Recently I have received my 2005 A6 2.7TDI 6-speed manual, back from the dealer after 2 months of warranty repair ending in a new engine (the old one had only done 15K miles) as a result of a timing chain breakage. I've had the car now for a couple of weeks, engine is sweet and the car goes well. However, I've now noticed a strange clutch problem which may or may not be down to simple clutch adjustment or something more serious (I assume that the transmission would have been partly or wholly dismantled during the engine replacement). The symptom is this: from cold sometimes it's difficult to get the car in gear (usually reverse), if forced it will go or if you put into 1st then try reverse it will go. If you have reversed the car into a parking space, left it for a few hours, then come back - on starting the car there is terrific juddering (as if it's in gear and the clutch isn't depressed - this doesn't happen if the car has gone forward into the parking space). Putting it in any gear is v difficult and noisy. When you pull away (with noise) and drive a few 100yds, gearbox is back to normal (no noise, no juddering & shift is normal). This problem appears to be getting worse but it's intermittent. Which means if I take it to the dealer - well, you know what....

I'm afraid I'm not too knowledgable about the modern Audi manual transmission system, older Audi's seemed much simpler (OK, look I'm losing my hair and my waistband is expanding a little but I'm still in the Audi demographic aren't I?[:-]). I think it must be more than simple clutch adjustment (otherwise it would be a problem all the time rather than just intermittently) so what about flywheels, clutch actuation, clutch plates or, heaven forbid, a catatrosphic gearbox problem?

As always, any help is greatly appreciated.

 

On some new pressure plates there is an adjustment that must be performed to the pressure plate when it is removed from the engine. Which it would be when the engine is replaced. Not sure if the diseals have that pressure plate thou. If its not reset it will result in increase cluth wear and premature clutch failure.

 

Thanks dh.

I've taken it into the dealer this morning so I'll mention this to them. Unfortunately (or fortunately) the problem hasn't reoccurred for a few days now so I'm expecting an arduous conversation with the mechanic attempting to explain what's up.

Do you think the pressure plate adjustment, or lack of it, could cause this problem to be intermittent?

 

Sounds like the clutch has finnaly adjusted itself to where it needs to be. Unfortunatly this is done by wearing out the clutch disc material.