About 30k miles ago I replaced the GTI clutch with a single mass flywheel setup from Valeo.
~6mo ago, after a week or so of the clutch feeling strange, I was suddenly unable to get the car in/out of gear unless I was more or less stopped or forced it.
I assumed, being 02M, that the input shaft had worn itself into the trans (185k miles) and TOB was no longer able to provide enough movement for it to disengage.
Finally last week I pulled the trans and last night got the clutch out and found this.
Looks like the springs decided to wear away the disc housing. One pretty large chunk of the inner disc spacer (or whatever) is missing. Springs are chewed to shit. Of course, LOTS of life left in the friction discs.
The flywheel looked ok. I forgot to inspect the PP as it was quite late (ill do that tonight).
Has anyone seen a failure like this before? I do drive spirited but never launch the car hard and always rev match downshifts.
Im just wondering what could have caused this. And I pretty pissed that I need to replace this thing ($400) just so I can sell the car now. Guess if nothing else I can add a “new clutch” bullet to my for sale ad.
Probably a material defect in the original stamping. That is 100% a manufacturing defect and not user negligence. Even if there isn’t a warranty on that part, I’d STILL contact the company with those pictures and see if they will give you a new one.
The primary cause of the failure was the stamping failed (probably due to a metallurgical anomaly or improper heat treatment) and allowed the spring to move in it’s retainer, since it was only on one side it caused the inside of the spline to bind on the input shaft, which subsequently wore out the spring on the opposite side, at least based on these pictures. I spend a lot of time looking at failed metal assemblies, if you’re ever in buffalo, I’d like to see it.
Ive seen it once before, where the disk was installed backwards. some clutch kits have space in the flywheel to install them facing what most would consider the wrong way.
but knowing how meticulous you are I doubt that is the case. Probably just a manufacturing defect. or you should stop racing your NA golf
though the clutch on my VR had the material rip off the rivits also a Valeo clutch. I switch to a southbend after that.
Ya, I should try them. It sucks they dont offer the disc separate. You have to buy the whole kit (minus flywheel at least) but its still $400.
Ya, this was definitely installed the correct way. Im pretty sure you cant put this one in upside down. Plus Im pretty good at reading “gearbox side”. hah
Looks like its “not available” separately. The only “rebuild” kit they offer is the whole clutch minus flywheel.
I just emailed them some pics, they were going to pass it along to whoever the warranty / failure dude is and see what he says. Ill snap some pics of the PP tonight.
The plan was to replace the “likely to fail” dual mass flywheel with a single mass flywheel when I did the clutch. At the time, and probably still, this was the one option that was basically OE but with a single mass flywheel for the 02M 6 speed. At least that I was aware of.
I sent them the new pics and this is what they replied “From the pics you sent what happened was the the drive plate inside the disc hub broke and that is what allowed the spring to move and ware like they did. Seeing that it is out of warranty there would not be any thing we could do on are end .”
So pretty much my only choice now is to buy their “rebuild kit” which is everything but the flywheel for $400. Or find something completely different, as from what Im reading, this flywheel I have is specific only to this kit and will likely not work with another clutch. le sigh.
