T4 Needs New Clutch....Reccomendations!

[millencolin]

Hey everyone my 2.5 TDi needs a new clutch as the one in now is sliping, just wondering if i need to be looking out for anything ie brand, type, heavy duty etc....also anything else i should change while i am at it...
do i need to change the CONCENTRIC SLAVE CYLINDER what ever it is how important is it to change etc...
i wont be going the change my self i have a mechanic who used to work on vw but thought i would ask here for advice he might not offer.

Thanks
alen

[6thgear]

regards the clutch, i usually just go with an exedy which are quite reputable. think they only come standard duty though, havent done one for the t4 yet!

[Golf Loon]

Your van has a dual mass flywheel which you need to change in unison with the clutch.
This will limit your options for upgrades and will be expensive.
I have experimented with solid flywheel and heavy duty clutches in my van, but there are clearance issues depending which flywheel and box combo you use. The standard dual mass is the smoothest to drive and is ok. My van works hard and I tow stuff with it and it is alrigh.
Yes you must also do the slave cylinder as it is inside the box and if it fails, the box will have to come out again.

[millencolin]

Just for future if anyone searches and reads this thread i ended up getting a Valeo KIT; fly wheel clutch the whole deal nuts bolts screws hydrulic cylinder thingy and installed for $2000 now i know the mechanic and he owed me a few favours so i belive this was discounted but not sure by how much...i belive valeo is an ok brand as my compressor motor and coil inside the car are same brand and they look stock.

Cheers.
Alen


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[jets]

Wow,I hope mine keeps working OK. Did you get any breakdown of how much the parts cost & how much was labour?
Thanks for coming back & reposting what you finally finished with.

[millencolin]

i believe the kit was $1700 also apparently its not the double fly wheel type any more, still drives the same to me though.

cheers
Alen

[jets]

I did a quick search on ebay UK & found one supplier with a genuine VW kit icluding DMF. He would supply with the release brg & postage to Aust. for 500 pounds [A$800] Now I know there is probably duty to be paid & you have to wait for it to arrive, but the savings can be considerable if you want to go to the trouble.
I found some comments from another supplier [who was dearer] about dual mass flywheels that I found interesting.[scroll down to the bottom]

VW TRANSPORTER T4 2.5TDI DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL CLUTCH KIT on eBay (end time 03-Nov-10 21:44:17 GMT)

[millencolin]

Yeah just saw this pretty good,i doesnt include the slave cylinder but its just 89€ extra.
i did have a look on ebay at the time but i just never dealt with the clutch before so was not 100% on getting one my self but tell you what next time ill know where ill be getting it from......
Hope fully this will save some one some money.

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[02mick]

hi fella's, sorry for digging up an old thread but there is a lot of mixed stories on the results or drivability of cars/van's after the are converters from dmf to smf, i figured both golf loon and million collin cantell us/me weather they are still happy with the conversion and or if there gearboxes where damaged ?
i had a look at the website of darksidedevelopements that using there smf kit if of no risk, than i read a whole heap of horror stories of folk that reckon it was not a good idea.
if company's like exedy and darksidedevelopment say its save to go that way i suppose it should be allright or should i stick with dmf what are your experiences ?
thanks, mick

[Sunny43.5]

From my limited knowledge the main reason for the DMF was to reduce the "throb" that the diesel engines make , I only found out my T5 2.0 lt petrol powered one had the DMF "after" I had changed the clutch . It seemed pointless to fit a DMF when its not needed but I suppose VW wanted to make one type only to fit all models . Mine started to shudder around 50.000 kms when I attempted to reverse up a hill and ever since that day it has been the same . These days with some clever clutch and throttle control I can get a reasonable take off in reverse but often I can smell clutch material . I would not have hesitated in fitting a solid one if I had known before hand , apparently from reading on some forums that the DMF has on occasions failed with catastrophic results . It will basically blow the side out of the gear box housing with shrapnel if it lets go at speed .

[jets]

If I was to replace mine it would be a DMF. There are legitimate engineering reasons for the manufacturers using them, & carmakers are all for making their products cheaper & not installing components that aren't necessary particularly when the new buyer can't see it. The original designer LUK started supplying the DMF in the mid 90s & have so ever since. It's not just VW that use them. I know Renault, Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat, Lancia, Mercedes, Volvo & Subaru use them in their diesels & probably many others.

[millencolin]

Having had the van for two years after the clutch upgrade (sold it now) i had no issues at all but i could have been lucky, personally didn't notice any difference once i changed it but doesn't mean its meant to be right thing to do, personally i had no idea what side affects could be i just went off the advice of the mechanic and in the future would be getting the dual fly wheel clutch like the manufacturer states...

Good luck with it maybe post what you chose and how much it all was in the end for future reading. Peace.

[02mick]

If I was to replace mine it would be a DMF. There are legitimate engineering reasons for the manufacturers using them, & carmakers are all for making their products cheaper & not installing components that aren't necessary particularly when the new buyer can't see it. The original designer LUK started supplying the DMF in the mid 90s & have so ever since. It's not just VW that use them. I know Renault, Volvo & Subaru use them in their diesels & probably many others.

i agree most of the industrie works on a cost cutting basses but having said that, if i put it real simple:
what a dmf does is pretty much the same as what a normal clutch plate does, they both have some sort of shock absorber ( springs in a conventional clutch plate ) to for come shock loading of the rest off the drive line.
would it be fair to say that if a company like exedy sells conversion kits it would have to be a descent solution ?
thanks all so far for your imput, i let you know what i'll fitt in the end (-:
thanks again

[Sunny43.5]

If I was to replace mine it would be a DMF. There are legitimate engineering reasons for the manufacturers using them, & carmakers are all for making their products cheaper & not installing components that aren't necessary particularly when the new buyer can't see it. The original designer LUK started supplying the DMF in the mid 90s & have so ever since. It's not just VW that use them. I know Renault, Volvo & Subaru use them in their diesels & probably many others.

I don't really agree with your sentiments on this one , a solid flywheel has been successful for the last nearly hundred years so I don't see an advantage in putting one in a petrol engine vehicle . The price is not cheaper for the DMF in comparison to the solid so that one does not wash , but it seems that for a diesel it is a better option .This item is worth a read Should I convert my DMF to a Solid flywheel? Pros and cons. . And last input it seems we are also falling victim into technology design apparently car makers are building engines and transmissions with the DMF as the main interface between the two components so it would seem legitimate to think that the DMF is here to stay like it or hate it .

[jets]

The price is not cheaper for the DMF in comparison to the solid so that one does not wash

The SMF IS cheaper than the DMF, that is why owners fit them, to save money. The point I was making is that it cost the manufacturer to install the DMF which increases the price on the showroom floor & wouldn't be done if there wasn't a clear advantage.
I haven't time to look up the article by LUK in a trade magazine but will try & find it & post back.