Need to change my clutch as its slipped once or twice now and I have a few questions.

Do I do the flywheel at the same time?

If so do I go for SMF or DMF?

What is the main difference between SMF and DMF?

Can anyone recommend a place to get a uprated clutch?

The Helix clutch fits the standard DMF so just get the Helix organic clutch and see if it does the job. The only problem is, if the DMF 'goes' it means gearbox out again which isn't cheap at £200 a pop.

If you go for the SMF you know it's gunna take a lot. It's piece of mind but the chatter is quite annoying for most people (I don't mind it though).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z8Vmo-s1TY

Where am I best getting a Helix from? Can you link me

TBH I was thinking of leaving the DMF as it seems to be pretty good and no point wasting money on it.

My mate is fitting the clutch for £100 in his down time with my help

You can also get the uprated Sachs clutch. You can get a good price through ED@APS on the VAGOC forum.

I've recently changed my clutch due to slippage since fitting my hybrid turbo.

I didn't have a million pounds to slurge on a helix kit, and don't intend to go wild with power. This considered I decided to gamble and try one of the ceramic clutch plates from CG motorsport. They are an engineering company in Leeds (google them) and seem to have good reviews on ukmkIV's forum. I went for an OEM Sachs pressure plate; the people at CG reckon you can probably get ~20-30% higher torque capacity with this set-up over an OEM organic spinner plate; which is fine for my set-up.

The plate itself was about £140 delivered next day, and all other parts (including new release bearing) and labour cost me £260 including a gearbox oil change through a friend. I didn't change the flyweel as the guy doing the work said it looked in good condition; if it does fail I'll just get it swapped when I can afford it.

All the horror stories about ceramic clutches beeing too grabby to live with can be ignored I reckon. I did ask the guy at CG as I remember friends with 4 paddle ceramics in fiesta RS turbos that you had to set off at a million miles an hour and always stalled on a hill start, but the guy said technology has moved on a lot since then and they were a lot more drivable now; I took his word and paid my money.

So far so good. No slippage where there used to be slippage and the setting off thing is fine; the car will judder slightly in 1st when setting off but if you balance the revs at ~1200 before engaging its hardly noticeable and hill starts are no problem (visited my mum in Sheffield sortly after fitting - if anyone knows Sheffield there are hill-starts-a-plenty). It does grab quickly compared to the organic plate, but not so much its undrivable on a daily basis; this car is my daily driver.

The other concern with ceramics is longevity; but at £100 labour for all of the above mentioned work, I'll get over it if it goes tits-up, plus I still have the OEM Sachs organic plate in my boot. If your on a budget and not bothered about having the fastest fabia on Briskoda I'd say you can't go wrong for now; I'm happy to be a long-tem guinea pig for anyone wondering what the reliability of this thing is. CG also do up-rated pressure plate kits for £300 I think if you wanted a higher clamp load over OE too.

Sorry for the long post, hope this was helpful...

Edited 4 September, 201114 yr by Medium

Very helpful mate, sounds like just what I need tbh! If I get that plate for £140 what other parts do I need?

I changed out the pressure plate and release bearing. The Sachs OEM clutch kit comes as pressure plate and organic spinner, which you swap out for the ceramic one. You don't need to change the release bearing, but its about 40 quid including VAT, so you might as well.

Also, if your flywheel is worn, it'd be worth changing that too, but as the Sach's DMF's are pretty much the same cost again as you'll pay for the clutch, I didn't bother as mine looked ok and is still quiet in the cabin and produces no vibration or feedback. Its up to you really; most people say definately do the DMF, but as I can get cheap labour from a trustworthy source I was fine with sticking with the old one.

So I need get myself a Sachs clutch kit, ceramic plate from CG and a release bearing?

Well just on CG's website now.

2 Piece fast road clutch kit £200

http://www.clutch-specialists.co.uk/auto/SKODA-Fabia-1-9-TDi-130-05-03-07-05-fast-road-clutch-kits

Release bearing £45

http://www.clutch-specialists.co.uk/auto/SKODA-Fabia-1-9-TDi-130-ASZ-05-03-07-05

Is this all I would need?

Obviously check DMF when clutch is off etc but tbh there is no movement inside the car and it seems very smooth still and I do about 3k miles a year... hardly worth changing.

No, not the 'Fast Road', you want the 'Competition' if yours is re-mapped, ~£300 for the kit (drive plate and pressure plate) i think. If you get CG's clutch kit you won't need a Sachs clutch kit like I got no, but release bearing is advisable.

Edited 5 September, 201114 yr by Medium