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Gregorius
22-04-2007, 09:05 PM
Hi all. Just found the board and the info on the MAF posted a while ago solved my first problem ...thanks!

Any thoughts on the clutch on an 88 hp T4?? I had an independent clutch done a while ago which I suspect caused a gearbox failure 10k miles later (it whined a bit after the clutch and the change occasionally went stiff...) The van has has a plug-in box fitted which gave it a bit more pep, but following the 'box failure in Bordeaux I was forced to use a main dealer - and yes I had to re-mortgage the house - to get it fixed. They also fitted a new pressure plate as the 3rd party one was 95% *******. I managed to get home but the old girl was wheezing and struggling which is where the MAF information came in handy. Went down to the local VW *******, gave him £80 for the MAF unit, fitted it and was blown away by the change in performance! Honestly, it was like night and day... I was a very happy bunny indeed! Happy that is until the clutch started to slip... what a b!tch!

So - the new clutch is sh@gged - is there a better one than OE to fit? Looking ideally for a 'heavy-duty' unit that's going to last more than 10k miles...

Any help appreciated

Greg

scoobystu
23-04-2007, 11:28 AM
Alright Greg

I am in the same position at the moment and would be interested to find out what the best clutch to use would be also. Sorry I'm not much help.

I just bought a 1999 t4 2.5Tdi and it has had a recently reconditioned gearbox literally thrown into it. The guy reckons that the clutch is due as well but it's not slipping yet, just feels a bit shaky when taking off.

Did you also post on the TBM forum about getting your van stuck in france? If so I have purchased the van for the same purposes you are using it.

Cheers

Stu

Rake
23-04-2007, 12:00 PM
OK guys here is some valuble info for you.

the 2.5 88 bhp AJT code engine was fitted with a lighter clutch than the 102's were. the 102's is bombproof.

you can fit a VR6 clutch to the 88 but it has to be a particular kit as an extra spacer is required.

this aftermarket kit will make your clutch good for 200 bhp.

speak to Simon at central vw and audi in cheshire. he has the kits ion stock I beleive.

see this post I made here -

http://vwt4.forumsplace.com/message6818.html

Gregorius
23-04-2007, 04:12 PM
Thanks Rake - that explains why I'm slipping, cos the engineers (?) in france just replaced the friction plate rather than the whole assembly... it looks like I'll have to get the 102 or VR6 assembly at some stage... What's the extra spacer in the VR6 kit?

I've looked at the manual, and whilst I'm handy with a set of spanners, it looks like a monster job - the factory estimate is 10 hours - is it beyond the abilities of a home wrenchman?

Stu ... that was only half the story! I was actually en-route to Morocco with a 950 KTM and 1200GS in a trailer for a fortnight tour ... I'd been driving for about 5 hours when the whine got a bit louder, and the gear change locked up. I stopped for an hour or so by which time the box cooled off a bit and freed itself , so I set off again. After another hour I'd just passed Poitiers - 8pm and very dark! - the whine suddenly came back with a vengeance then... "jugga-jugga-jugga-BOOM!" I lost 5th gear, f*cking panic set in, swiftly followed by frantic stirring with the gearstick trying to get it into 4th. It went in...eventually, and thankfully I managed to keep going. Another 20 minutes however then 4th went equally dramatically, this time I had to hold the stick with my knee to keep it in 3rd gear. By this time I was more than a little p!ssed off and slightly worried that I'd end up stuck on the Autoroute at the mercy of some french highway robber/recovery agent. I managed to get hold of the RAC and persuaded them that I didn't want to spend €200 to be towed off the autoroute thankyourverymuchtosser, just that I needed the address of the nearest VW dealer. That turned out to be Sovia in Bordeaux which was another 120k away. In the end, I managed with the grace of every god to crawl along at 30mph and didn't change gear once in that 120km. To cut a very long story short, the dealer couldn't get a new box until the following Tuesday, so I had to fly home to Wimborne, pick up the T5 that we use for wheelchair transport, drive BACK to Bordeaux to collect the bikes then on to Morocco. The T5 performed impeccably - with 175hp and an auto box I didn't really expect otherwise, and we had a freaking great tour despite losing 3 days.

Greg.

Rake
24-04-2007, 08:32 AM
AJT - 219mm goes to 228 mm. and is the VR6 with a modified centerplate to take out gearbox rattle.