Audi A3 clutch slave failure.

[minimutly]

My daughter thinks these cars are wonderful. To be fair it drives (drove) nicely, compared to wifes MG6, well no comparison really.
Anyway, clutch pedal on the floor, loss of fluid etc. Mate at the garage revons slave cylinder (concentric), gearbox out, new clutch, fly etc. £1200 minimum..
I've had a look, it's horrible under there, you can't get at anything. Progress I guess, but I'd rather the MG.

 

[armalites]

My daughter thinks these cars are wonderful. To be fair it drives (drove) nicely, compared to wifes MG6, well no comparison really.
Anyway, clutch pedal on the floor, loss of fluid etc. Mate at the garage revons slave cylinder (concentric), gearbox out, new clutch, fly etc. £1200 minimum..
I've had a look, it's horrible under there, you can't get at anything. Progress I guess, but I'd rather the MG.

It's fairly common practice to to replace a clutch while a gearbox is out but if they lost a chunk of money and they are ok personally I would just replace the slave cylinder.

I would imagine for someone who has done one before and has a ramp it would 2-3 hours work if not less.

When compared with cars of old where you could see every nut and bolt modern cars can look daunting but sometimes you just have get in and start digging. Often easier to take a part off to make room than try and work around it.

 

[Guineafowl]

I’ve done a couple of Freelander 1 TD4 clutches, also concentric slave, and equally grim to work on due to transverse engine AND 4WD to deal wiith.

The engine/tranny in these is lifted up into the chassis at factory, so I always wondered if it would be easier to have the car lifted right up, and drop the whole engine/tranny unit onto the floor to work on, then lift back into place.

Longest part of the job was getting the gearbox and tbox back on in limited space, which would be eliminated by doing it as above, and not much more stuff to disconnect to remove engine vs gearbox only. Worth a thought.

 

[Neilj]

How many miles has the existing clutch and flywheel done (presumably a DMF if there's talk of replacing it)?

 

[minimutly]

100k plus. This is 2 days work for two people. 6 speed box, not sure if the crossmember as to come out. It's a once only job, to get this out. To be fair, clutches used to last 50k, now they can do 3 times this. Trouble is, the labour cost have to be weighed up against the thing failing within a year, two, or three?

 

[Neilj]

My Mk5 Golf GT Sport is still on it's original clutch at 193k so they can last. If it's a garage job for the slave change then as you say labour comes into it and I'd be tempted at 100k plus to do the lot. I've done a clutch on a Mk5 Golf with a 6 speed (basically the same as an A3 underneath) and I don't remember dropping the crossmember. I definitely had to drop the engine / gearbox down a couples of inches on the nearside to give clearance so the gearbox would slide out. The 6 speeds are heavy things as well, so an engine hoist is very handy to help get it aligned when trying to get the input shaft back in.

 

[hunter27]

Don't know if your Audi is the same but this guy earns his money and he works single handed outside.

in one of his vids he had to clear snow from around the car before starting and had a portable diesel heater blowing on him.

 

[armalites]

This guy earns his money and he's single handed outside.

in one of his vids he had to clear snow from around the car before starting and had a portable diesel heater blowing on him.

He earns every penny for sure, I've always been intrigued by the balaclava, I get that it may be to stop him getting dirty while rolling around but sure ely there must be times where it's just too hot?

 

[anto44]

It's about 3 or 4 hours to do a clutch in one of them, if the clutch and flywheel are in good condition there's no need to replace them just because the slave cylinder burst a seal

 

[Mikes]

Funny that this has come up know as I have to do mine on my A3. On mine, the bearing has got really noisy. I was going to strip mine before deciding on which parts to buy but suspect that I will end up changing the flywheel. A cousin of mine had the same job done on her Seat Leon which is basically the same car and that cost £1200 a couple of years back. Hers failed at a relatively low mileage (but out of warranty).

 

[Guineafowl]

He earns every penny for sure, I've always been intrigued by the balaclava, I get that it may be to stop him getting dirty while rolling around but sure ely there must be times where it's just too hot?

Strong and quick worker, but dresses like a bank robber. Wonder if some passers-by think he’s nicking the cat?

 

[tom2207]

my 3.2 quattro a3 took me two days , with a ramp ,,, but I had never done one before ,,, mine had a lousy clutch when I bought it and wouldnt bleed well , but no fluid loss so I got away with a master cylinder , it was easy ,,, but soon after it needed the slave anyway ,,, concentric is a pita.

 

[octo0072000]

that first video shows external clutch slave cylinder?? 19mins in shows him removing it

 

[Parm]

My mate has just done the same job. Took him 4 days, he has a fully enquired workshop and lift

He had to dismantle quite a bit of the car

 

[anto44]

that first video shows external clutch slave cylinder?? 19mins in shows him removing it

5 speed boxes have external slave cylinders and 6 speed boxes have internal

 

[minimutly]

It's about 3 or 4 hours to do a clutch in one of them, if the clutch and flywheel are in good condition there's no need to replace them just because the slave cylinder burst a seal

Gearbox out and back in in 3 or 4 hours? Where are you, I’m on my way...

 

[anto44]

Gearbox out and back in in 3 or 4 hours? Where are you, I’m on my way...

Yeah 4 hours is easy going to do one of them. A 5 speed would be under 3 hours. I'm in Ireland, so you may get the ferry booked

 

[octo0072000]

5 speed boxes have external slave cylinders and 6 speed boxes have internal

thanks

 

[tom2207]

Yeah 4 hours is easy going to do one of them. A 5 speed would be under 3 hours. I'm in Ireland, so you may get the ferry booked

with an offer like that ,,, id pay your air fair and pick you up at the airport.

 

[premmington]

100k plus. This is 2 days work for two people. 6 speed box, not sure if the crossmember as to come out. It's a once only job, to get this out. To be fair, clutches used to last 50k, now they can do 3 times this. Trouble is, the labour cost have to be weighed up against the thing failing within a year, two, or three?

This is not "two days work for two people" - even I at 56 - can knock one of these out in morning on my own - even at my age - and get plenty of tea down my neck. But £1k+ is the cost...