[tully_twp]

I don't own a Beetle...yet. Tonight I test drove a 2004 Beetle GLS TDI 5-Speed Manual with only 27,000 miles. It belongs to a 40-something lady who purchased it new and apparently drives only in town.

After the car is moving, when I would press in on the clutch, I could feel a vibration of sorts. This was when I began pressing on the clutch...before the clutch was engaged.

I haven't driven a clutch in years, but know this is unusual. Does anyone have any ideas what might be the cause??

 

[DZLBUG]

Does it make any noise/vibration with the transmission in neutral and your foot off the clutch? Does it shudder/feel rough when shutting the engine down?

It sounds to me like the dual mass flywheel (DMF) might be starting to fail. Even though the car has low miles, age is a factor as well. Instead of a solid chunk of steel like an old-fashioned typical flywheel, the DMF is a contraption of 2 steel plates, some springs and other stuff. Its purpose is to dampen engine vibration, reduce noise, and create smoother clutch engagement. That is all well and good, but after awhile it wears out and no longer functions properly. Worst case scenario, it fails and flies apart, sending shrapnel flying out of the bellhousing and causing damage to the transmission and other components under the hood. VW is not alone with these problematic buggers, lots of other manufacturers have used them with similar results.

Fortunately, this is not as big a deal as it may seem. Simply replace the clutch and flywheel with a SMF unit, commonly referred to as a G60/VR6 clutch. Do that and you'll never have to worry about it again. Yes you will get a bit of "chatter" at idle and in neutral...but you will quickly get used to it.

Here is one of the kits that I am speaking of...very reasonably priced:
https://www.boraparts.com/product_info.php?cPath=21_26_33_51&products_id=41

 

[The Cheat]

god i hate the chatter, but boy do i love the feeling.

the dmf is garbage, mine just exploded wednesday morning, decided to take a chunk of the trans with it, $400 later, my transmission was welded together (that's not counting the $635 for parts and labor for the clutch either!)

i'm trying to hark back to my pd-tdi days, and i remember a slight vibration as well, could be the diesel motor to be honest. if the clutch feels well, there are other, more important things to worry about.

 

[O 16581 72452 5]

My Beetle and my Audi have this vibration, and i just replaced the DMF about 10,000 miles ago in the Audi.

**** that garbage, i couldn't find an alternative to the DMF for my Audi or i would've used it.

 

[tully_twp]

Thanks for all of the relpies. I'll need to get another test drive and check out the vibration more closely. But, it certainly sounds like the animal.
Thanks!