If I push the car hard, 1st, 2nd gears are fine but 3rd at 3000 revs it seems to stop accelerating then picks up again and the same again in 4th at 3000 revs.

Clutch slip or reached max boost?

Remapped to 165 ish.

Put it in 5th at like 1k RPM and just floor it... See if it pulls through or the revs go round without the car really pulling like it should... Feel free to use the hand brake to give it a tougher time to make sure!

Ok I will. But another strange thing I noticed that the revs don't shoot up, just the power dies a little.

I thought clutch slip makes your revs shoot up and no power at the wheels.

Yes - clutch slip is increasing revs disproportionate to the cars acceleration. I have had PROPER clutch slip and it literally revved to the redline in gear without the car accelerating even a little bit.... Not good!

Sounds like you might be having some other issue/s which is causing the car to drop power.

Xaosx's method will tell you if it's the clutch for sure, just don't do it for hours!! But if the car is maintaing revs but the power just drops without change of throttle ye got another problem!

Thought so.

Although the power doesn't actually drop (this is getting hard to explain), it just pauses slightly then keeps pulling.

I can push it really hard up a very steep hill and it pulls and pulls.

It seems to happen when I want to push it but change gear a little early.

Since the map the torque is not as low down, seems more spread out which I thought was a good thing.

When you say change gear early do you mean your going for it, change gear early then go for it straight away? If that's the case then you'll be down in lower revs (early gear change) then going for it when revs are low then it slips, this is early clutch slipping, if it happens further up the rev range it's getting worse.

For example: open road so I go for it. 1st, let it go up to 4,500revs, change gear into 2nd let it go up to 4,500 revs, change to 3rd but as soon as I hit 3000 revs it stays at 3000 revs for a moment then climbs again up to 4,500 revs, change into fourth and as soon as I hit 3000 revs again it pauses again slightly then keeps climbing.

(Sorry about confusing things, but it's hard to explain)

I can push it as hard as I like in 1st and 2nd and it's fine.

So the revs aren't shooting up but pausing?

Yep.

could be early signs of air flow meter becoming faulty. scan it if there is no codes present just let the fault develop more

Just been out and plugged the OBD reader in and no codes are present.

Think I need to have the map checked.

Could it be boost leak???

As said put in a high gear 5th or 6th and loquat rpm and just move the clutch in and out of the bite point with a bit of power and see if it catches quickly and the revs stay up for a while

Done all of above and clutch seems good.

Still flat spots 3000rpm.

if you have got a code reader so you can erase codes unplug air flow meter and go for a drive see if it makes any difference to the flat spot.

Will do.

Sounds like what I get, though mines a rare occurrence and seems to sort itself out. I'm pretty sure it is the clutch slipping slightly. Mine tended to happen at around 3000RPM in third too from what I remember - hasn't happened for months now.

I think my release bearing is on it's way out - I get whirring noise at half way clutch pedal travel but only when the car's cold - so it could possibly something to do with that I guess. Or maybe just both

Had the vag com put on it today and went for a little drive and guess what? Nothing!!

Car is running mint.

My techie friend thinks it could be/could have been heat soak??

Off down Skoda garage now anyway to get new boost pipe clips and new air filter.

I have clutch slip atm and it's not really the same as youre explaining. The car feels pretty normal, in fact if youre not looking at the rev counter its not really noticeable. The car will accelerate then suddenly the revs rise sharply then drop again as the clutch engages. It's only a split second thing.

Heatsoak sounds reasonable, as does early signs of MAF failure, or ECU detecting close to boost max and limiting fuel. I would also check the VNT actuator rod moves freely and doesn't have a sticky spot (VNT sooting)

Heatsoak sounds reasonable, as does early signs of MAF failure, or ECU detecting close to boost max and limiting fuel. I would also check the VNT actuator rod moves freely and doesn't have a sticky spot (VNT sooting)

Now this feels like it "ECU detecting close to boost max and limiting fuel".

As it only happens when I push it at it's most. (like today, because a type r was up my a r s e)

Also, how do I check the VNT actuator rod? (where is it?)

I know nothing about all this modern car business but could it just be an immense torque spike before 3k then much lesser torque from there onwards. The cheapo mapper kinda way?

Now this feels like it "ECU detecting close to boost max and limiting fuel".

As it only happens when I push it at it's most. (like today, because a type r was up my a r s e)

Also, how do I check the VNT actuator rod? (where is it?)

VNT rod mounted on turbo. Undertray off, locate turbo, find rod and push pull. Best way is with a vacuum pump, connected to the VNT actuator.

Ok, got access to a ramp tomorrow. Does the little black box on drivers side have anything to do with this?

I'm asking, because I had to change my egr recently because it was leaking badly and is also connected to that little black box. Could all this be related?