P4Ring

2003 Allroad 6-Speed (Stock). Moving the gear stick is smooth but when the clutch is released it must be extra smooth (slow) otherwise the engine will buck just as if someone is learning to drive and release the clutch too early (snap back effect). It is very hard to make a smooth shift. From a stand still, it engages early enough to move the car very smooth but have a somewhat high engagement point to hold the power. I have felt it slip on 3 occasions. Due to the high release point to make the shift smooth, it has slip tendencies.

Drop the transmission and found a Luk clutch disc and pressure palate that seems relatively new. The release bearing is smooth but has some indentation in the plastic ring from use. I notice the spline has no lubrication and thus dry.

Could this be a DMF issue. It move back and forth as they do, but I am not sure how much is too much. On looking on the clutch disc material it show no sign of burn or severe wear. The material seem to have some type of copper color metal inside mixed with fabric. Not sure thou.

There is sill deep valleys in the rivet well.

Clutch disc marked LUK LD 2181 9 F 17 and 655 01 and also 586 00
Pressure plate marked LUK2180

allroaddave

Could you have a worn or broken motor or transmission mount, allowing the engine/ trans to move upon clutch engagement? I doubt a bad flywheel would make the clutch engage way up on the pedal, without it being obviously bad (uneven, warped, loose)

Is there any noise in the clutch? On MINIs (which also have a dual mass flywheel) when the flywheel fails it gets a chattering sound in neutral with the clutch out that goes away when the pedal is depressed. It also makes a "Chewbacca" sound on engagement, especially in low gear, when the engine's cold.

I've had really good luck using a Valeo solid flywheel and clutch assy on MINIs.

P4Ring

Transmission is out. Inspect engine mounts and they are good. No sound/noise from transmission. Something is definitely causing the release mechanism to kick back. I drive my Passat with bad motor and snub mount and was still able to shift smooth.

I order brand new flywheel and clutch kit. I will also change the engine mounts. I have two with 26K on them.

Will update...

s4master1

is notorious in the allroad a rough shifting, the engagement point in the clutch is always an issue.
check the self adjusting mechanism in the pressure plate and see how far the springs have moved.
hopefully you can take a picture.

P4Ring

Since I still have my shifting problem, I Am updating what I have done and how its shifting now. Lots of time wasted removing and inpecting the motor mount. New snub mount (OEM), New Luk DM flywheel, New Luk clutch disc. Inspect propeller shaft for play, check differential rubber mounts, Inspect axel shaft (front and rear)

Before I change the clutch, the car would move off very smooth...due to the clutch not so aggressive, Now I get a thud when I release the clutch in gear. This can be eliminated by releasing the clutch pedal very slow. Now for the weird part. On testing for the thud (standing still), the very first time you release the clutch (car put in gear of course) you hear/feel the thud, every release after that produce no thud. Change direction by going into reverse and hear comes the thud again. Only when you switch direction or going into gear for the first time you would hear/feel it. When open door and listen it sound as if its coming from either the prop shaft or diff but i see no worn parts.

This kind of make sense but I am not sure. When you take off and power the car the drivetrain is under load, when you press the clutch and change gear the drive line unload and cause à slight torque reversal which cause the thud to happen.

First gear and second is the worse. In fact I think the thud/jerky shift only happen in 1st and 2nd and possibley third.

Update: confirmed, problem is when shifting from 1st to 2nd.

P4Ring

I am not sure if my 1-2 shift collar is going or not. When I got the car (march) I immediately notice that this transmission is not like the one in the VW Passat. The Passat stick is light, gear goes in like butter...so good it feels like it take the stick from you and put it where it suppose to go. You can shift it fast and burn the automatics at a light. The Allroad, or I should say my AR comes with a stick leaning more to the right (passenger side). It feels notchy and tight sometimes. 1st and 2nd is a bitch to get to without going into other gears first. You have to feel and remember the spot where it would go in good, for example you cannot lean it too much to the left. Got my bentley manual and set out to adjust the stick because something must not align properley. On checking, the measurement/aligment was off. I readjust it and now 1st and 2nd go in good when cold (engine running rich before warm up) but still a bit notchy when engine reach normal temp.

In comparing the Passat (01A i belive), at some point when new, did the 01E (C5 AR/S4/A6) ever shift as good as the B5 Passat/A4? The 01E has ball bearing and springs that should give the transmission a notchy feeling.

I may need a rebuild.

P4Ring

The Luk repset spring in the pressure plate was almost all the way out. Thats the only explanation why the release point was where it was. The clutch disc look almost identical to the new one I bought. I reset it but did not reuse clutch or pressure plate.

thejulex

Thud on drivetrain engagement is usually due to two things:

1) busted rear differential mount. this is essentially a maintenance part on our cars, after 100k/10y it is due to replacement as the rubber bushing is gone.
2) busted/loose driveshaft center bearing. it could also manifest in rpm dependent vibrations.

I've removed several DMF flywheels from audis over the years and even extremely loose ones would still not affect shifting all the much... and certainly not thudding. That's what their purpose is, to prevent harsh engagement. If yours is still diving you significant resistance when you try to spin it, then it is probably good.