DMF failure Symptoms?

[kprm77]

Further to This thread, would the following be typical of DMF problems?

In 4th and 5th gear at low revs (1700 revs approx), if I floor it, I feel a vibration that goes away as soon as the revs rise. If I do a standing start up to motorway speeds up the on-ramp it is fine. The vibration isn't really bad, though I notice it as I drive the car so much.

The VAG indie who looked at the car yesterday thinks it is the DMF though described the vibration as slight. He also said it vibrated at idle - it's always done that as far as I'm aware, I'm not sure if this is him finding something because he's looking for it, or me not noticing because it has crept up over a period of time...

On searching through the forums for DMF issues, I'm now not sure whether or not this is also related - When cruise is set (usually to 58 mph), I occasionally get a lurching where the car will suddenly pick up, then settle down to the cruise speed. I use cruise on every journey to work, though this only happens once every few weeks, if that.

Gear selection is sometimes a little sticky, though it's always been like this as far as I can remember (had the car since 7500 miles - now at 87000 miles).

No symptoms with the clutch as far as I'm aware. Car is still on the original clutch.

If it is the DMF, and I avoid accelerating from low revs in high gears, will I be able to extend the life of the DMF / clutch before it absolutely has to be replaced?

[kprm77]

Any second opinions on this? I have searched the forums and seen a lot of other posts on DMF issues, but I'd rather be annoying and ask another DMF question than spend £1000 unecessarily. :p

[kprm77]

My car has been into a garage today for tyres. They do servicing / clutches amongst other things. Mechanic I spoke to said that with a DMF problem you can hear it at idle, and he said he could not hear it on my car and does not think the DMF is the problem :wonder:

[matt_theforce]

Kevin,

I would think it could be the DMF/Clutch, unfortunately these parts don't last forever and seeing the milage it's around the same as my pd130 was when my clutch started to slip and the Superb is a bigger/heavier car than the octavia.

It's the flooring it from below 2,500rpm that causes these items to fail, life expectancy can be extended by steadier driving or using slightly higher revs although this may affect your mpg

Saw it outside work yesterday evening love that car.

Time togo home :zzz: :zzz: :zzz:

[kprm77]

To be honest, I do think it's the DMF too. I've noticed it since last summer, and it's been slowly getting very slightly worse. I knew it had been doing it for a while before going to P-Torque for a remap. I made a mental note that it was doing it before the remap so I knew the remap would have nothing to do with it.

I was thinking of selling the car, but as I'll have to spend around a grand to get this sorted, I don't think I will. I'm not going to get a car as good as this for the same money. Skoda dealer has quoted me £1150 for the DMF/Clutch, and an independent £850. If the dealer would come down a bit, I may well go there as I'm beginning to lose faith in my indie.

I may even go for a performance clutch so I can extract a few more BHP out of the car. And then when the turbo goes, I can get an uprated turbo with the performance clutch already in place No idea on cost though.....

Saw it outside work yesterday evening love that car.

Thanks

I think it looks sooo much better lowered. The Edition 100 suits it very well indeed.

[Otispunkmeyer]

im thinking that vibe u get in 4th n 5th from 1700 is just what any car would do..... the lower engine harmonics (that is engine vibration modes) are usually the most noticable at low engine speed, and so if your flooring it at low speed, its pumping in lots of fuel to give you the acceleration, but at the same time the bigger combustion bangs are exciting the engine harmonics even more and you see this as a quite noticable vibration. the DMF is a mechanical way to try subdue these vibrations, which can be quite harsh on diesels (because of their nature) but theres only so much you can do for a 4-pot engine (because its not a naturally balanced engine.... only rotoraries, 6's and 12's are, in terms of torque pulses) so some vibration is inevitable

i would say doing that regular will eventually wear the DMF out so just keep the revs a bit higher.

[kprm77]

im thinking that vibe u get in 4th n 5th from 1700 is just what any car would do..... the lower engine harmonics (that is engine vibration modes) are usually the most noticable at low engine speed, and so if your flooring it at low speed, its pumping in lots of fuel to give you the acceleration, but at the same time the bigger combustion bangs are exciting the engine harmonics even more and you see this as a quite noticable vibration. the DMF is a mechanical way to try subdue these vibrations, which can be quite harsh on diesels (because of their nature) but theres only so much you can do for a 4-pot engine (because its not a naturally balanced engine.... only rotoraries, 6's and 12's are, in terms of torque pulses) so some vibration is inevitable

i would say doing that regular will eventually wear the DMF out so just keep the revs a bit higher.

Thanks for the response. Hope you're right with that.

I've been searching on other forums for this problem and have found other possibilites for this problem on the VWAudi Forum. (Need to register to see the posts unfortunately).

Other suggestions for this problem are:

Inner CV Joint

Engine Mounts

Injector Loom

Apparently, if the starter motor is removed and this is covered in an oily mess, then that's a sign of DMF problems.

Anyone care to comment on these other possibilities? Also, I've no idea what this injector loom is :S

Edited 13 April, 2010 by kprm77

[Otispunkmeyer]

kprm

i see you have your PD 130 mapped..... can i ask what the performance is like? i guess it picks up and goes very well, but how about economy? im getting 45mpg average with my standard car with normal driving.... closer to 50 if i try go eco. also how did it cost you?

im just about to go in halfs on a civic with my gf so keeping the superb is on the books for at least the next year. in that case ill be planning some mods/repairs and mapping is one of them. (along with fixing body work issues, a decent but lowish level detail, double din HU providing i dont lose steering wheel controls, some way to clean the passenger headlight inside and also get HID'S)

[kprm77]

Performance is definately better, but if you use that performance then economy will definately be worse. I struggled to average 40mpg for the first 3000 miles whilst I was getting used to the remap. I'm now getting closer to 44mpg which is about where I was before.

[netgeni]

Seems I may have now been cursed by the DMF problem.

Question

How bad can it sound when it goes?

Can it be intermitant?

Can putting a new clutch in make a bad flywheel worse?

would it be ok to drive?

Is there any way to test it?

Had clutch changed on saturday and now it is intermitantly making a very bad noise and vibrating I thought they had not put the clutch in properly but it pulls well and is ok most of the time I am assuming it would have some bigger effect than an intermitant one.

It has happend from just starting it up, whilst driving, in traffic, with the clutch down out of gear in gear etc???

It seems to almost shake the whole car you can feel it through the clutch pedal, gearstick even the stering wheel and it is loud sound like some one is under the bonnet with a drill.

Does this sound like the DMF could be faulty. It has done 196,000 on origanal clutch, flywheel etc.......

Garage is going to have a look saturday the boss said maybe its somthing loose possibly plastics. I think he will change his mind when he actually sees it (hopefully it does it when he looks at it).

Any input would be helpfull.

[Fred Bloggs]

Sounds like the flywheel should have been changed along with the clutch to me. At ~200k miles it's probably well knackered.

[netgeni]

Sounds like the flywheel should have been changed along with the clutch to me. At ~200k miles it's probably well knackered.

Yes I know mate was thinking that my self before I got the clutch replaced.

TBH I thought they would have told me once it was all out if it looked bad.

I was planning to have a look myself but as i was at work I didnt get chance now iam regretting it and I should have told them to just replace it at the same time..

If that is where my fault is then its my own fault for beeing a tight ass lol

What do you think do the flywheels sound/feel that bad when they go ???

[Fred Bloggs]

I've just felt it snatching really badly as you engage the clutch, feels like the engine is jumping out of the car.

[netgeni]

I've just felt it snatching really badly as you engage the clutch, feels like the engine is jumping out of the car.

Dont remember mine feeling like that mine seemed to be ok to drive but just bad vibrations and noisy maybe its not the flywheel then what.?.?

it just seems funny that its not doing it all the time. I keep thinking maybe they messed something up when changing the clutch but hat would mean it would be doing it all the time.

but then i think the dmf is prob bad due to milage, putting a new clutch in wont help.

Maybe ill take it out tonight and see if it will play up and pay proper attention to what it does maybe take a video or something...

Thats what you get for saying "I have managed to get the car all sorted" somthing will always go wrong.