GDawgA4

So my clutch slips every once in a while, only in 5th gear. I cannot reproduce it every time I try to. For example, driving one afternoon, it slipped slightly in 5th when overtaking. Was at 3500 RPMs and slipped to about 4000. A few minutes later, try to replicate, can't do it. Tried again and again and again...nope. A few days or weeks later, it'll do it again one time when over taking and then can't reproduce it.

Someone had mentioned it could be a very small leak at the rear main seal. A drip of oil would be slung onto the bell housing and then onto the clutch, causing it to slip at that moment. Once the oil is dried off by the heat, etc, no more slip.

Would this theory work? If so, not uncommon for the rear main seal to have a small leak with higher mileage? I'm at 88,000 miles right now.

diagnosticator1

oil managed to hit it it would be flung off, and not get into the clutch friction surface. Instead, I think it's more likely the pressure plate mechanism is sticking a little bit now and then. There would have to be massive leaking at the rear seal to contaminate the clutch, and it would be evident by oil dripping with the engine running and the puddle on the ground as the oil drained off the parts after shut down.

GDawgA4

besides taking the transmission/clutch assembly apart?

diagnosticator1

Stock clutch?

GDawgA4

Yep, stock.

Merkin

thats my sign of clutch failure, upon removal i was at the rivets

TurboEnvy52

Maybe spray some brake clean in towards the bearing?

GDawgA4

Strange, huh? I would have thought, if it is the clutch going last year, it would have been continuous and progressively worse but only happened that one day and never happened again.

GDawgA4

Good question...diagnosticator?

diagnosticator1

Sometimes the hangup is due to a grove worn in the input shaft splines.