mkaenel

Since they replaced my, pressure plate, fly wheel and clutch the pedal has worked perfectly.

However I did notice some clutch odor after picking it up when driven "normally" to "sporty". I figured this was just the clutch breaking in. Fast forward to today and it still smells sometimes even after about 1000 miles put on the new clutch.

Is this normal? I never smelled any clutch lining when the original factory clutch was installed. Should I be concerned?

Thanks,

Matt

mkaenel

no one has any input?

Silver Fun

clutch. If you slip it the clutch doesn't seem to "grab" when the engine is up in the power band.

mkaenel

It has full grip all the way through...just a smell (burnt clutch) that follows?

greatwhiteshark

smell that seeped into the cabin when I was breaking in the clutch, and bedding the brakes. Describe the smell. Is it that hot powertrain component smell? Or is is a burning fibrous, asbestos-like smell? One is normal, and one is not. They are unmistakably different.

mkaenel

seems like a burning fibrous, asbestos smell.

greatwhiteshark

by the dealership, and some grease or lubrication may have transferred to the clutch disc material, causing it to slip on acceleration. Does it shudder, or vibrate when you start from a stop?

It could also be glazed, which is either attributable to the above mentioned condition, or due to driver input (error). Have any valets or car wash guys been near your car recently?

I had to admit that after 7800 miles, the clutch is the most finicky thing about this car. The engagement point is near the top, instead of the middle, which is somewhat irritating but evidently a characteristic of Audis in general. I have not experienced the burning fiber smell, though, so I would wager that either something's out of adjustment (not likely), someone drove your car and angered the clutch (likely), or the dealership installed it incorrectly/haphazardly (the most likely). In any case, you have a parts and labor warranty on it, so take it back and tell them it's slipping.

Also: When you start from a stop, what rpm are you at when the clutch engages?

mkaenel

But there is no slipping...even near redline.

No vibrations or shudder and it engages right off idle.

I did notice this morning it happened when I floored it in 3rd gear to make a light. I did not down shift...just gave it the gas.

Matt

greatwhiteshark

in the cabin, then something isn't right. Either there's oil on the disc, or the throwout bearing is not engaging/disengaging fully causing the clutch to drag against the flywheel, which would overheat it and cause the smell.

However it could also glaze the disc and definitely start to slip, especially after 1000 miles of the same behavior.

At this point you need to find an empty road, accelerate to 40mph and shift into 6th gear, and floor it. If it doesn't slip from a low rpm, and you still smell the burning smell, then perhaps it's not the clutch at all, and it's burning motor oil, or something else altogether.

You should probably be very careful before taking this to a dealer, as a mechanic will probably not be as delicate while troubleshooting the car and will likely toast the clutch trying to get it to slip. At the very least it will take usable life off of it.

Why was it replaced to begin with - was the first one troublesome or just worn out?

-Matt

mkaenel

It was replaced under factory warranty becasue the clutch pedal was completely returning to an upright position. So Audi recommended to drop the trans and inspect. After the trans was removed the was some "hazing" on the pressure plate.