Ok, so my 99.5 2.8Q 5-spd has reached 187,850 miles. It has had 2 timing belt replacements. it is running almost everything original (clutch, tranny, most suspension). So to the questions

Clutch: My clutch grabs at only about the last 1/4 inch of the travel. My buddy has a B6 and his clutch feels nothing like mine. also the clutch is really heavy (my leg actually starts to strain after an hour in stop and go traffic). Is my clutch about to go, since it grabs so high?

Engine Noise: There is a pounding from my engine bay. I hear it only in 1st and a little bit in 2nd. The pounding goes up with the rpm, but at about 2.5k in 2nd, it goes away. What is this noise?

Oil Loss: I need to put oil in my car like every other time I fill up on gas. I don't notice too much oil stains on the ground (i currently don't have the belly pan on). When I start up, there is no blue puffs out of my exhaust. But, when i take of the plastic engine covers in the hood, there is a lot of dried oil residue there. Where is this leaking from and how to fix?

Hood: my hood is stuck. The release cable is still intact. It is the secondary latch that comes out of the grill which is seized up. I have a new hood latch, but how do i get this open? if i have to remove the grill, how do i do it without breaking it?

Thank you so much.

 

Yeah your clutch is on the way out most likely, but is it slipping? Don't compare a B6 clutch feel to yours, apples and oranges.

Most B5 clutches engage high on the pedal.

Anyones leg would cramp up after an hour of stop and go.

Elaborate on "pounding"

Loss of oil could be lots of things, including burning, cam/crank/valve cover/rear main/oil pan seals, etc.

Good luck not breaking the grille trying to get the latch out!

 

It is not slipping, no.


It is about equivalent to a dodge pickup in weight. My 01 jetta was prob half as hard to push in. not a problem, but just wondering if others are the same and if i can tune it to be lighter?

there is like a knocking in my engine. i am not sure where it is coming from, because i don't hear it when in idle.

 

Usually people complain about the stock clutch feeling too light.

Its really hard to think of what the knock/pounding could be. Does it do it bellow 2.5k in 3rd gear+? If it only does it in 1st and 2nd then it's gotta be something with the tranny. At that mileage, and if you are sure it's on the stock clutch, you might as well drop the tranny and replace the clutch and go from there. Do you feel the knocking in the shifter or anywhere, or do you just hear it?

 

the noise sounds like a rattling can. I notice this only when the engine is cool. When things start to heat up, the rattle goes away.

 

I heard a similar noise coming from my first car, (87 Olds), sounded like a quarter in a beer can, but it was a loose heat shield on one of the headers, sounds like yours is a tranny issue. You said the frequency of the knocking increases with rpm, but goes away after 2500, and that it doesn't make noise when idling, does it make noise when you rev the engine in nuetral?

 

No, i tried revving in neutral and with clutch pressed in, no clinking.

 

kind of sounds like rod knock, due to worn bearings. you can usually only hear it up till 30mph. and when your engine heats up, the oil starts flowing better, causing the noise to go away

 

what bearings are these, I think i am going to get my clutch redone, should get this done at the same time

 

Sell it and buy a 1.8T or 2.0T