The strangest thing

[Chipped]

...ok, I'm sure this wasn't all in my head but 7am this morning while I spritidly entered a freeway on ramp and gave it a tickle in second with a view of reving hard until about 100km where I'd change into 3rd something really weird happend. While I was in gear (I think) the reevs suddenly skyrocketd under my foot yet the car didn't??? Felt like although my gear stick was in gear the car wasn't?? I then changed to third and revved hard and the same thing continued to happend, carwas going nowhere yet she was revving like mind..for a few seconds I felt completely out of control...I eased of the accelerator thinking...WTH?? The car then seems to gain some control shortly after....soon I smelt a strange (never smelt before) burning smell from the engine. Surely its not possible to be in gear but not be in gear at the same time??
Stopped on side of the road, checked the engine...smell has gone and everything seemed normal......I'm I going crazy...have been driving Polo Gti for 2.5 years..I know her well but this...this was weird!!!

[h100vw]

Slipping clutch mate, be prepared to replace it soon. Being chipped your clutch wont last as long. It'll do it more and more often now. Be looking for a clutch upgrade if you leave it. The flywheel will be past being reused. A swap to a solid flywheel like Shaneth has done is a sensible move IMO.
Gavin

[RoSonic]

I think your clutch is slipping.

[Blitzen]

Say good bye clutch...Time to get a new one.

[mozzzy_2000]

Yeah ditto - clutch. I reckon mine is not long for tis world either after chiiping. Whilst we are on the subject I have always felt the polo's clutch kinda sucks big time even in stock pre-chipped mode. What's the alternative aftermarket clutch? I reckon a lot of power after having the car chipped is lost in the very soft 'n spongy feeling stock clutch.

[h100vw]

http://www.ecstuning.com/stage/edpd/pagebuild_v2.cgi/?html=learnmore.html&productID=250303

Here's an example but you can get all the parts you need in Australia.

Gavin

[Blitzen]

I am looking at a mk3 VR6 clutch and flywheel combo, or at least a heavy duty Mk4 GTI clutch...The Polo GTI clutch is arse...

[h100vw]

I am looking at a mk3 VR6 clutch and flywheel combo, or at least a heavy duty Mk4 GTI clutch...The Polo GTI clutch is arse...

That's the way, VR6 clutch kit and solid flywheel from a 4 cylinder cable change car. ie an ABF, 2E Passat etc.

Gavin

[mozzzy_2000]

I think I'll wait till mine gives up the ghost and definately get a higher quality clutch.
Going back to Chipped's original issue- on a few occassions I have had something similar happen where I have gone to change gears and not fully depressed the clutch pedal before shifting up a gear and it feels like the gears are in between gears and that the syncromesh perhaps hasn't fully engaged. It gave off a horrible scrapping sound and of course there was no drive to the wheels. This gives the impression of the clutch slipping but in a different way than a traditional wornout slipping clutch. Its happened a couple of times even when the car was very new. But its never happened quite like what Chipped discribes nor did it feel unsafe.
Has this happened to you guys as well?

[Chuck]

oh my goodness Chipped...i feel your pain!

thank christ i didn't take you up on the offer of a drive the other day...i could picture me now returning to your driveway with a story you wouldn't believe

Keep us posted on the fix/cost of clutch

[shaneth]

yep same happened to me mate, had mine replaced a month or so ago.

[NickZ]

yep same happened to me mate, had mine replaced a month or so ago.

How much did the new one set you back?

[Spec83]

IMHO the stock clutch on the stock engine has quite a bit of clamping force considering the weight of the pedal...

Has nothing on a brass-button clutch I drove on an RX-7 Turbo once though

[h100vw]

How much did the new one set you back?

I cut him a deal on the one from my Audi A3. Which I paid $150 for the flywheel and $800 for the clutch kit from ACS in Adelaide.

The plate itself was an LUK one and the cover was the expensive bit IMO. It was painted purple!!

I had thought of getting the stage 1 from ECS but figured at the time with shipping and stuff, there wasn't enough of a saving to be had if anything went wrong.

A std VR clutch is supposed to be good for 300HP and 300lbs of torque.

Gavin

[gregozedobe]

If a clutch starts slipping in 2nd gear then it is probably well on the way out (a worn clutch usually starts slipping in the higher gears on uphills first). The smell that goes away is another sign that it was the clutch slipping. Once they get overheated they don't grip very well (similar to brake pads).