Clutch engagement point
 

Hey guys

I had my clutch changed about half a year ago. When I first got my car back, the clutch felt absolutely awesome. The engagement point was at probably only about half an inch release. However, six months down the road, the engagement point slowly made it's way back up to where it was before when my clutch was old. I have to release almost all the way for it to engage.

Now, I brought my car back to the shop to get it looked at, but the shop guys just kept telling me it's normal and the clutch is self-adjusting. I know all this, and I know that the clutch engagement point is quite high in the B5 A4's, but it can't be this high!

Also recently, I've felt the clutch "slip" a bit on first gear. It's like there are short spurts of hesitation when I gas hard in first gear. All the other gears are fine.

Does anyone know what kind of potential problems I'm having, or how it can be fixed? I was guessing the pressure plate? Bad installation? I don't know. Please help! Any ideas would be great.

RE: Clutch engagement point
 

sounds like you got a bum deal on cheap parts, your covered by the warranty "complain to them that the clutch is slipping" and you want it sorted

RE: Clutch engagement point
 

i dont know that much about this but you might have launched to hard when it slipped and the clutch probly got worn in now that be my best guess

RE: Clutch engagement point
 

this is a good point mate, if they can prove its been driven hard he will have to pay again the warranty wont cover that and its easy to tell if its been thrashed so be honest with them or they will sting you in your wallet;)

RE: Clutch engagement point
 

The engagement point on mine is pretty high (like real high), I just figured that was normal.

RE: Clutch engagement point
 

im sure they can be adjusted by the plunger going into the servo behind the foot peddle there should be a lock nut on it for setting the height of the peddle

RE: Clutch engagement point
 

Hmm... almost all A4's clutches release very high. Mine is almost at the top from the day it was built.

RE: Clutch engagement point
 

Thanks for the help guys.

Actually, the "slipping" feeling might be due to some other problems. I wasn't sure if it was definitely the clutch.

And thanks Jestnomen for your insight - I knew the clutch on the A4's were high, but never thought it'd be THAT high, especially on a newer one like yours. Dang - I gotta get my hands on someone else's A4 to compare with.

RE: Clutch engagement point
 

I'm glad I found this thread even though it took me a few searches to find it.

I was about the ask the same question about my 99 A4. I bought it a few days ago and it only has 42K miles. Got it from an older gentleman who kept it in great shape.

From the very first day I test drove it, I noticed that the release point was higher than anything I had driven and even though the previous owner assured me he never had any problems with the clutch, I was still wondering about this.

It's good to know that's just the way the A4's are. I'll just have to get used to it.

And geForce, I agree, I would also like to drive another A4 to compare clutches just for the hell of it. Where do you live?

RE: Clutch engagement point
 

my clutch engages at the end of the release...

when my dad bought his new A4, I couldn't drive it well at all.