I hope it was my clutch, what do you think

[flashburn02]

So I was dragging my 95 tsi last night (14.9 before everything went to shit) and on about my 5th drag I launch at about 4.5 - 5k and It goes into gear but feels clunky, when I shift into second I hear a loud clunk and the car almost tries to move in gear. So I limp it down the track and back on the sevice ramp.

When I try to move it again, the clutch pedal stays depressed and if you put it in gear you can hear something rotating and bouncing back off. The sound sounds like a grind followed by a hop and back to grind. If I put it in gear the car lurches but can't move. There is some blackish fluid all over the underside of the car, clearly coming from between the transmission and the engine.

What did I break and where can I get what I need to fix it?

 

[donmagicjuan]

Are you saying the clutch pedal stays depressed even when you let your foot off of it?

 

[flashburn02]

Are you saying the clutch pedal stays depressed even when you let your foot off of it?

Yes, but even if I pull the clutch back up it surges when it tries to go into gear. Unless I force it though, the clutch pedal stays depressed.

 

[diablos991]

Did you check the clutch fluid? Also, is the black fluid oil or transmission fluid?

 

[flashburn02]

Did you check the clutch fluid? Also, is the black fluid oil or transmission fluid?

NO haven't checked the clutch fluid, I wouldn't no where to look. And manual transmissions don't have transmission fluid. The fluid is not oil either. It is mostly a clear fluid with what looks like black debris in it, alot if debris.

 

[diablos991]

The clutch fluid resivoir is up next to the brake fluid resuvoir.(its the smaller of the 2) And manual transmissions to have fluid. Some just prefer to call it gear oil.

By debris, do you mean big chunks, or just dirty fluid?

I think you might have done in more than your clutch.

 

[donmagicjuan]

The clutch fluid reservoir is on the driver's side in the engine bay mounted by the firewall. It's the smaller of the two reservoirs there, the larger one being the brake fluid reservoir.

Barring any leaks in the hydraulic system, it sounds like you'll be pulling the tranny. At that point you'll get a much better idea of what you're looking at repairing.

 

[flashburn02]

The fluid is just drity, not like metal flakes.

Any idea what I could buy now to put in the tranny once its apart? Because I would much rather repair it all at once.

Is there anyway I could have destroyed my gears? Or does this sound like a clutch assembly problem?

 

[donmagicjuan]

I honestly wouldn't buy anything until you're able to pull it apart and know exactly what happened. It could really be anything from the clutch to the tranny or, heaven forbid, the crankshaft. Are you going to be doing the repairs yourself?

I'm sorry I can't be of more help at this point.

 

[perley03]

If you don't know what to buy, don't even attempt to take it apart and take that busted tranny to a shop. No offense here, but a tranny is a complicated thing for a newbie to tear into and to see whats wrong. If someone you know has experience with transmissions, then ask them to help you out. Otherwise, you are going to get lost, frustrated, or mess something up, and you will be taking your now torn down tranny to a shop and have some poor sap looking over your mess. Just take it to a tranny shop and have them inspect it.

 

[donmagicjuan]

I'm sorry, I wasn't advising him to pull the actual transmission apart. I was simply talking about pulling the transmission to have a look inside everything. You should be able to get a good idea where the problem is before doing anything more extensive than that.

 

[Dream On]

Check your clutch fluid reservoir and then check your slave cylinder also. Definately sounds like a leak in the system and air got in since your pedal is on the floor. As for the clunking sounds...Not sure, maybe you're just trying to put it in gear when the clutch isn't disengaged from the lack of hydralic fluid.

 

[flashburn02]

Should have clarified here: I am a noob to DSMs but not to cars in general. I have dropped out two transmissions to replace clutches and seals on other cars. Do I know the intricacies of how a tranny is put together, no. But I should be able to figure it out. Also I will be taking it apart at a friends house whom is an experienced tranny guy.

I was just trying to get a feel for what could be broken so I could have parts ready in hand. I have worked with trannys, just not destroyed ones.

 

[donmagicjuan]

Thanks for bringing us back to the basics, Adam. It would be a shame to do all that work only to find out you ruptured a hydraulic line. This was addressed earlier, but I somehow got sidetracked with all the other questions.

 

[Dream On]

I just hate doing stuff more than once, so I check everything I can before undertaking something like dropping the tranny.

 

[flashburn02]

Can anyone offer a scan out of the repair manual of the tranny reseviour and hydro line?

perhaps a hand drawn illistration?

 

[v2ner]

Do you have an upgraded clutch? Sounds like you busted your shift fork. How's reverse?

 

[donmagicjuan]

The transmission doen't have a reservoir, it's just a closed system with a plug on the transmission itself. If you're referring to the clutch hydraullc system, it's pretty easy to locate. The reservoir is located as I described earlier, and the hydraulic line is easily traced back from the slave cylinder on the front of the bell housing. If you still feel like it would help, I can snap a picture really quick of what I'm talking about.

 

[flashburn02]

Well I am putting it on a lift tonight so I should be able to find it, but of course I would always appreciate a picture.

 

[flashburn02]

Do you have an upgraded clutch? Sounds like you busted your shift fork. How's reverse?

No I don't have an upgraded clutch. I am not sure if reverse works now that you mention it!? WTF I am mostly sure it doesn't work as I would of tried it when I was at the track, its just that I can't remember def'n using it.

 

[nc90awd]

I think your slave cylinder is leaking and you got air in the lines. When my clutch pedal stayed to the floor on my DSM all I had to do was bleed it. In your case the fluid is on the clutch which ruins the clutch and causes it to slip and shudder/chatter.

 

[donmagicjuan]

In your case the fluid is on the clutch which ruins the clutch and causes it to slip and shudder/chatter.

What exactly do you mean by this? The way I see it, there is no way for the hydraulic fluid to ever come into contact with the clutch surfaces.

 

[v2ner]

What exactly do you mean by this? The way I see it, there is no way for the hydraulic fluid to ever come into contact with the clutch surfaces.

Actually he is correct. Fluid, mainly oil in this case, can get on the clutch to cause such symptoms....but rarely.

 

[DSM90AWD]

I'd first look to see if the clutch fork (that metal lever on the tranny that the slave cylinder pushes against) was not broke in half as that sure would explain things.

Some good reading on RRE's site on cutch pedal adjustment and common 2G clutch problems RRE VFAQ

 

[donmagicjuan]

Fluid, mainly oil in this case, can get on the clutch to cause such symptoms....but rarely.

Could you explain how hydraulic fluid can get on the clutch then?