My Octavia 2.0 (2006, 90k miles done, BKD engine) appears to have a failed DMF. I have read much conflicting debate about DMF vrs SMF for 1.9 engines but not so much for 2.0 engines. I want to get a Sach or Lux DMF/SMF & clutch kit, but which should I go for. My mechanic says go for DMF as its softer on the gearbox than a SMF. Brisskoda members seem to disagree.

As far as I can see a SMF is half the price of a DMF. Is this penny pinching?

I AM TOTALLY CONFUSED. DMF vrs SMF???

Edited 14 September, 201213 yr by familyguy

I know Valeo started producing an SMF kit for the 2.0 PD140 and PD170 about a year ago, but as yet I don't know anyone who has tried it. I'd certainly consider an SMF conversion when my DMF eventually fails.

IMHO stick with DMF, it uses the 2 masses inside to reduce the vibration and harshness passed through to the transmission / driveline, if it was designed around it (or added in later at design stage) stick with it!

Not saying it will happen but the last thing you want is to save on the DMF cost and then have to pay out on gearbox bearings / driveshafts etc.

Your choice though, I'm sure many people have SMF fitted and are happy.

You need to go a lot heavier with a SMF to get the same vibration damping as a DMF.

There appears to be a lot of horror stories about SMF, but having said that there also appears to be alot of happ conversion done also.

How best can I get impartial advice whether to go SMF or DMF?

It's a tricky one. As far as I can tell there are not many SMF conversions on the 2.0TDI PD140. There are alot of SMF conversions on the 1.9TDI, and people seem happy with them.

But the 2.0TDI produces considerably more power and torque than the 1.9TDI......so I'd be less inclined to mess with the flywheel setup on a 2.0TDI. AFAIK the current DMF part is an updated component compared with the 2006 flywheel in your car, so should be more durable than the DMF in your car.

I'd stick with DMF on a 2.0TDI.

Speak to a VAG diesel tuning specialist such as Darkside - they sell all kind of clutch kits up to race spec so should be able to give you some advice on what to go for.

http://www.darksidedevelopments.co.uk/new-category-3/

Speak to a VAG diesel tuning specialist such as Darkside - they sell all kind of clutch kits up to race spec so should be able to give you some advice on what to go for.

http://www.darksided...new-category-3/

Thanks for that Andyvee. I will contact Darkside and report back. Iam finding this forum fantastic for high quality info. :sun:

Where is a good place to buy DMFs on line?

At least with the 1.9, Skoda main agents are now replacing failed DMFs with solid conversions. If there was any possiblity of future problems caused by this, resulting in potential future costly warranty claims, there is no way on this earth that Skoda would entertain the idea.

If it's good enough for Skoda to recommend, then it's good enough for me.

Mike

I would have no hesitation fitting a SMF to a 1.9 as it does appear to be a tried and tested conversion and, as you say, Skoda themselves do it. I'm a little more cautious on converting a 2.0 as there aren't that many around with SMFs yet.

I had thought for a while that my DMF was on the way out, but having driven an almost brand new 1.6CR Roomster recently, less than 2k on the clock, but with a vague clutch biting point and judder/vibration through the pedal, I realised the clutch on my 5 year old 60k 2.0PD actually isn't that bad in comparison! DMFs are just a crappy idea.

My SMF was fitted under warranty by my Skoda dealer. It's what SUK told them to do. I've now done 21K and all is great. So quiet and smooth and precise. As Mike said Skoda wouldn't do it if there were problems.

My SMF was fitted under warranty by my Skoda dealer. It's what SUK told them to do. I've now done 21K and all is great. So quiet and smooth and precise. As Mike said Skoda wouldn't do it if there were problems.

I'm sure they wouldn't........There are plenty of SMF conversions fitted to 1.9's and they are by all accounts great. But the OP has a 2.0 TDI........big difference in terms of power and torque. Whats good for the 1.9 isn't necessarily good for the 2.0.

Yes I know that thanks. I was merely stating what a difference it makes to the car as have others regardless of how much more "power" a 2.0 has (extra 35bhp)

Hopefully a conversion for this will do the same.

Yes I know that thanks.

Nice attitude.

The 2.0 Flywheel conversion was developed specifically for the engine.

The flywheel will have the correct mass and the clutch will have suitable damping. I'd have no worries going for a valeo SMF over a DMF. Think of the vibrations your gearbox is getting when the DMF isn't working perfectly.

At the end of the day people have run the 2.0 TDI with lightened SMF and they've not exploded, so I can't see an SMF of the correct mass being a problem. IMHO the DMF was designed to solve an issue for clutch manufacturers. That issue was that they were not selling enough and this allowed them to sell a flywheel and clutch rather than just a clutch once in a blue moon.

II had thought for a while that my DMF was on the way out, but having driven an almost brand new 1.6CR Roomster recently, less than 2k on the clock, but with a vague clutch biting point and judder/vibration through the pedal, I realised the clutch on my 5 year old 60k 2.0PD actually isn't that bad in comparison! DMFs are just a crappy idea.

I have yet again had my 6 month old 1.6TDi it back to the dealers with this judder/vibration through the clutch pedal. As usual, blank refusal to do anything, and 'it feels perfect to me' statement for the service manager. It is driving me up the wall and I just dont think is acceptable on a new car. I also get a metal on metal clink thorugh the pedal sometimes when starting the car.

I am that mad that I am going to trade it in, but the depreciation is shocking. Best deal I can get is on a Citroen C4 (not my ideal choice but financially much better), with 0% over 3 years, but they depreciate even faster, but I would still save around 4K by not going down the PCP route again.

I like the Skoda, but this issue has clouded my view.

I found with a DMF there was no real feel of a biting point with the clutch then an uneven vibration would follow and then a clunk. On idling the engine was shaking back and forth like an uneven load in a washing machine. The 2.0 would seriously benefit from a SMF conversion giving it a more responsive drive.

A SMF with enough inertia to keep vibration down to DMF levels is significantly heavier and less responsive. This is why they developed DMF's.

A SMF with enough inertia to keep vibration down to DMF levels is significantly heavier and less responsive. This is why they developed DMF's.

But it doesn't have a pair of springs that compress as you take up drive.

There are debates on both sides, but you can do things to an SMF/Clutch system to reduce vibrations.

Yes there might be more mass on the flywheel, but like I said, the flywheel won't be compressing as you start to bite.

Some kits also have dampers in the clutch plate.

The springs that takeup as you apply drive move a fraction of a revolution. The difference in spin up and spin-down time is many revolutions.

I'm not talking about the clutch spring plate.

Some kits have a replaceable damper that sits between the kit. Replacing that with the clutch is still a lot cheaper than a new dmf and clutch every time it goes.

Fwiw the montego di diesel did just fine with a solid flywheel and it was pretty rough for nth in terms of the engine itself.

We have had lots of comments from 1.9 TDI owners recommending the SMF conversion.

Are there Any 2.0 TDI owners with a SMF conversion who could share their experiences?

There are a few 2.0 tdi with lightened smf, so more vibration, running big power and torque and I don't recall any of them having gearbox issues.

Devonmikeyboy has a heavily tuned 2.0 pd Audi a3, not sure if he is around here still mind.

A bit of info here:

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/archive/index.php/t-109588.html

If we're on what if, the people who make the box say oil change every 50k miles, vag say sealed for life. Hands up who changes and who goes for life, even though that life might be cheaper and shorter.

If you're worried don't ask about the rivet in the gearbox and issue regardless of flywheel. Why not save 300 on the dmf and get them to check/fix/replace the rivet and change the gearbox oil while the box is off for the flywheel change? Surely that's likely to get you longer life than 300 on a what if dmf.

Edited 19 September, 201213 yr by cheezemonkhai

I was pricing DMFs and came across Techniclutch who claim to sell new DMF Sach kits but they are in fact remanufacturered clutch discs and pressure plates.

Simple factor with single mass flywheels. As you increase the torque, you need to increase the inertia in the same proportion to keep vibration in the same proportion.

The diesels of even the mid 90's are not comparable torque wise to what we have now. This is why they had to develop DMF's. At 400Nm and beyond SMF's have to be ludicrously heavy to do their job on 4 cyl engines. A 400Nm 4 cyl engine designed around a SMF runs a flywheel of around 400mm diameter and 25kg.

The flywheel that works well on a 105hp 1.9tdi will not be as smooth on a 170hp 2.0tdi.