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Is this clutch failure or something else?

Hi, The car is a '90 Golf 1.8L gas engine with manual transmission and

225,000 km (141,000 miles). The clutch is original and 20 years old. The car is our "travelling car" and has spent most of the time on the highway, so it's in 5th gear for hours on end. I'd guess 2/3 of the kilometres are on the highway, the other 1/3 in the city for pleasure driving (not driving to/from work).

The symptoms are varied.

- starting off from a stop, sometimes I don't have to let up on the clutch pedal very much before the clutch begins to engage and the car starts moving. Other times, I have to let the clutch pedal up quite a ways before the clutch engages (more like it was before when operating normally). But the engagement isn't smooth, the clutch kind of grabs.

- I get the smoothest starts if the car is rolling forward a bit, for instance, if I can coast up to a red light, let it turn green then engage the clutch and drive off.

Other info.

- have changed the clutch cable (self adjusting), no change to symptoms

- on hills I hold using the hand brake so I'm not slipping the clutch

- when stopped at a red light I put the transmission in neutral and let up the clutch pedal (I understand this saves the throw-out bearing)

- I'm easy on the car (i.e, don't drive it hard at all).

- It's only when starting from a dead stop that clutch engagement has the issue. Once underway the tranny shifts fine and the clutch engages fine on all the shifts even going back to 1st while rolling. It's just the starts from a dead stop that the clutch engagement isn't smooth.

- No weird noises.

- Have tested for slipping clutch by going slowly uphill in 3rd gear and flooring gas pedal. No noticeable slippage.

Given the mileage, I'm guessing I'm due for a new clutch, but maybe there's a chance it's something else I can fix? I think a clutch job is beyond my abilities so will seek out a shop to do it.

Thanks.

PS. Anyone have recommendations on reliable VW shop in Greater Vancouver, BC? The dealer's mechanics were sloppy on the last few jobs such as leaving the timing at TDC after the timing belt change, leaving a bolt loose on the timing belt cover, leaving a muffler bolt banging on a cross member, etc. that it's not worth paying the premium to do it at a VW dealer.

Reply to
tonyw
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Sounds like your pressure plate spring has some broken/worn fingers..Only way to check this is by removing it (lot of work!!)

SFC

Reply to
SFC

Just my 2 cents worth. Had a 85 GTI 1.8 Golf MK2 in the nineties. Great car. 147K miles. All original parts. Timing belt was never changed. I only changed oil every

3 max 4 K miles. One day I noticed the clutch was slipping on first gear. The car moved with difficulty. Once it moved and I changed to second, third etc no problem. It was diagnosed it needed a new clutch. Took it to 3 different shops. The same diagnosis. Left it at a VW specialist in Venice, CA (wabbit repair). Got a call in the afternoon. The problem was a crack (cut) somewhere in the middle of the big black hose on the left of the intake. (I don?t know exactly how it is called?) I don?t remember how much he charged me, but it sure was much less then a new clutch. And to finish my story. I drove the car loaded from CA to FL in June of 2000. Went through AZ with temperatures above 120 F, having the heat on, with the windows closed, (yes, it was cooler that way). Saw many trucks, cars, even BMWs and Mercendes stopped at the side of the highway due to overheating. Had to leave the States and left the car with a friend in FL. He drove it for two more years and then sold it. I miss it.
Reply to
zar

SFC Good diagnosis, it was the pressure plate that was weakened after 20 years. Had a shop replace the clutch today, drives like new and take- offs from a stop are smooth. Also had the rear bearing seal and fingers changed. Discovered that with the new clutch, normal clutch engagement doesn't need much release of the clutch pedal from the fully depressed position. The clutch should be good until 2030.

Reply to
tonyw

SFC Good diagnosis, it was the pressure plate that was weakened after 20 years. Had a shop replace the clutch today, drives like new and take- offs from a stop are smooth. Also had the rear bearing seal and fingers changed. Discovered that with the new clutch, normal clutch engagement doesn't need much release of the clutch pedal from the fully depressed position. The clutch should be good until 2030.

Thanks for the feed back!!

SFC

Reply to
SFC

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