TDI clutch replacement - new slave cylinder a good idea?

Hi all,

As per the title really. I'm leaning towards doing the clutch on my newly acquired TDI, as I think it is not fully disengaging, causing reluctant gear selection.

Should the slave always be changed too? If I don't can it be replaced at a later date from outside the gearbox fairly easily?

Comments appreciated.

Cheers,
Paul
 
Hi all,

As per the title really. I'm leaning towards doing the clutch on my newly acquired TDI, as I think it is not fully disengaging, causing reluctant gear selection.

Should the slave always be changed too? If I don't can it be replaced at a later date from outside the gearbox fairly easily?

Comments appreciated.

Cheers,
Paul

I have only ever changed a slave cylinder when it failed or showed signs of failing. Replacing parts that are not broken and especially those that are able to be changed without any major strip down, just doesn't seem worth it.

However, if you think the slave cylinder is affecting your gearchange, then why not replace it first, or are there genuinely gearbox issues??

Try "pumping" the clutch pedal, if it then engages easier the slave / master cylinder is the issue.

Steve B
 
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the gear selector linkages at gearbox tower are common for seizing and slack cable adjustment , if the problem only exists when engine running then clutch is a good idea (not done mine yet so not sure about slave cylinder) but if issue is with or without engine running I would lean towards linkages first, there is a thread somewhere on here about adjustment
 
Hello,
I thought I had the same job to do as you but I changed the gearbox oil twice in two months and adjusted the linkage on three occasions and now my gear changes are acceptable. I also bled the slave cylinder using one of those Gunson easy bleed setups.
That all came to about 50 quid or so and three to four tinkering and cleaning hours.
 
Thanks for the comments. I thought I had read somewhere on a Golf forum that the cylinder should be replaced when doing a clutch swap. Might have imagined it though!

Have already replaced the knackered selector tower bearing and lubricated/adjusted cables. It's far better than it was and not stiff. The bearing was so bad the reversing lights were coming on every time I changed gear.

It does, however, often need a extra shove when going into third and fourth. I also park at home with the handbrake off and in first gear. I have noticed that even if I press the clutch down with engine off it can take some effort to pull it out of gear, which is what has made me suspect the clutch.

Will try some pumping of the pedal and see if it makes any difference.
 
It was possibly the clutch release bearing they recommended to be changed and that is a definite YES.

If pumping does make the clutch release better, try bleeding it and see if that sorts it, but the chances are that it will revert to the same as it is now in time.

Steve B
 
to answer the original question, there is no problem in replacing the lave cylinder with the gearbox in place, therefore no point in replacing the slave cylinder unless it is leaking, or will not bleed correctly. They are plastic and on some the bleed nut is also plastic, and they are known to snap off rather than undo when trying to bleed the clutch. This then means a replacement slave cylinder.

A VERY common issue is wear / scoring on the 'Top Hat' that the release bearing slides on, this causes the release bearing to stick. I don't think I have ever done clutch on a VW/Audi an found the top hat to be in serviceable condition (they are about £10)
I recently bought an LUK clutch kit complete with the top hat and a release bearing X arm, all be it for a 1.4 petrol, for £73 delivered from Germany
cheers,
 
Thanks again for the info. I shall investigate whether the bell housing bolts look like they've been out, I suspect it is the original clutch. As it has now done 171k it is probably ready for replacement. I also get occasional release bearing noise.
 
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