Ok so here is my story (I did try searching but fail at it so here)...Im driving one day and everything is fine until I go into 5th gear I hear the turbo start spool up and when I get to about 2500 RPMS my rpms shoot up to 5000 but there is no giddy-up just engine sound. So I figure "Ok the clutch is original I have done some small power mods it probably slipped a little no biggie" Well it started doing it more and more and then start doing it in 4th then 3rd, 2nd, and finally did it in 1st once or twice. The thing about it is that some days it would slip and some days it wouldn't. I knew that the clutch was going to need to be replaced. It IS the original stock clutch from 2001 and has 160,xxx on it. Well I was driving this last Sunday (of course I decided to take my 2 year old daughter with me when this happens) and I pull out of the neighbor hood no problems. Well then I went to shift into 2nd gear I pushed the clutch pedal in and tried getting it into gear but it wouldn't go so I slammed it in and it finally engaged. Well once I got it into gear I pressed on the gas and it started to move until it got to 1500 RPMS I lost all pressure in the clutch pedal and pushing the gas just caused the RPMS to shoot up. Now its doing this while still in gear. Finally I back off the pedal and shift into 1st which I had to slam it into gear again and it starts to move if I just tap the gas anything more and it just sits there revving. Let me back up one day before this...I was pulling into the drive way and shifted into first and when I did I heard what sounded like a spring or piece of metal snapping, but no problems even drove it later that night and the next day. I went to check the clutch fluid reservoir only to find out....there wasn't one and remembered that this isn't my ford probe I used to drive. My question is what part in particular or parts would this be (so I know what I need to replace immediately) and I have experience working on cars but have never replaced a clutch. I am going to do it myself as that I don't have a spare $2000 for someone to do it for me like AUDI dealership. How hard will this be and the other question is that I am not looking to pump this car up to anything more than 300hp MAX but unlikely what stage clutch should I get 1 or 2? Any help?

 

Time for a new clutch and maybe even a new slave cylinder because it might have poppled by over extending which caused the pedal to drop to the floor.

What most likely happen is the clutch slipped so much causing the PP to over heat and crack. When this happens the slave cylinder will over extend causing it to pop. Both will make the clutch feel like it wont disengage making you force it into gear and letting the car creep forward when you try to start it while in gear. Seen this happen many times on the 228mm clutch kits.

To make 300hp(at the crank) at least a GT28r, if its 300whp you will need to be looking at a GT28rs or GT2871r size turbo.

For that power I would suggest a CM 228mm FX300 for your stock flywheel or stock size single mass flywheel or you can go CM 240mm FX300 which comes with a single mass flywheel. You can also go SB Stage 2 HD-TZ or HD-OFE, they will work on the stock flywheel.

But if your changing clutch kits this would be a good time to upgrade to a single mass flywheel. If you do you could go with the CM 240mm FX100(organic disk) with 19 lbs steel flywheel which is rated for 425 ft lbs of tq. Thats more then the CM 228mm FX300(360 ft lbs) and a little less then the CM 228mm FX400(460 ft lbs).


As for the fluid resevior. The clutch system uses the same one for the brake system. It is the one that sits next to the battery.

 

Thanks for the info. I doubt I will have the money for a big turbo anytime soon...kinda limping along with all the financial BS I am dealing with right now. This couldn't have happened at a worse time, but at least I wasn't on the highway. PS I love your car (saw the vids at the track) wanna trade? HAHAHA

 

Well the good thing is if you upgrade the clutch this time you wont have to when/if you go with a larger turbo. I have people running the CM 240mm FX300 setup on their A4's that are just chipped K03. But even the 240mm FX100 would be plenty for you at this point or up to a GT28r.

 

Hey Mike, I've heard a lot of negativity for daily driving a single mass flywheel. I've heard its rougher, nosier and not as elegant as the dual mass unit. What would you say to that? I know the performance is in favor of single mass, but not all of us drive 2 liter monsters, and I dont wanna regret converting to a single mass!

 

If you go too light they can make pulling from a stop much harder, not an issue with the heavier steel flywheels. For a daily driver the 15-20 lbs steel flywheels are not an issue.

The lighter the flywheel the more "gear rattle" you will hear. That sound is always there but the lighter flywheels allow more of that noise out. With the 18-20 lbs steel flywheels there should be no gear rattle.

Even switching to a single mass flywheel at the same weight as the stock flywheel has a nice change, it gets rid of that annoying rpm hang that the dual mass flywheel has. That rpm hang is caused when 1 part of the flywheel has to speed up to catch up with the rest of the flywheel once you release the pressure of the disk off that part of the flywheel. So the single mass will allow a bit more throttle response.


If you dont want to regret going to a single mass flywheel, go for the CM 240mm setup. I have even seen people post vids of the car sitting at idle with the AC on full blast and zero gear rattle with the camera under the car. lol.

I actually have plenty of chipped K03 owners running the 240mm FX300 with steel flywheel and they love it.


BTW Go Ducks(girls volleyball). lol

 

On my B5 the clutch pedal goes all the way to the floor to start the engine. However it shifts easily without a problem. Do I need a clutch or a new slave cylinder?

rob

 

Are you saying you can push the pedal to the floor when you start it? Because if you are then your clutch is acting normal. The normal pedal travel is to the floor and back up. The normal engagement/disengagement point on a stock clutch is right at the top.

So if the pedal resistance is normal when you push the pedal down and it returns to the top, clutch is not slipping and you can change gears without any problems then everything sounds fine.


The OP lost all pressure in the pedal when he went to push on it.

 

The funny thing is that when I pressed it in and lost all pressure...it wasn't but a min or two later that it came back but if I did anything more than feather the gas I would loose it again and I was still able to get it to move in gear. I stopped running it in gear though didnt want to risk messing up the flywheel. I am towing it back from Gwinnett tonight...going to start tearing it down this weekend. I need your trailer...UHAUL is charging me like $70 with insurance.

 

to kayakman: I have the CM 240mm FX300 setup with to 20lbs steel flywheel and I enjoy it very much. it is slightly, and when I say slightly I mean just barely, rougher than the stock clutch. it is perfect as a DD.