Clutch Fun

**mb1907953** · 12-03-2014, 10:52 PM

Went on a drive up Mt Cootha tonight and it seems the clutch has thrown the towel in. It's a bit of a surprise considering its only about 20,000 clicks old... And my mechanic had the box out last year and didn't think it was worth replacing?

I don't really drive the car super hard, usually double declutch on down changes and never drop the clutch so I personally dont think its had that hard of a life, especially compared to some of my mates hyundais and corollas...

But a quick run down:

Came into a corner, depressed the clutch to change out of second into third.

1) Pedal went down fine.
2) Gear stick wouldn't come out of second (felt as though the clutch was still engaged)
3) clutch pedal seemed to stay jammed to the floor
4) drove it into the closest clear dirt spot on the road and managed to get the pedal off the ground and it returned to the normal spot.
5) gear stick still stuck in second and pedal will depress loosely to 3/4ths of the way down and then it gets really tough and spongy (feels like a brake pedal without booster).
6) Managed to get gear stick into neutral by turning over with starter motor.
7) Car still wont start and there appears to be a grinding noise coming from the bellhousing and you can feel it in the clutch pedal....

My novice diagnosis is that a bit of the clutch has snapped off and is now jammed between the pressure plate and flywheel making it grind and preventing the car from starting, even when in neutral.

I feel like it would still start in neutral even if one of the clutch cylinders had gone?

Anyway, would love some advice on the above and if confirmed that its a destroyed clutch, what kit I should be going with!

Cheers,
Max

**HaydEn** · 13-03-2014, 07:14 AM

Mine still started in neutral/in gear when my clutch fork snapped. My pedal was on the floor from the slave cylinder popping off the fork.

Does it crank over at all? Or nothing happens?

Could be pressure plate bolts letting go. Tends to happen under hard circumstances though.

**mb1907953** · 13-03-2014, 08:34 AM

Yeh I thought it might be one of the cylinders but the pedal is returning to the normal position and it seems to have some albeit a small amount of resistance.

Th car tries to turn over but there is something obviously jammed as you can feel the clutch pedal almost pumping when you turn the key and there's a grinding noise coming from the bellhousing.

Cheers for the reply Hayden

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**Golf MK3** · 13-03-2014, 08:59 AM

Hey mate,

I am not sure if your model has a dual mass flywheel, but they tend to stuff up. If you had a clonking, grinding noise before the hole thing started, then that might be the problem.

Good luck with it.

**HaydEn** · 13-03-2014, 09:09 AM

If it's still spinning but grinding; I'm going to have to say the PP bolts have loosened; thus your PP can move out and knock against the bell housing.

Possible bent clutch fork; allowing travel still, but the PP hits it.

Only things I can think of. Unfortunately it seems likely that you will need to get the gearbox off to have a look at it.

**mb1907953** · 13-03-2014, 09:47 AM

Yeh I've got it booked in already but I'll have a look in the inspection plate first. Gearbox is a bit too much for me haha. Especially on jack stands outside. It's not really rotating. Just turns over once I guess. A piece of clutch could've broken off maybe

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**HaydEn** · 13-03-2014, 10:12 AM

Hahaha. Only 6 bolts! It's a lot easier than you think.

Post back up what it ended up being.

**mb1907953** · 13-03-2014, 10:42 AM

Will do! Haha yeh I know I should be doing it but it's a fairly involved job isn't it? How long do you think it would take?

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