DMF Problem

[guineapig]

Hi all,

I had my 2007 Octy 1.9TDI in for a service last week and mentioned that the engine had a slight habit of running rougly and at idle gave the sensation that the car was being buffeted by the wind. It turned out that there may be a problem with the Dual Mass Flywheel, but they want it to develop further before they investigate.

Anyway, yesterday I drove the car to Manchester and back (300 mile round trip) and it felt fine - no real problems, just the thumping through the clutch when changing gears.

But today on a similar journey the car felt as rough as anything - noisey, rough running and lumpy at idle. I could even feel vibrations through the accelerator. I would even say the car was painful to drive compared to yesterday. It's not too bad at 70-80mph as it seems to smooth out and get slightly quieter, but I still get the vibrations through the pedals.

Is this a symptom of the DMF on it's way out?

When it got really bad today, it felt (and sounded) like the front wheels were scraping along the road (they can't be as I had a 4 wheel alignment done at service). The sound isn't noticeable outside the car (listening out of the window), but it sounds like it's coming from the front of the car when inside it and moving (if all that makes sense).

Am I barking up the wrong tree thinking it's the DMF, or is it just me being paranoid? Got another journey of similar distance tomorrow and I'm hoping that it's gone back to nice and quiet!

any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

[VRStu]

Might be worth getting a second opinion on that one. There are issues with the DMF on the PD engines and in fact a recall was issued for the earlier cars.

[guineapig]

Thanks for the reply.

I've been back to the dealer and it's now booked in for next week to see if it is the DMF.

The dealer was great as I explained that the car had been driving like a dog until just before I got down to the garage - they said that they'd come across this before.

I'm really hoping that they can sort it out as when its bad, it's making the car unbearable to drive - my wifes old K reg polo was quieter and smoother than this!

I'm worried about the clutch as well - in 5th when you bury the pedal, the rev counter kind of jumps up by 1 or 2 hundred revolutions per min and then drops back as the speed picks up.

I'll keep this thread up to date as and when.

Cheers,

guineapig

[Dieseline]

I have a MK V golf with the 1.9 TDI engine and it behaves exactl as you describe yours. I'm also about to have mine booked into my local garage for DMF investigation.

The vibrations are felt mainly through the clutch pedal when under hard ecelleration, but I can also percieve it through the gear lever as well especially when the engine is cold. Like you say , it takes away all the pleasure of driving.

Also , when the engine is only partly warm and on tick-over, I get a peculiar uneaveness to the engine. this dissapears when the clutch pedal is depressed.

[sandyacreuk]

guineapig. Just searching forums to see if anyone has an answer to a problem I have with my Octy Vrs (56 plate)

I have been going out my mind with the car just "not feeling right" but very difficult to explain. Its been to a dealer who probably thinks Im nuts, and couldn't find a problem.

The symptom are virutally identical to what you mention:-

- feels like its being buffeted by the wind, especially on motorways

- running rough - like a mild misfire

- strange vibration through the car - all wheels & geometry OK.

- feels uncertain at high speeds

Also, feels 'lumpy' when driving around town - constantly dipping the clutch to smooth out the drive. Feels like low end torque has gone.

But, when you boot the accelerator it does go OK.....

Does any of this make sense? Was it the DMF?

I'm going crazy with this problem and nice to see someone who has 'similar' experiences.

:confused:

[cheezemonkhai]

I'm worried about the clutch as well - in 5th when you bury the pedal, the rev counter kind of jumps up by 1 or 2 hundred revolutions per min and then drops back as the speed picks up.

I'll keep this thread up to date as and when.

Cheers,

guineapig

Sounds like the DMF twisting under the torque and then the revs dropping again when the DMF unwinds :(

[guineapig]

guineapig. Just searching forums to see if anyone has an answer to a problem I have with my Octy Vrs (56 plate)

I have been going out my mind with the car just "not feeling right" but very difficult to explain. Its been to a dealer who probably thinks Im nuts, and couldn't find a problem.

The symptom are virutally identical to what you mention:-

- feels like its being buffeted by the wind, especially on motorways

- running rough - like a mild misfire

- strange vibration through the car - all wheels & geometry OK.

- feels uncertain at high speeds

Also, feels 'lumpy' when driving around town - constantly dipping the clutch to smooth out the drive. Feels like low end torque has gone.

But, when you boot the accelerator it does go OK.....

Does any of this make sense? Was it the DMF?

I'm going crazy with this problem and nice to see someone who has 'similar' experiences.

:confused:

I had the DMF replaced and the car was absolutely perfect, smooth running engine, plently of power and smooth delivery. The car actually felt like it was driveable for a change.

The change was done at something like 22, 000 miles, but it's only now that the problems are coming back :

Harsh engine, feeling of driving over corrugated sufaces, vibrating and thumping clutch pedal, jerky power delivery and the general feeling that you're driving a 1960s eastern bloc tractor powered by Rudolph Diesels prototype engine.

The DMF by the way is the Dual Mass Flywheel which is supposed to stop engine vibration being transmitted to the Drivetrain (Gearbox, Clutch and driveshafts). Personally, I think it's a lazy engineering solution to get around the fact that most (older) diesel engine blocks have more and more sophisticated injection systems bolted onto them to gain more power from an old design of engine block which produces more and more vibration. Instead of spending time and money engineering and designing the vibration out of the engine itself.

My car is now only a month or 2 away from the end of it's 2 year warranty (I'll get no third year as I'm on 60k miles already, so I'm going to have to take it in again.

I really think that my dealer hates me - spending so long in the car as I do, I tend to notice when the thing is running correctly or badly. At the minute, I know that the EGR valve needs cleaning (poor starting, sounding like a tractor, VERY poor fuel consumption for a diesel - 39mpg on motorways! and the engine sounds better at 3.5k revs), but going in and mentioning this problem to them always gets themasking questions about fuel brand, tyre pressures, need new tyres, traking etc. If I could just get them to do that, then I could probably ignore the DMF problem.

I just want an engine that doesn;t sound like it's going to explode or fall out every time I start off from a junction or raise my speed when joining a motorway.

[sandyacreuk]

Guineapig....so relieved to hear someone describe the problem identically. In fact, I said to the garage "feels like driving over corrugated cardboard..." He looked at me as if I was mad..:confused:

Everything you say seems to match what I'm getting, but trying to explain it to someone is difficult.

I have a 56 Petrol Vrs. Do you know if this has a DMF?

Seems bizarre why a "flywheel" would affect the drivability in so many ways.

When you had the DMF replaced, did it resolve the symptoms you describe?

[cheezemonkhai]

Because the flywheel used to be a big lump of metal, but now it's two lumps of metal, some springs and some hydraulic damping, which can wear.