Got remap. Now need new clutch!

[BenG]

Finally got my FR TDI (1.9) custom mapped (by those helpful chaps-who-can't-be-named-here in Hinckley - great value) but, despite asking for a conservative map to work with a standard clutch I now have clutch clip in 4th and 5th gears!

I didn't want to pay £800-odd for a Sachs uprated clutch but I figure the old clutch has probably seen better days after 7 years / 54k miles and I'm hoping a new standard clutch will cope, given that the torque's been pegged to 300lbft. Having spent £800-odd on the car so far I'm not looking for ways to spend more money!

Anyone got any experience / views on different clutch options for the 1.9TDI?

Cheers,

Ben

 

[MATTCR]

It's not worth it. Uprate or go home

You'll just have to replace it again next year, so pay £800+ once instead of twice every year.

Can't understand why people pay for a remap then moan when they have to buy a clutch to cope with it....

 

[d3m0niTe]

It's not worth it. Uprate or go home

You'll just have to replace it again next year, so pay £800+ once instead of twice every year.

Can't understand why people pay for a remap then moan when they have to buy a clutch to cope with it....

Couldn't have said it better myself

 

[MarkWales]

as said get a clutch - you will enjoy the car and the remap so much more

 

[Dan1720v]

There's an updated Sachs clutch on briskoda at the mo.

 

[BenG]

Thanks for the replies.

I asked for a conservative remap (175hp / 300lbft) so it would work with a standard clutch, so hopefully I can get away with a new standard clutch, but I'll take a look on Briskoda anyway.

 

[Dan1720v]

the one in briskoda is a brilliant setup. Certainly a fit and forget setup.

 

[Dan1720v]

the one in briskoda is a brilliant setup. Certainly a fit and forget setup.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/218837-sachs-sre-friction-plate-and-cover/

 

[seatcupramad23]

personally i would remap pd130 or 150 without getting a uprated clutch fitted , remapped my old gttdi 110 and with 2 weeks clutch started slipping they should put a warning on that do clutch before remap

 

[bathie92]

personally i would remap pd130 or 150 without getting a uprated clutch fitted , remapped my old gttdi 110 and with 2 weeks clutch started slipping they should put a warning on that do clutch before remap

Mines been remapped for 6 months and still works awsomely !

 

[seatcupramad23]

give it time mate

 

[bathie92]

give it time mate

You fill me with confidence

 

[BenG]

I'd read on Jabbasport's website that they could map the car for a standard clutch and limit the torque to <300lbft. That's why I had this done to mine.

OK, the clutch is slipping, but perhaps that's down to it being 7 years old with 54k miles up, which is why I figured I might be OK with a new standard clutch.

I saw the one on Briskoda, but it's already done 40k miles so I've no idea how much longer it would last (depends on driving style of first owner, but given he's had his car mapped to 330+ lbft of torque I'm guessing the clutch may have had a hard time....).

Ben

 

[S3 AKR]

You have no choice but to do the clutch properly. My TDi was only a few months old and on 5k miles when it was Revo'd. The OEM clutch survived about 20k miles before it had to be changed (started slipping at about 15k miles).

I tried a sintered paddle clutch plate (nothing else replaced) which stopped the slip but was really aggressive and prevented smooth take off and was a total cow in traffic. Then I tried the Sachs uprated item from Jabba (renewed DMF with a new OEM one at same time) and it never slipped in the 30k miles I ran it on. Felt pretty much OEM and worth every penny to turn the car back into something that although modified, felt factory in terms of how easy it was to live with as an every day car. (AlexST has the car now).

On this one, bite the bullet and do it right 1st time. New OEM will last a year if you're lucky, Sintered is cheap but nasty, Sachs uprated is exactly as it should be. This issue with the map killing the clutch is not bhp alone - its the 300lbft of torque that kills the clutch. Approx 280lbft ish may have made it last longer, but it'd still go eventually. A known and very well documented weakness of the PD150.

 

[brad1]

Do it once and do it right, uprated is the only way forward

 

[BenG]

Thanks for the feedback - I think.

So much for my 'cheap' remap. Might as well have gone for full-power/torque version if I have to buy an uprated clutch as well, although then I was warned the pressure pipe junctions would probably blow apart!

I've already spent £800-off on the bl**dy car and am looking like having the front lower suspension arms replaced as well as a new clutch. This car is turning into the biggest money-pit I've bought...

I'm beginning to wish I'd kept my old Focus. The clutch did not slip even after remapping and parts were far cheaper!

 

[akchappers]

Front lower arms are cheap. Pair for £80 delivered
Ak

 

[Dan1720v]

I'll be honest, I pulled the same cough out my mrs VRS that has been in for about 30k and 3 years(judging by receipt) and it had as much life in it as the new OEM one. It really hadn't worn. So much so. I put it back in! Except as it was an LUK flywheel, I couldn't use the cover but it isn't very heavy with the Sachs cover either. Well, my mrs who has 2 slipped discs and sciatica was able to use it with no adverse affects. There is a brand new one on E38, however your laying scene tax on there.

 

[towcester vag]

just done helix clutch on my 150 tdi extra 45bhp/60lb/ft torque new dual mass and 3 piece kit (sachs base)
slipped on original clutch in 5th and 6th
if your remapping car do it properly as its well worth it
standard clutch will take remap if you drive like grandad but you dont remap to drive like miss daisy do you!
and as for ford focus helix are getting loads of calls for uprated clutches on these as they cant handle the extra power

 

[BenG]

Well thanks everyone for the feedback. I'm waiting a quote from my local independent for replacing the clutch.

The only reason I had the car mapped was that it felt slower than my old Focus (generically mapped by Celtic Tuning), but I might have thought twice if I knew it would entail paying 3-4 times the cost of the map on getting the clutch replaced!

It's annoying that mapping companies were implying that a conservative map with torque <300lbft would be OK with a standard clutch. if that's true then I assume my old clutch is just worn and fitting a new OEM one will work OK, but having read the comments on here I'm not so sure...

The map is quite smooth and torque peaks fairly high at ~2500rpm so hopefully will not give the DMF too much of a hard time, so I don't have to replace that as well!