Hi all. I've just had a new clutch fitted under warranty by Skoda as the old one had broken apart and was giving me grief selecting 1st and reverse mainly. So, I have a new clutch and I'm finding the car is still a little tricky to get into 1st sometimes and also changing down into 2nd. Sometimes I fluff the odd gearchange elsewhere but I think that's just because the clutch bites with the pedal right down at the floor now. I'm guessing that's normal for it to bite this low, as it's my understanding that as the clutch wears out the bite gets higher?

What I was wondering is if there is any adjustment on the clutch on the vRS? I'm not sure if I'm struggling with it just because I'm not used to putting the pedal through the floor to change gear! So, can it be adjusted or should I go back to Skoda and sak them to look at it again? I was thinking of leaving it for a few days to get used to it and was thinking it might improve as it 'beds in'?

What are your thoughts!?

I am not familiar with the Octy, but I would be used to clutches "biting" before the pedal hits the carpet (although the other pedals in my cars knew the taste of nylon!). That coupled with gear-change problems would point me back to the dealer. In my experience, long clutch-pedal travel = problem.

I'm not an expert, so maybe wait for some feedback from more knowledgeable / helpful members before you take any action, but I'd be concerned.

The clutch operation is hydraulic, so it adjusts automatically. The only thing that could really affect it would be air in the system, it may be beneficial to get the system bled. In my experience the clutch pedal must be pushed all the way for it to fully disengage, otherwise the engine will be partially turning the transmission which would lead to imprecise gear changes.

I just want the car to drive like it did two weeks ago! I really am struggling to drive it at the moment, where as usually I can jump from car to car and drive smoothly, no problem, but at the moment I feel like a learner driver in my on car, struggling for gears etc.

Before all the clutch/gearbox problems started I think my clutch would bitee somewehere in the top half of the pedal travel, now the pedal actually has to be forced into the carpet to ensure a smooth-ish change. I've never driven a car like this before. When pulling away in first, the clutch feels fully engaged with the pedal less than 20mm from the carpet, leaving the rest of the pedal travel completey redundant.

If the clutch automatically adjusts itself due to its being hydraulic, is there any way of adjusting the pedal itself? If so, you could try that.

I honestly think the clutch must need bleeding or something. Ok, mine's 74_000 miles or so old, but the pedal doesn't need to go anywhere near the carpet!

Shot back down to Skoda yesterday afternoon and they adjusted the gear linakges for me, took it for a quick spin round the block with the mechanic and it felt lovely, silky smooth gearchanges just lke I remembered.

By the time I had driven home again, rubbish. Back to how it was. At least now I know it's nothing too major, it's just going to be a case of gettgin it all tweaked up properly and getting it to stay like it!

I'll give them a bell, AGAIN, tomorrow and see if I can pop in at the weekend and try to sort it once and for all.

The mechanic was nice enough and said to see how it went, I just feel bad for keep going back all the time and whining!

Do you know, did they use a 4-poster or a wheel-free lift? I'm just thinking that a wheel-free might be loading the system differently.

Another thought on this Dan. Did the garage change the gearbox oil? If so, find out what brand they used because Silkoline gear oils should be kept well and truly away from VAG boxes, due to causing shift quality issues.

I'm not sure. It's a proper Skoda garage so I would've thought they'd know not to use Silkolene.

I'm dropping the car off to them tomorrow and going back Saturday hoping it will be sorted!

You'll find a new clutch will bite very close to the floor and as the clutch becomes worn so the bite point slowly gets nearer to the top of the clutch pedal travel. So if it bites very high this means your clutch is on it's final days. So a new clutch will give you the lower biting point. There are no adjustments on the system or pedal.

Yeah, I understand that, that's not really the problem now though. It's the alignment of the linkage. I guess it must be where the box was dropped out, just needs a bit of tweeking to get it set up properly again.

I'm not sure. It's a proper Skoda garage so I would've thought they'd know not to use Silkolene.

I'm dropping the car off to them tomorrow and going back Saturday hoping it will be sorted!

I only found out about it by learning from several other people's experiences on here!

Well, picked the car up this morning..... still broke. They think it might be the clutcg slave cylinder or something. Thye're going to get onto the warranty company for me on Monday and try to get it sorted for me. They're also going to try and get authorisation to replace my worn anti roll bar bushes.

I have heard that quite often the slave cylinder needs to be replaced after the clutch has been changed. Generally you know when it needs to be changed as the clutch pedel sticks to the floor once you have depressed it. Certainly that was the case on mine after I had the clutch changed....

Mine doesn't seem to be doing that. Hopefully they'll change it under the warranty, if it isn't that causing the problem then I'm quite happy for them to keep changing as many parts as they like, as long as it's free!