Clutch (possibly?) gone in car

Sully

Quick question. I have a 03 VW Golf. The clutch was replaced in the car some 70k km ago. Yesterday while driving, I found it increasingly difficult to get it into gear. Clutch down, but it's not going into gear when I push it forward or back. In order to get it in, it needs to be forced. Going into reverse is the same, otherwise it makes the loud grinding noise that it typically makes when it's not getting into gear properly. It's first, second and reverse that's hard - third, fourt and fifth are easier.

I assume that's an indication the clutch is gone? Are they expensive to replace? Is 70k typical time for a clutch to be replaced?

Thanks!

debabyjesus

When you get it in gear and take off does it slip when you put the foot down?

whupdedo

It might not be the clutch, it could be the clutch slave cylinder, check the fluid in the small reservoir, if that's low it might be that you have a leak in the cylinder

If the clutch was going it would be revving a good bit while driving up through the gears, is she doing this ?

Sully

debabyjesus wrote: »

When you get it in gear and take off does it slip when you put the foot down?

Nope. Once it's in gear, it stays in gear.

whupdedo wrote: »

It might not be the clutch, it could be the clutch slave cylinder, check the fluid in the small reservoir, if that's low it might be that you have a leak in the cylinder

If the clutch was going it would be revving a good bit while driving up through the gears, is she doing this ?

No issues while driving. I was half way up to Dublin when I spotted the problem and managed to complete my journey and return home. It's just difficult getting into gear.

What reservoir do you refer to?

Cee-Jay-Cee

First of all make sure the mat hasn't bunched up behind the pedals which prevents you from disengaging the clutch fully. If that's not the problem then yes it sounds like the clutch is worn....a bit premature possibly as 70k kms is quite low life time for a clutch but maybe your particularly hard on clutches.

Sully

CJC999 wrote: »

First of all make sure the mat hasn't bunched up behind the pedals which prevents you from disengaging the clutch fully. If that's not the problem then yes it sounds like the clutch is worn....a bit premature possibly as 70k kms is quite low life time for a clutch but maybe your particularly hard on clutches.

Mat isn't in the way. I took time to change gears and watch how far the pedal went down and so on.

The clutch was replaced under a previous owner.

debabyjesus

I dont mean does it slip out of gear I mean does the engine rev up but speed doesn't increase if you floor the accelerator?

Sully

debabyjesus wrote: »

I dont mean does it slip out of gear I mean does the engine rev up but speed doesn't increase if you floor the accelerator?

Nope, drives away as normal.

The only problem with the car, i.e the only thing that's different than usual, is the way it changes gears. I need to force it into place. Once it's done, it's driving away normally.

EDIT: I have a feeling it's the clutch / break fluid. I have been trying to check that, but it's hard to judge the level it's at and I assumed (probably wrongly) the mechanic would do it as I always regularly service the car.

TheChizler

Happened to me and it turned out the springs in the clutch had broken. Is there a funny noise when idling in neutral?

Sully

TheChizler wrote: »

Happened to me and it turned out the springs in the clutch had broken. Is there a funny noise when idling in neutral?

Nope.:/

ION08

Happened to me before. Ended up being a clutch slave cylinder

MuppetCheck

In neutral when the cars idling can you hear and chattering noise from the box? Press the clutch is there any change?

whupdedo

Sully wrote: »

Nope. Once it's in gear, it stays in gear.



No issues while driving. I was half way up to Dublin when I spotted the problem and managed to complete my journey and return home. It's just difficult getting into gear.

What reservoir do you refer to?

Pop the bonnet and you should see a small white tank with an o symbol in between two half circles, check the level of the fluid in this, alternatively look up clutch fluid reservoir in your car manual

Sully

MuppetCheck wrote: »

In neutral when the cars idling can you hear and chattering noise from the box? Press the clutch is there any change?

Nope. All seems normal. Nothing unusual when pressing clutch.

whupdedo wrote: »

Pop the bonnet and you should see a small white tank with an o symbol in between two half circles, check the level of the fluid in this, alternatively look up clutch fluid reservoir in your car manual

Yeah, that's the brake fluid in the golf it appears. All okay.

Mechanic took a look and couldn't figure it out for certain. Clutch seems okay when pressed, there was some sort of bleed he tried which didn't make an impact so he think's it might be pressure plates.

I have another care to use to cover me for work, will see what he comes back with but he isn't taking a look at it until Thursday week or so.

whupdedo

Sully wrote: »

Nope. All seems normal. Nothing unusual when pressing clutch.



Yeah, that's the brake fluid in the golf it appears. All okay.

Mechanic took a look and couldn't figure it out for certain. Clutch seems okay when pressed, there was some sort of bleed he tried which didn't make an impact so he think's it might be pressure plates.

I have another care to use to cover me for work, will see what he comes back with but he isn't taking a look at it until Thursday week or so.

Let us know what it was, I hope I'm right i really do :P

Superdedupity

You never said tdi or petrol. A dmf failing on the diesel can cause the symptoms as described, and 70km wouldn't be unusual if that's the case:)

Sully

Superdedupity wrote: »

You never said tdi or petrol. A dmf failing on the diesel can cause the symptoms as described, and 70km wouldn't be unusual if that's the case:)

03 Petrol

Sully

Just an update on this, the clutch was fully replaced in the end.