing the driven plate to drag a LOT when the clutch was pressed in (hence I couldnt change gears properly).

So far, I have not been able to locate the origin of the shard of metal. It does not appear to belong to the driven plate, or the pressure plate. The flywheel doesnt have any parts that this could be a part of either, nor does the release arm, or the release bearing, and its definately steel, so its not part of the bellhousing either.

Just goes to show what a PITA a little tiny foreign object can be to your clutch.

The other thing is, is that it might not have even got there while it was in the car. Its possible, even likely, given the position in which the little shard was lodged, that it could have been stuck there not causing too much trouble for a while, and 1 unlucky press of the clutch allowed it to get jammed properly and cause a more major problem. Could have been there from brand new, or fallen in while I was installing it, I doubt I'll ever know.