Hey guys, my Vrs got a new flywheel under warranty not so long ago, but since that I have noticed a whining sound every time I depress the clutch pedal and unless I wait 5 seconds before selecting a gear from stationary the car will lurch slightly as if the clutch isnt fully disengaging.

I am pretty sure its the release bearing (from previous experience) but the dealer who fitted the flywheel isnt keen to pull it apart again, let alone admit there is a problem, and told me that all PD130 gearboxes whine and chatter and not to worry.

What would you recommend doing? The warranty runs out in a month or so and im starting to get a bit flustered....

Cheers for any advice guys

If at all practical, Take it to another dealer for a second opinion.

Might just need the clutch bleeding, 10 minute job and worth doing first.

Hello tdni,

Got to ask, why did the dealer want to change the flywheel in the first place.??

What mileage has the vehicle covered, flywheel changes are not common place, but clutch operation parts do wear.

Any mechanic worth his salt would have inspected all the clutch components on dis-assembly of replacing flywheel.??

Gear-box whine, similar to the old front-wheel drive mini's can be heard at certain times from my 2005 Fabia VRS, but does NOT chatter.

Gear changes should be smooth without having to make alterations in your driving style to accomodate.

As said, take vehicle to another garage for second opinion is a good idea.!!

Ian. 25/09/2009.

Not keen to take it apart again.Thats terrible especially from a dealer.I would go somewhere else and have it done proper.

What mileage has the vehicle covered, flywheel changes are not common place, but clutch operation parts do wear.

Sadly, DMF changes are fairly commonplace depending on the driving style. Mine got changed at 25,000 as the previous owner seemed to have a habit of flooring it in a high gear...

Thanks for responses guys!

The car has 30000 miles and it had started to suffer from the juddery take up on the clutch so taken to the dealer where they fitted the flywheel.

They said they had checked the clutch and clutch mechanism when they were in there and they found everything to be OK so rebuilt it with just the new flywheel.

About 150 miles later I started to notice the whine which is noticable at idle and when changing gears (up or down the box). It takes only the slightest touch of the clutch pedal to experience the whine.

Naturally the dealer says that it is not his fault and it is just a coincidence that the bearing decided to let go after 150 miles of driving since they worked on it. He says the options are to have a new bearing fitted at around £220 or the whole clutch plus bearing at £515 or I can open an official complaint with Skoda UK, but he refuses to split the box again and open another warranty claim for it.

Its really annoyed me and is turning me off what is otherwise a perfect car...

God thats madness.Just fit a flywheel and use old clutch unit.....crazy.It should all be replaced at the same time.

I had all mine replaced together on the Octy and it was converted to Single Mass Flywheel and a complete new clutch kit and bearing.

Use another dealer mate as they seem useless.

God thats madness.Just fit a flywheel and use old clutch unit.....crazy.It should all be replaced at the same time.

I had all mine replaced together on the Octy and it was converted to Single Mass Flywheel and a complete new clutch kit and bearing.

Use another dealer mate as they seem useless.

I agree totally, while you're in that far the job may as well have been done right.

However, the next closest dealer (40 miles away) is also reluctant to help out because they didn't install the flywheel and apparantly if any complaint is made to Skoda UK head office, having two dealers with conflicting accounts will only prolong the investigation process.

I have got the car booked in to two local VAG specialists next week who will both write full engineers reports about the problem. This may help to force the dealer into a corner as both of the specialists used to work for him in the past!

Just wait and see what happens with this before any more action is taken.

Hello tdni,

So the clutch judder has gone YES! and no problems selecting gears NO !

But got a whine when clutch pedal is operated YES !

Dealer quotes clutch components examined when flywheel changed YES !

I don't think it is the input/first motion shaft bearing in the gearbox, as this is working all the time when engine has started.

However, when clutch release bearing is being operated and pressed against clutch pressure plate, it starts to spin. This would appear/sounds to fit the description you have highlighted.

In my experience a faulty release bearing does not sound like a whine, but descriptions of sound can be misleading.

A clutch release bearing usually (now-a-days) have ball-bearings in an enclosed casing and cannot be repaired, and can only be replaced completely.

My suggestion would be to approach the dealer and offer either go halves on entire cost, OR ask him to submit a request on your behalf, to Skoda.

It is not clear to me whether the car was second-hand/used and so would be under the dealers insurance warranty and not Skoda dealership warranty !

A clutch bearing can collapse, but this process can take donkeys years to come about, but avoiding holding clutch pedal down for long periods of time must be avoided, to prolong it's life. (Not a bad practise in general)

Good luck .

Ian. 28/09/2009

Edited 30 September, 200916 yr by DGW
No need to quote tdni's post.

Thanks for reply!

Got a call from the service manager this morning and they have agreed to take the car in to look at it and repair as necessary. Im a bit confused why they have changed their tune so quickly but I didnt ask and im not complaining guess it just takes persistance at the "stealers" to get results.

In response to the above post by giandougl, when the car is idling and I press the clutch in, there is a rattly grumbling sound and if I rev the engine it changes to a high pitched whining, clutch out it is completely silent.

As I mentioned, the only clutch bearing I have heard before was on an old Astra diesel and it would whine like a straight cut gearbox every time the pedal was pressed, be it at idle or revs.

Thanks for all responses guys

Nice result tdni i hope it all goes well

Hello tdni,

Restores my faith in dealers, and a welcomed break-through to eliminate your problem.

Please keep us posted for final result, when job carried out.

Ian. 30/09/2009. :thumbup:

Edited 30 September, 200916 yr by DGW
Again, no need to quote tdni.

Well guys, had the car in the garage on Friday there for about an hour there which consisted of a 30minute drive with the senior technician and about 30 minutes in the workshop. Their conclusion: theres nothing to worry about.

I was told that all pd130s have a rattle with the clutch depressed and they took me out to a superb 130 to let me listen to it, and admittedly it did have a rattle but not on the scale of mine. One of the mechanics at the garage is ex-seat and he said the Ibiza Fr TDis all rattled away and apparantly it was even worse on the PD160 cupra engines.

Im still not happy, but in their eyes its case closed for any warranty work.

I may as well drive her as she is for the time being as I am considering going down the big power route soon so the clutch will be pulled apart then...

Well guys, had the car in the garage on Friday there for about an hour there which consisted of a 30minute drive with the senior technician and about 30 minutes in the workshop. Their conclusion: theres nothing to worry about.

I was told that all pd130s have a rattle with the clutch depressed and they took me out to a superb 130 to let me listen to it, and admittedly it did have a rattle but not on the scale of mine. One of the mechanics at the garage is ex-seat and he said the Ibiza Fr TDis all rattled away and apparantly it was even worse on the PD160 cupra engines.

Im still not happy, but in their eyes its case closed for any warranty work.

I may as well drive her as she is for the time being as I am considering going down the big power route soon so the clutch will be pulled apart then...

Hello tdni,

Thanks for the update, and keeping us in the loop.

Do you feel that having the mechanic with you, and saying what he did, make you feel easier in your mind?? he had nothing to gain pulling the wool over your eyes.

As you say, if power upgrade is in the wind, a clutch change sounds a good idea to me.

Good luck. Ian. 06/10/2009.

Ive a bit of a rattle in the clutch, having said that its on its way out.

Edited 6 October, 200916 yr by furbymike

Ive a bit of a rattle in the clutch, having said that its on its way out.

Hello furbymike,

What mileage have you covered in your 2005 Fabia VRS, mines just turned 42,300 miles.?? Is it the rattle of release bearing, with a slipping clutch??

Thanks Ian. 07/10/2009