VR6 Clutch replace advice *price/experience/where? please*

[mariojoshi 1]

Hey guys and gals..

 

I've done a search, but not found anything that really covers everything I wanted to know.

 

Right, well she's on 95k now, and I assume the clutch has never been done as I've no record of it.

The car doesn't seem to be pulling as well as it did, revs rising without their being the increase in speed that you'd imagine (at the higher end of the range), and a not so nice smell if you boot it for a bit through the gears.

 

I assume.... my clutch is on the way out. :shock:

 

So, from what I gather.. you've got to take the front end of the car off and take the whole bloody engine out?

This isn't something I can do personally, so either I'm going to have to get a friend to help (I've got someone in mind with a great deal of experience) or I'm going to have to bend over and get it done at a garage.

 

What clutch to get?

I guess a VW one is a silly price, I've read that the LUK ones are fine etc etc. Is it worth getting a "fast road" or sports clutch which might be a bit better? If I'm honest.. I'm very unlikely to have the car for another 90k ;) and I think the clutch is going to be the last of my worries as the engine continues to age. If they do provide better performance however, for say.. £40 extra, I'll consider it!

 

What else to do to the engine?

Since it has to come out... right? I assume doing the chains and tensioners is a good idea too. otherwise if they go, engine out again jobby! Again, I don't think they've been done. Only a slight rattle on them from cold, but nothing major as far as I can tell (I'm no expert, mind!)

I think my auxillary drive belt might also need replacing at some point in the future as it's starting to get a bit noisy (they do have a habbit of picking up loads of rubbish though from what i can see)

 

Anything else I might as well do/have done?

A friend said that I should do as much as possible while the engine was out, which I agree with in principle, but it's cost and what's worthwhile! I'd be quite happy to throw another hundred at it if I'd see a some nice healthy performance gains!

 

What should I be paying for this lot?

I assume we're looking at about £500 for the lot, engine out, gearbox off, clutch out, clutch replace, chains, tensions, all back together....

..............and back in.

 

Who's had this done, how much was it.. and where?

Any reccommendations?

I'm NOT going to VW

I might go to a specialist if it's worthwhile and not just extortion because of the name.

 

I've heard bits and bobs about people like Stealth and JMR etc. I don't really want to travel silly miles for no reason (I'm based on the top NW end of greater london)

 

 

 

ANY help is appreciated.. this place seems really good when it comes to the tech sections! :)

 

Regards and thanks,

Josh.

[Supercharged 2]

Have a look at the WiKi guide for the timing chains to see what involved...

 

Your not far at all from Stealth - I would travel there for the specialist knowledge they have, probably pay less than a london garage anyway!

[dukest 0]

Hello mate, am at the same stage as you.. :)

 

Clutch and chains/tensioners you'll be lucky to get done for less than £700 (parts and labour). I'm currently seeing if i can reduce that by getting bits from the states/elsewhere. You need a dealer clutch but not a performance one from the reading i've been doing.

 

To do at the same time theres nothing that will give extra performance that isn't many hundreds. With an older engine you might want to do a head rebuild but that is likely to be another £500 odd. Stealth do the two jobs combined for £1400, not absolutely the cheapest but they do them all day long so are experts.

 

So far the other things to do at the same time seem to be thermostat housing and water pump replacement. Also the coolant ("crack") pipe. All these being because they are/contain plastic bits that are likely to be knackered by now. Still trying to work out what else might be sensible too though :)

 

So £700 bare minimum unless you're doing it yourself - upto perhaps £1600 if you do all the other bits at the same time. It depends how much you love/want to keep your car, or believe in prevention vs cure, or have the cash to throw at it.

 

Hope that doesn't darken your day too much :lol:

[mariojoshi 1]

I just said... out loud...

 

"OHHHH MY GOD! "

 

And not in a good way.

 

 

I really like the car.. but can't justify head rebuilds to be honest!

Chains and tensioners seem like a very good idea really.. £700? :( that hurts my feelings.. and it's going to hurt my wallet!

 

Thanks for the help so far!

Might give stealth a call.... ouch.

 

Edit - 70miles from stealth.. 1.5hours.

Hmm.. not exactly that close.....?! :|

[dukest 0]

The other respected specialists are The Phirm who are great guys a little way down the A3 out of London, not much in it to get to Stealth or them based on where you are I shouldn't think.

 

Good luck :)

[dinkus 10]

Aye, the price from Stealth for chains, tensioners and clutch is around £700, but the parts alone are cost around £300...

[Supercharged 2]

Edit - 70miles from stealth.. 1.5hours.

Hmm.. not exactly that close.....?!

 

Mate - I'm 3 hours away but it's still the closest garage to me that I actually trust!

[mariojoshi 1]

Had a read through the WiKi... Didn't realise that actually covered the clutch too (thought it was just chains)

 

Fook me it's a rather large job.

 

Thanks for all the advice so far everyone, really appreciate it.

The phirm, friends of mine have used before. I've heard only good things about them. £750 all in.

I was seriously impressed that the girl on the end of the phone didn't even look anything up and just knew all the answers!

 

Now.... my local MR Clutch *shudders* want £300 to replace the clutch (LUK) itself and not touch chains/tensioners etc.

Are chains/tensioners/guides alone likely to cost £400 -£450?

 

I had a chat with Rob @ G-werks (love em to bits - always SO helpful!) he mentioned MR Clutch to me as he said, OK.. they might not be VR6 specialists.. but they do clutches all day long day in day out, so they do know what they're doing... *we hope*

 

One think that I should maybe comment on, is the fact that this is my daily driver and not just a weekend car. Work is on and off at the moment (hence why I'm sitting here posting!) but it can get busy and involve mileage.

 

Oh yes.. and, if I'm starting to really notice it now (I've actually been wondering if she's been slighty down on power for weeks) but only when you give it some abuse.. how long is the clutch likley to last for more sedate driving? Any ideas?

 

 

Supercharged.. I hear you buddy!

I'm almost tempted to phone my local back in Kent (where I was at uni)

Absolutely loved that garage, they arn't a VW specialist.. but they knew what they were doing and took really good care of my cars... always happy to give advice on my Mk3 polos etc.

 

Regards,

Josh

[herisites 0]

If you get the clutch done you may as well get the timing chains. If a garage charges an extra £300-£400 on top of clutch to do the chains they are ripping you off quite frankly. Me and Kev (cheesewire) done my timing chains the other week and its just the gearbox taking off and putting on thats the hard part, the chains themselves were easy to do.

[mariojoshi 1]

Vw Expert (near me.. waltham cross)

 

Just tried to ask for £525 to supply and fit the clutch

with the timing chains being £646 ON TOP!!!!

 

TOTAL: £1171

The good news is that they will fit the serpentine/aux drive/ribbed belt for free.

Aww.. how nice!

[dukest 0]

I was seriously impressed that the girl on the end of the phone didn't even look anything up and just knew all the answers!

There is a reason, her and her other half might just have owned 1 or 2 Cs between them :)

 

Now.... my local MR Clutch *shudders* want £300 to replace the clutch (LUK) itself and not touch chains/tensioners etc.

Are chains/tensioners/guides alone likely to cost £400 -£450?

The reason almost everyone does the jobs together is the common labour. As you already know, the gearbox is coming off to do the chains so there is very little extra labour to fit the new clutch at the same time. Its a case of 1+1=1.5 not 2 :lol:

 

Oh yes.. and, if I'm starting to really notice it now (I've actually been wondering if she's been slighty down on power for weeks) but only when you give it some abuse.. how long is the clutch likley to last for more sedate driving? Any ideas?

Wouldn't like to say on your behalf but I've felt mine has been past its best for the last few thousand miles but thats not to say it feels like its going any time soon.. Probably best to start saving though!!

[Tekara 0]

Whoever you choose to replace the clutch get them to check the contact between the new release bearing and the finger plate. I had to have mine replaced under warranty due to release bearing issues. Vince @ Stealth couldn't pinpoint the exact cause, but noticed that only 6 fingers where making proper contact with the bearing which he felt could cause the bearing to work unevenly, same thing was seen on two different LUK kits. He came up with an ingenious quick fix and milled down the face of the finger plate enabling the bearing to sit neatly against it, been great ever since.

[mariojoshi 1]

Thanks so much guys..

 

I think I'm going to give stealth a call and see what they say and when it might be able to be done.

I will do all of it together, chains etc if it comes in at about £700-£750.

 

I just really wonder how long the clutch is going to last - I've got a few miles to do next week!

 

On the plus side.. my driving style is becoming more sedate and therefore my fuel economy is going up.

I guess that might change if the clutch begins to slip more and more, however.

 

Josh

 

EDIT - Stealth now want £750 plus VAT which works out to be £881 :(

It takes about 2 days for them to do it properly.. which is a pain in you live a fair way away!