How many here have a grabby clutch on a 3.0?
08-02-2003, 01:22 AM
#1
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How many here have a grabby clutch on a 3.0?
I've got about 10k miles on mine and it's still quite grabby. To the point where I have a lot of trouble getting a smooth start in 1st or a smooth shift from 1st to 2nd.
Any fixes for this? Admittedly, most of my miles have been on the highway, so I probably have fairly minimal wear on the clutch. Maybe I should just drive around the city a lot more?
Any fixes for this? Admittedly, most of my miles have been on the highway, so I probably have fairly minimal wear on the clutch. Maybe I should just drive around the city a lot more?
08-02-2003, 05:43 AM
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Re: How many here have a grabby clutch on a 3.0?
I have 1400 miles on mine and have noticed a grabby clutch going into 2nd from either 1st or downshifting from 3rd. My 1st gear is smooth as with all the other gears. If I keep more rpms up when going from 1st to 2nd it is smoother.
08-02-2003, 07:34 AM
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Re: How many here have a grabby clutch on a 3.0?
I notice this kind of "double-clicking" sensation when going into first, even when i try keeping my RPMS pretty high. For 2nd, I hold down the clutch a little longer to smoothen it out. Otherwise it does feel a little grabby. I hae 12k miles, with lots of city driving. Over time it has smoothened out, but i can still notice the 1st and 2nd gear issues that you noted.
08-03-2003, 08:05 AM
#4
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Yes! 15K later with major working the clutch and still grabby....
There are days when it's silky smooth and transparent. 98% of the time it's grabby. That tells me that the design was bogus! My '97 A4 clutch was smooth and transparent from day one thoughout its life.
08-03-2003, 04:53 PM
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well, i drove a 2002 3.0 loaner that they had on the lot...
and IIRC, its clutch was pretty smooth compared to my 2003. I'me not sure what's up with that. I think it might have to do with my seating position as I've moved the seat back so my leg has a straighter path to the clutch and that seems to help a lot (but now it's difficult to reach the wheel... argh!).
Didn't you say that your clutch became super smooth after you had the coilpacks replaced? Was that just wishful thinking or did it return after a while?
Didn't you say that your clutch became super smooth after you had the coilpacks replaced? Was that just wishful thinking or did it return after a while?
08-04-2003, 05:07 AM
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not sure what you mean by 'grabby'- if you mean a little tough to get it into 2nd, then yes
i have the same issue. really annoying because i have to delay my acceleration from 1st to 2nd. I have just under 3k miles on mine with no sign of improvement
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08-04-2003, 01:38 PM
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By 'grabby' I mean that it is very difficult to predict when the clutch will engage fully...
There's a catch point down low where the clutch plate obviously begins to rub against the flywheel. However, as I let off the clutch, I can't really feel a change in friction level until right near the top of the pedal's travel at which point the clutch seems to really grab onto the flywheel. This has the result of me either not giving enough gas and bogging the engine as I end up popping the clutch or giving too much gas and floating the engine / feathering the clutch at high RPMs as I shift. In the latter case, my natural reaction is to let off the gas a bit which ends up causing the clutch to abruptly grab and then bog the engine again.
Basically it seems that there is this point near the top of the clutch pedal's travel zone where it is *very* difficult to predict how the engine / transmission / clutch will behave. Kinda like you have to lift the clutch pedal very quickly to near the top and then hold it there as you search for a second friction point and then let off the clutch very slowly once you've found that point.
It makes it really difficult to get a smooth launch unless I concentrate on what my feet are doing. It doesn't seem like this should be necessary, but I'm a stick n00b so I don't know for sure.
Basically it seems that there is this point near the top of the clutch pedal's travel zone where it is *very* difficult to predict how the engine / transmission / clutch will behave. Kinda like you have to lift the clutch pedal very quickly to near the top and then hold it there as you search for a second friction point and then let off the clutch very slowly once you've found that point.
It makes it really difficult to get a smooth launch unless I concentrate on what my feet are doing. It doesn't seem like this should be necessary, but I'm a stick n00b so I don't know for sure.
08-05-2003, 05:45 AM
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how close do you like your arms to the wheel?
i find it harder to have my left foot reach all the way in with the clutch depressed, while having the steering wheel far enough away to allow for free steering. i have it pushed all the way in, and i'm 5'10" ...just curious cuz i'm having a hard time picturing it...