Clutch+flywheel job

[Inex]

I plan on swapping out the flywheel and clutch on my 2.0 TDI BKD. I don't want  to spend a fortune but I don't want a sloppy job either. So far I have researched alternatives to skoda workshops and I end up with 2 possibilities:

 

- 2 VW mechanics who claim they can do it all in 4 hours for a moderate price but at 200 km distance.

- a workshop who is not specialized but can do it for 2/3 of the price and I don't need to travel to.

 

It's all down to labor price as I am buying the parts myself. (thinking about a Sachs kit after all the research I've done)

 

Question is: How big of a job or how complex is it on a 2.0 TDI engine with a 6 speed gearbox? Does it require specialist tools or specialist knowledge or it is it the kind of job any workshop can do?

 

 

[Ju1ian1001]

1 hour ago, Inex said:

I plan on swapping out the flywheel and clutch on my 2.0 TDI BKD. I don't want  to spend a fortune but I don't want a sloppy job either. So far I have researched alternatives to skoda workshops and I end up with 2 possibilities:

 

- 2 VW mechanics who claim they can do it all in 4 hours for a moderate price but at 200 km distance.

- a workshop who is not specialized but can do it for 2/3 of the price and I don't need to travel to.

 

It's all down to labor price as I am buying the parts myself. (thinking about a Sachs kit after all the research I've done)

 

Question is: How big of a job or how complex is it on a 2.0 TDI engine with a 6 speed gearbox? Does it require specialist tools or specialist knowledge or it is it the kind of job any workshop can do?

 

 

It is a job a good workshop or a competent home mechanic can do, no special tools or knowledge required apart from certain tourqe wrench setting for the flywheel bolts and clutch bolts, 4 hours is a bit of short time to do it in, at work we do it in about 5-6 hours but charge book time which is i think 4 hours. lifting the gearbox in and out is a 3 man job with 6 speeders as they are very very heavy box.

[Inex]

Good to know that actually. In that case I might go with the cheaper workshop and keep an eye on them while they are on it.

 

Do you happen to know what is the correct torque on the flywheel and clutch bolts?

[planehazza]

Mine is going need doing soon too I think. Is it likely I can replace both and have them fitted for under £700?

 

2.0TSI 

[Tilt]

Although my local and trusted garage have fitted parts before that i have supplied myself, the last time i was there i noticed a new sign saying something like "you do not go to a restaurant and ask the chef to cook the food you take yourself, so please do not ask us if you can bring your own parts to be fitted".

 

Wether they have had issues with people taking incorrect parts, i have not asked yet.

I guess you have checked with the garages of your choice they will fit your own parts??? Make sure they use new bolts, too.

 

Very silly (imo) to travel a distance as if you have any issues with the work or parts, you are buggered. Also you could get there only to find the fitter off ill or something like.

 

[Inex]

Sachs kits come with bolts for both Flywheel and Clutch. 

I have already checked if they agree to use my parts and they do. The distance to those VW guys is what puts me off going with them - not the increased price.

 

While I somewhat agree with that - wrong parts can be ordered by workshops too - a few years back I had a oil + filter change job done by an authorized workshop and when I came back to pickup the car they said I should pay them another visit the day after because they got the wrong oil filter so they just changed the oil and kept the old filter in. Started the car and told me its fine to drive like that..  Usually the only reason they want to use their own parts is so they can charge extra for them... All because they order from their partners who in turn add their own margin to the price... At least that's what it looks like from outside. 

 

Don't want to get into numbers here because I live in Denmark and labor costs here are tremendous ...but just like a simple oil change can cost upwards of 500 pounds on a Skoda dealer, a clutch job would just dig a hole in your wallet.  So.... with a bit of research you can easily find ways to fix your car up for a hell of a lot less than they normally charge. After all - that's what those forums are for, right?

 

A few weeks back I got a quote for the job from an independent garage claiming they need the car for 2 days so they can spend 10 to 11 hours on it.... Paying for labor on 10 hours + an over inflated part price just doesn't make sense so here I am asking around...

 

[wiilydog]

I would go for the VW specialist for peace of mind as they know the cars inside out and less likely to have issues. 

 

Mine went in at 8am and finished at 12pm, so 4 hours is realistic and I don't mind paying the extra as I've experienced botched jobs from non vw specialist,

 

which end up being more expensive and wasted trips back and forth to sort out the issues.

[Ju1ian1001]

12 hours ago, Inex said:

Good to know that actually. In that case I might go with the cheaper workshop and keep an eye on them while they are on it.

 

Do you happen to know what is the correct torque on the flywheel and clutch bolts?

Don't know it as such, but we look it up on auto data or carweb, even the haynes manual will have the info.

[Tilt]

19 hours ago, wiilydog said:

I would go for the VW specialist for peace of mind as they know the cars inside out and less likely to have issues. 

 

Mine went in at 8am and finished at 12pm, so 4 hours is realistic and I don't mind paying the extra as I've experienced botched jobs from non vw specialist,

 

which end up being more expensive and wasted trips back and forth to sort out the issues.

 

Would you really travel 120 miles (assuming he meant round trip, otherwise 240 miles) to take your car to a particular garage???

Or did you miss that bit?

[wiilydog]

Yeah kinda agree 240 miles is quite far to travel for a garage.

[oilyscouse]

Make sure if its a self adjusting clutch being fitted that they use the correct tool to fit the clutch

[Guest]

On 26/07/2017 at 09:25, Tilt said:

 

Would you really travel 120 miles (assuming he meant round trip, otherwise 240 miles) to take your car to a particular garage???

It would depend on how much  you would be saving, and or the reputation of the garage/mechanic.

 

I made a round trip of 500 miles/800 km to purchase my car as the were £4500 cheaper than anyone else (all my local dealerships flatly refused any discount at all!) . We just turned it into a mini road trip. 

[bigjohn]

The 2.0 diesel 6 speed can be fitted with a concentric clutch slave cylinder (inside gerbox around input shaft) . If so change this at the same time whilst the gearbox is out as these can/do fail (especially when disturbed) and it's another gearbox out job to replace. If you are doing as part of a clutch replacement it won't cost much more ( I think it may come with some kits anyway)

 

Personally - I wouldn't use a Sachs clutch kit as in other cars (Superb II) there have been numerouse reports of the original Sachs pressure plate failing and machining through the gearbox casing

 

 

Edited 29 July, 2017 by bigjohn

[Inex]

Well, the kit includes a CSC. Is that a difficult swap? Any special tools needed?  How to tell if it's a self adjusting clutch? Will that increase the complexity?

 

This is what I plan on buying:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251060398497

Edited 29 July, 2017 by Inex

[bigjohn]

 

 

[bigjohn]

 

I never buy parts for a garage to fit as if you have a problem the garage will blame the parts and the parts provider will blame the garage

 

Special tools are required for the clutch /DMF fitment

[Guest DobriKnotzGutenMorgan]

For the OP support and understanding of his predicament, of course you would travel the xtra miles for the nearest specialist. As has been mentioned if your prepared to travle you will get better deals most of the time.But again the OP is in a predicament too.I always buy the parts for my garage. Strike up a gentlemans agreement to balance out the cash and any arising issues. Job Done. The OP has done the best he can under his circumstances and shold crack on with it. Otherwise he'll be left with the bitz and nowhere to go........lol

 

[Inex]

1 hour ago, bigjohn said:

 

I never buy parts for a garage to fit as if you have a problem the garage will blame the parts and the parts provider will blame the garage

 

Special tools are required for the clutch /DMF fitment

Well, are special tools required or not? Everyone else seems to tell me it's a straight job...

[Guest DobriKnotzGutenMorgan]

Can some one give the difinitive answer so he can get on with fixing his car please. Specialist Tools or not.

[oilyscouse]

Luk clutches have a red warning sticker on the box warning you that you need the sac tool,  Sachs dont. I always check the inside of the clutch cover and you will see a spring and a part of the mechanism. It may be worth asking the supplier if its self adjusting. There could be a good chance it isnt. Thats what the tool looks like to compress and line up the clutch while you tighten the bolts. 

[Tilt]

3 hours ago, Fin69 said:

It would depend on how much  you would be saving, and or the reputation of the garage/mechanic.

 

I made a round trip of 500 miles/800 km to purchase my car as the were £4500 cheaper than anyone else (all my local dealerships flatly refused any discount at all!) . We just turned it into a mini road trip. 

 

I traveled to Manchester to purchase my Transporter, but i would not travel back there to get it serviced or to have a clutch & flywheel fitted. 

Bit if a difference in purchasing a vehicle to having work done on a vehicle.

 

Not worth it imo as I mentioned earlier - any issues with the car afterwards (or during the work) and he is buggered, and being that far away, the garage are not going to be bothered either.

 

 

[Guest]

I was responding to 'would you really travel that distance to a particular garage'. 

 

And in the past I have travelled approx 80miles  for repairs  as my local dealer in Gibraltar was a multi franchise and it took weeks if not months for him to arrange for parts to be delivered.  I contacted the nearest dealership in Spain, drove through the border and had all work carried out there. Not only were they cheaper, but I was able to get the work carried out much quicker than the dealership less than 500 metres away from me. 

 

It all depends on the OP's circumstances. What is not convenient or suitable for one, may be the exact opposite for another.

 

After being charged nearly £50 for two burgers & chips and two cokes in a Copenhagen 'Irish' pub, I can imagine the savings on getting your vehicle serviced could be well  worth the long journey. 

[Tilt]

On 7/26/2017 at 09:25, Tilt said:

 

Would you really travel 120 miles (assuming he meant round trip, otherwise 240 miles) to take your car to a particular garage???

 

 

^^^ This is what i posted. Sorry, but nothing to do with traveling to purchase a car..............

 

And i did put (imo) and the reasons why, on both posts regarding my comments on distance traveling for work to be done on the car.

[wiilydog]

Also be careful with buying clutch / dmf on ebay as lots of fake stuff from China, check their feedback rating rating as any reliability issues will eat up any savings if the gearbox needs to come out again.

[Inex]

On 7/29/2017 at 13:54, oilyscouse said:

Luk clutches have a red warning sticker on the box warning you that you need the sac tool,  Sachs dont. I always check the inside of the clutch cover and you will see a spring and a part of the mechanism. It may be worth asking the supplier if its self adjusting. There could be a good chance it isnt. Thats what the tool looks like to compress and line up the clutch while you tighten the bolts. 

 

So the tool is necessary if the clutch is not self adjusting, correct?

What about the CSC - does that require any special tool to be replaced?