VW Golf Mk4 Clutch not Disenagaging? Car drives with clutch fully down...

[Richvw22]

Evening all,
Just had my MK4 golf (53 plate, tdi 130bhp) in for a cambelt change and service at 120k - all that was fine but within minutes of picking my car up from the local garage the clutch seems to not disengage properly.

If you drive along in first gear (or reverse), depress the clutch fully (leave car in gear) and come to a stop then the moment you come to a standstill the car lurches forward and continues to drive forward as if it was on tickover, even though you have the clutch full pressed in still!

Back to the garage straight away, up on the ramp, they can't see anything wrong with the hydraulic clutch (not visible leaks) and they checked the clutch fluid system (fed from brake fluid?) for air and still has the same trouble.

Any ideas what's wrong anyone?

Thanks
Rich

[euroslap]

Could be a bent release fork like I had in mine, is making any noises?

[Richvw22]

No noises, other than this weird habit of driving by itself it seems fine.

Could this by the clutch master cylinder that has gone? Is there anything that would have caused this to go? (like the garage messing up when servicing / cambelt / mot'ing). If it is the master cylinder how much is a new one fitted do you reckon?

Thanks for the advice!

[euroslap]

Are you loosing any fluid and is the pedal coming back up?

[Richvw22]

Hey Euroslap, thanks for the replies!

Nope, no fluid loss and the pedal seems fine - not noticed any difference in it returning.

[euroslap]

I think you may have a bent clutch release fork. I'm sure somebody will correct me if I'm wrong. Here was mine...

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Because the arm was bent it takes all the throw of slave cylinder to release the clutch slightly.

I didn't know it until it happened to mine but it's a common occurance.

[Richvw22]

So I took my Golf back to the garage that did the service (where the fault started) and they pretty much said "no idea, wasn't us, sorry".

Took it along to the clutch garage down the road (who replaced the clutch and dual mass flywheel back in august) and they bled the system (which didn't help) then said it would need the master & slave clutch cylinders replacing.

Are they just taking wild stabs in the dark about what to replace? And what should the real price be for a master cylinder replacement and a slave cylinder replacement (would both of these need to be done together?).

Any thoughts welcome!

[euroslap]

The thing is, if you're not visually loosing any clutch fluid at the master cylinder I can't see it being that. You 100% you've not lost any fluid from the pot?

[dhorsfall2000]

So I took my Golf back to the garage that did the service (where the fault started) and they pretty much said "no idea, wasn't us, sorry".

Took it along to the clutch garage down the road (who replaced the clutch and dual mass flywheel back in august) and they bled the system (which didn't help) then said it would need the master & slave clutch cylinders replacing.

Are they just taking wild stabs in the dark about what to replace? And what should the real price be for a master cylinder replacement and a slave cylinder replacement (would both of these need to be done together?).

Any thoughts welcome!

Hi mate, did you ever find out what was wrong with your clutch, i have a similar problem with my audi, thanks