Following diagnoses from two independent garages, it appears the clutch on my 1.6tdi estate is up for replacement (101k miles). 

 

A quote from one garage suggests that they would only change the clutch as the car has a single mass flywheel, not a dual mass flywheel. They would not be looking to change both, unless they discovered anything unseen/undiagnosed when replacing the clutch. I am quite surprised by this as I assumed it would be a DMF. I have had the car since 32k miles and I cannot see the flywheel (or clutch) having been changed in the service history before then.

 

Scenario is that the car wont engage reverse or first when engine running, with the other forward gears being very stiff, but getting easier as you go up the box. When the engine is turned off, all gears slot perfectly. There are not unusual or unexpected noises when trying to select a gear, when engine running. 

 

I cannot find anything conclusive here on online in general, to say which flywheel this engine should take as standard. On some parts sites it just states the part as being "flywheel" as opposed to "dual-mass flywheel"  or "DMF", but I'm don;t think that is conclusive of anything. Can anyone please enlighten me?

 

Thanks

You have clutch drag which is more likely to be a hydraulic problem than the clutch being worn to the point of replacement.

 

Does the hydraulic fluid need topping up occasionally? If not it might simply be the system needing bleeding or the master cylinder.

I've never topped it up myself. The car has always been dealer serviced under my watch, but I have no recollection of them doing it (they haven't said so if they have). It hasn't needed any work outside of routine servicing.

Same question as the OP, which hasn't been answered. Has my 2013 Mk3 5E5 Estate 1.6 tdi 5-speed with stop-start got a single or dual mass flywheel as built? I've drawn a complete blank in this point online and am getting conflicting information from garages. 

 

FWIW my clutch, which has done 280,000 miles from new (taxi!) without needing to be changed (lots of gear-changing and low gear work in a hilly, speed-humpy, semi-urban environment! - I think this is phenomenal!!!) is apparently giving up - no friction/traction loss or slippage and no obvious hydraulic fluid loss in the reservoir, but it isn't disengaging properly so I presume a thrust-bearing/slave cylinder issue, and at that mileage any job done down there would presumably sensibly entail full clutch and (if DM) flywheel replacement.....

 

Thoughts/comments/info???

Edited 8 April, 20197 yr by jemtheflute

You’re obviously a good driver, but all clutches will eventually wear out. 

Its a dual mass flywheel, but I believe they can be converted to single piece ones.

Put your reg number into a parts website like gsf, and it should show you :

https://www.gsfcarparts.com/?auto_apply_coupon=GSF55&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIw6a95ODA4QIVmK3tCh08CAX5EAAYASAAEgKQR_D_BwE

I think at that mileage I’d be changing everything clutch wise.

Probably consider genuine parts if you want to do another 280k ?

 

Ooops, just realised I made a silly typo (missed a digit) in my first post in this thread above - can't edit it now, but it's 228,000 miles, not 280,000. Sorry. Still impressive life for a clutch!

 

Thanks for the compliment, classic. I've never ragged my clutches, but I've never before that I recall had one last even half of what this one has done, and I haven’t consciously driven it any differently. So yes, I'll certainly be having the matching OEM replacement parts installed, and the whole kit. My mechanic's parts supplier is stating very firmly that it has a single mass flywheel (in which case we'll leave it be unless damaged), and I have now found (elsewhere on this Forum and appended to this post) a link to a Skoda specs sheet for these cars which states that. Most online and phone parts searches/queries, including with the local Skoda dealer, seem to be saying dual mass. I guess we'll find out when the mechanic opens her up tomorrow. I'll update here in due course.

technical_data_new_octavia_diesel_en.pdf

Edited 8 April, 20197 yr by jemtheflute

Ok, so, job done. Here's the promised follow-up. I've attached photos of the removed parts. My car is the 5-speed manual estate 1.6 diesel 5E5 model, CLHA engine code, MWW gearbox code. The flywheel is indeed solid as per the specs document attached to my previous post. (Amusingly, my mechanic's parts supplier, having told him definitively the flywheel is solid, initially sent him a dual mass specification LUK clutch! They had to swap it for the correct Sachs solid flywheel one. See image 01 for part number.)

 

The photos show all the removed parts, from both sides in the case of the clutch plates. I had the slave cylinder replaced while the job was being done, although the original had not failed. Seemed wise for minor extra expense.

 

You'll see from the detail of the friction plate that it was not quite totally worn out despite having done 228,000 miles, 5 years working as a taxi in a semi-urban environment with steep hills, loads of speed humps, narrow streets, sharp turns, etc. etc. - so you can take it my clutch works hard! Although I've never been a clutch-rider or otherwise treated clutches roughly, I've never previously had one last half this long! I haven’t driven this car differently from previous vehicles.

 

I think it's interesting/notable that the failure, when it came, wasn't classic clutch burn-out with no friction/traction, but a loss of adequate plate separation when de-clutching causing difficulty changing gear.

 

The worn-out fork release ball pin (see images, including of a new one) seems to be the most significant part failure, but was presumably the result of how thin the friction plate had become. Better, I suppose, not to lose traction completely and to be able to get home/to a garage driving clutchless than to be stranded immobile!

 

The good news - total cost via a friendly local small garage £520. Gear changes now deliciously light and smooth. :-) 

 Great to have pictures that tell a story. Thx

 

Thanks for the photos and info