Mark P

Clutch #1:
0 - 62k miles: Stock Clutch

Clutch #2
62k - 128k miles: SPEC Stg2 clutch, PP, & TO. (worked great, but started slipping with 66k miles on it and race program at drags)

Clutch #3
128,750 - 129,250 miles: SPEC Stg2/3 disc, PP & TO. Upon leaving the shop, car had bad time trying to disengage. Appeared to be due to disablement of self adjusting mechanism too far in the direction of engaged.

Clutch #4
129,250 - 131,400 miles: new SPEC Stg2/3 disc and new PP. Same TO was reused (only had 500 miles on it). This time the clutch disengaged fine, but had the problem of travel. Feels like after 75% of travel TO is bottoming against 3 support fingers on PP.


So, as you see above, everytime I replaced a disc, I also replaced a pressure plate.

When I replaced the TO bearing, it was a SACHS OEM part, however at least one time it had the plastic, and another time it was just metal.

Here is the one that came out of the car with the Stg2 clutch (Clutch #2):
<img src="http://ctny.audiworld.com/mark/s4/clutch/stg23install/images/DSC01485.jpg">

Here is the current one that is in the car. It went in during the first Stg2/3 install (clutch #3) and remained in during the second Stg2/3 install (clutch #4):
<img src="http://ctny.audiworld.com/mark/s4/clutch/dsc01046.jpg">

I didn't think it was the TO bearing itself, because the exact same one was in there for Clutch #3 and Clutch #4. Clutch #3 didn't have this travel issue.

Let me know if I missed something.

GT28RedS4

I believe your new unit probably has the SAC mechanism disabled because of all the prior failures. Also I would be willing to bet the fulcrum characteristics have been tweaked out of range (better holding capacity but at the end of leverage arm, hence the "bottoming" out you are experiencing.

Dave Norton of SPEC has suggested that customers can put a limit stop under the clutch pedal to eliminate this, obviously not going to cut the mustard with this crowd.

Unortunately the only way to figure out the exact cause is to remove the PP and determine the amount of diaphram travel before you bottom, then subtract the slave arm travel and see if the values exceed the diaphram travel.

Either way, you ever have to "live" with it or replace with something else.

I recommend the RS4 PP with the stage 3 or higher disk.

Sorry man, a bummer for sure. Are you paying for reinstall each time?

GT28RedS4

Also forgot to mention check the installed height of the PP fingers prior 2 removal of the Flywheel.

Mark P

I believe that only Clutch #3 had the SAC disabled. I know Clutch #2 adjusted. I can see the pins in Clutch #3, and there were no pins present on Clutch #4. I also suspect they may have given me a lesser pressure PP this time, as that's what my leg tells me. The PP that came with #3 was a workout.

Clutch #2 (which was actually a Stg1 PP) adjusted as you can see in these before and after shots:
Before install:
<img src="http://ctny.audiworld.com/mark/s4/clutch/dsc04745.jpg">
On it's way out:
<img src="http://ctny.audiworld.com/mark/s4/clutch/stg23install/images/DSC01486.jpg">


If you look careful and know what you're looking for, you can see the 3 pins on Clutch #3. These were likely pinned too far towards "engagement" and thus why it had problems disengaging:
<img src="http://ctny.audiworld.com/mark/s4/clutch/dsc01041.jpg">

Clutch #4 (don't have any full shots of the PP here) was not obviously pinned (SAC was not disabled) and it was adjusted towards full disengagement:
<img src="http://ctny.audiworld.com/mark/s4/clutch/stg23install2/images/DSC01551.jpg">

I'm used to it how it is now, though not ideal. I was just making sure that it wasn't something silly like a missing slave cylinder spacer during reinstall. I'll probably bleed it when I get a chance, but without any high expectations.

Oh, to give you an idea of where it bottoms out... If I press to where it gives me resistance, I often can't start my car because I haven't depressed the clutch safety switch enough for it to register. I know I can adjust this, and just might if I decide to leave it how it is.

If I open it up again, I seriously doubt SPEC will stay in there. I had great success with their Stg2 when I had it, but that luck ran out.

lemieux@curbside

and will give you enough room to drop the tranny ?
TIA

Mark P

When I had testpipes in, the dealership, just unbolted the downpipes from the testpipes and pulled the tranny through. Recently, the whole exhaust and cat/testpipe sections were dropped from the car.