I am usually pretty good at researching anything I need but I require help here.

 

My 06 1.9PD 5 Speed Manual FWD needs a clutch badly.

 

It has had a 105->135bhp remap and although a new clutch was fitted at the time because the remap caused the original clutch to slip, it has only lasted 4 years/30K miles.

 

I realise the old girl doesn't have much life left but a good clutch is essential.

 

Can anyone recommend a good replacement clutch?  I won't know for sure until I take things apart but I believe the garage previously fitted a Lucas item and although it did the job, obviously it isn't up to the task longer term... yeah I know, the rest of the car probably won't last another 4 years/30K miles.

 

Any real life experiences and advice welcome.

 

I'm hoping (but not wanting) to get the spanners out soon.

 

Until I strip things I'm not buying parts, I am intrigued to see the actual wear as I saw a video where a guy doubled up the pressure plate by fabricobbling two together to increase the grip.

Edited 10 June, 20233 yr by MicMac

My remap caused no problems at all with the standard original clutch which had done over 125k miles IIRC and I'm sure I put at least 30k on it over a couple of years.

 

I replaced the clutch on the Yeti as a precaution when doing the DMF, I used a LUK kit which seemed good quality and has been fine and it takes a lot of abuse towing well beyond the vehicles limits.

 

Do you get slippage when changing up from 4th to 5th or from 5th to 6th when using full acceleration, making a quick change and quickly flooring the throttle?

 

If so that is a "characteristic" of the clutch peak torque limiter AKA bleed block, they would rather the clutch slip than the transmission pass too much torque, it only needs a few slippages like this to fry the clutch, it becomes glazed and in the case of the clutch I removed on the Yeti the pressure plate was dished from the heat so only clamping on the outer periphery, to be fair I dont know what abuse it had suffered previously, it was a fleet vehicle and being 4wd may have suffered lots of launch starts.

 

I never really noticed the torque limiting slippage until it was remapped, in standard form you never really wanted to press on and there wasn't enough torque for it to do any more than a momentary slip, the revs did not rise.

@J.R.

After a few thousand miles <15K, I could detect the deep rumble of the clutch starting to go when flooring it.

 

Progressive degradation has the clutch slipping in 3rd-5th where the car sounds like an automatic on kickdown, engine RPM rises without road speed increase but it does gradually catch up.

 

75% of the time the car is driven in a spirited manner but even so it's not abused and I would have expected better of a LUK clutch, the pedal is very light so I suspect the pressure plate is cooked.

 

Your idea of clutch peak torque limiter sounds a bit over engineered for a Mk. II Octavia, perhaps you are thinking of more advanced technology.

 

Any suggestions for a beefier clutch without breaking the bank?

 

I understand there are 2 readily available items, LUK (not again) and SACHS.  However I'm led to believe they each exclusively require a different flywheel and so a change to a SACHS unit involves a bit more work and cash.

 

If anyone has first hand experience feel free to chime in.

Lucas must have been a misprint then!

 

The peak torque limiter is just a spring and ball in a calibrated orifice, it allows you to disengage the clutch as quick as you can stamp on the pedal but limits the speed of engagement, nothing high tec.

 

If you have a plastic thing attached to the slave cylinder (concentric or external) with a hand operated bleed nipple then you have the peak torque limiter, I drill em out!

@J.R.

My bad, somehow I got it into my head that Lucas had rebranded to LUK (Lucas UK) D-OH!

 

The peak torque limiter is another eye opener and not applicable until the Mk.4 I believe so I certainly don't have one on my clutch line.

Its probably only with certain transmissions, on the Yeti its a 6 speed but I have seen mention of it on here on 5 speed transmissions with an external slave cylinder.

 

Keep your eye open for it during the stripdown just in case.

@J.R.

Been there, done that when I replaced the gearbox last year and it's just a regular hydraulic line to the external slave cylinder.

Having ascertained I have the following LuK clutch fitted:

 

DMF 415025010

Clutch Kit 623309400

 

Can anyone recommend something beefier compatible with the existing 230mm DMF?