Clutch issues any one had this?

[winchman]

Damn it, im fed up with the quality of parts being utter carp now. It used to be you get what you pay for (more or less) and which brands to avoid. Now it seems it's just impossible to get non dealer parts that are any good no matter how much they cost. All seems to be in the last few years.

Does anyone know where the big reset button is?

Just bought some parts for Winchgirls Beetle, it was cheaper to import from Germany from Autodoc than buy locally, better brands too.
No doubt people have seen you tube videos of oil filters being made in a shed in India etc?

 

[winchman]

That's scary, everythings being sold down the river.

We are all driven wrongly by price, but we now have people buying brands with a good reputation and making them of lesser quality but selling as a premium brand.

 

[Melvyn Best]

Can't see any leaks?

Probably not leaking fluid but can leak air into the system , cheap but a bit fiddly to replace. Also check the pipe for damage, they can and do crack but it’s not obvious

 

[Smallfry]

I understand LUK closed down their manufacturing and apparently it has all been shipped out to China, predictably the failure rate has gone through the roof since.
I know one place that has been forced to stop stocking them as it wasn't worth the hassle on returns. Shame as they used to be my go to for clutch stuff.
Schaeffler (who own LUK) have also done the same for INA too.

Delphi have done the same.

 

[Smallfry]

Is the clutch sorted yet ? How has it been bled ?

 

[Keithmac]

I've seen Delphi ECU'S that were obviously of Chinese origin, not what they used to be.

Unfortunately companies can't compete with others that use Chinese based manufacturing so that's where it's all headed
..

 

[doubleboost]

I try to keep away from car related posts .
I find it very hard to believe anyone would remove a gearbox .
Just to replace a slave cylinder .
We always fit a kit as well as a duel mass flywheel if required

 

[MetalMonkey]

Concentric slaves? Some boxes are so tight for space you have to remove the subframe and half of the engine just to split the box.
Can't imagine trying to get inside it to replace the slave unless you have three double jointed elbows.
I remember on my old Mk2 Golf, there was so much space you could practically climb inside the engine bay, I doubt they are still like that now!

 

[winchman]

Is the clutch sorted yet ? How has it been bled ?

The seal on the pipe coming out of the master cylinder had split

 

[angellonewolf]

at least was an easy fix dont help on the 2nd towing though

 

[Johnnybravo]

Yes. Had exactly the same symptoms on a golf caddy at work. Garage changed this. Changed that . Changed the master cylinder. Changed the return spring. Changed the complete clutch. Changed the dual mass flywheel. Changed the slave cylinder. Not in that order and not in one go, this went on for about six months.

Problem was only resolved when the crankshaft snapped and the company scrapped the van. Got me thinking it might have been endfloat on the crank all along.

 

[Keithmac]

Just bought some parts for Winchgirls Beetle, it was cheaper to import from Germany from Autodoc than buy locally, better brands too.
No doubt people have seen you tube videos of oil filters being made in a shed in India etc?

I saw oil filters and brake pads being made in a shed in India. The boxes looked very familiar..

Mann and Mahle look good quality to the eye but I suppose you have no idea what you're going to get!.

 

[Melvyn Best]

The seal on the pipe coming out of the master cylinder had split

Having had the same problem I now fit a new seal every time I change the master cylinder as well as the clip holding the pushrod to the pedal

 

[premmington]

I've seen Delphi ECU'S that were obviously of Chinese origin, not what they used to be.

Unfortunately companies can't compete with others that use Chinese based manufacturing so that's where it's all headed
..

Is this what they call "a race to the bottom"...?

 

[Bobupndown]

Stupid design the slave cylinder inside the clutch housing, expensive labour to access and change what is a very cheap part and then the added cost of a clutch and dual mass flywheel just because you'd be mad not to having paid once to strip it all down.

 

[Keithmac]

It's probably cheaper initially to build the car with a hydraulic throw out bearing vs clutch fork setup but as per normal customer has to foot the bill when repair time comes around..

 

[MetalMonkey]

There is some cost saving on deleting the clutch fork and pivot, it is also saves space and it is better aligned, arguably gives a better clutch feel.
Lots of advantages as long as you are never the one that has to change it. Being plastic of course doesn't help.

It wouldn't be so bad if the parts were made to the OEM quality, but by the time they have been cost engineered for a few years, you are left with the one large drawback which is the cost of changing it, compounded by the fact you now have to do it on a regular basis.
I hate them. External slaves are not without their problems, but at least you can fix them relatively painlessly.

 

[Brad93]

Fit oem slave and master

 

[MetalMonkey]

Even the genuine OEM ones seem to diminish in quality after a few years. Had that with BMW, GM and Landrover parts.