Stiff Gearchange & Heavy Clutch Pedal on 2.0 Tsi

[markjp]

For the last 3 or 4 weeks I have been experiencing a stiff gearchange usually between 2nd and 3rd and 3rd and 4th gears. The best way to describe it is it's almost like I haven't depressed the clutch pedal enough to engage the gear, so making it difficult to get it out of one gear into another. The gears don't however crunch in anyway.

Yesterday I drove the car for 200 miles and I am fairly sure that the clutch pedal is heavier to depress than usual. As a consequence I have booked the car into the dealer next week for them to take a look.

Has anybody experienced something similar or know what the problem might be?

[RW1]

With no gear crunch and heat soak being its worst on the motorway, I'm inclined to think the integral Clutch Release Bearing/Slave Cylinder is partly seizing with heat. Coming off the motorway with reduced speed is a bad point under the bonnet for heat as the airflow over the engine and gearbox reduces, so the engine block and gearbox will warm up further initially until the heat can be dissapated. The temperature rise is very quick.

I'm taking a guess from production data for gearbox codes that your Scirocco has a clutch/gearbox with an integral Clutch Release Bearing and Slave Cylinder in one housing which hangs on the gearbox input shaft. Its possible with heat the gearbox input shaft and round ring body of the integral Release Bearing/Slave Cylinder are tightening up, preventing smooth operation.

Gearbox code is on the white boot sticker on the right side with the Engine Code on the same line on the left side ie, Engine Code is CCZB, gearbox code being something like KNU or KZS.

Whatever, to get at this part means the gearbox has to be removed.

C.

[markjp]

With no gear crunch and heat soak being its worst on the motorway, I'm inclined to think the integral Clutch Release Bearing/Slave Cylinder is partly seizing with heat. Coming off the motorway with reduced speed is a bad point under the bonnet for heat as the airflow over the engine and gearbox reduces, so the engine block and gearbox will warm up further initially until the heat can be dissapated. The temperature rise is very quick.

I'm taking a guess from production data for gearbox codes that your Scirocco has a clutch/gearbox with an integral Clutch Release Bearing and Slave Cylinder in one housing which hangs on the gearbox input shaft. Its possible with heat the gearbox input shaft and round ring body of the integral Release Bearing/Slave Cylinder are tightening up, preventing smooth operation.

Gearbox code is on the white boot sticker on the right side with the Engine Code on the same line on the left side ie, Engine Code is CCZB, gearbox code being something like KNU or KZS.

Whatever, to get at this part means the gearbox has to be removed.

C.

Thanks RW1.

Have checked and the gearbox code is KZS.

This is going to be a difficult one to demostrate to my dealer as I can't expect them to take the car for an hours journey down the motorway to experience the issue. I took the car in a few weeks back and a technician went out with me for a 10 minute drive but they didn't experience anything abnormal with heavy clutch or stiff gearchange.

RW1 I assume you work for a VW dealer to have the technical knowledge you do. Are you ok with me sharing your information with my dealer?

[RW1]

Yes, very difficult to demonstrate.

I assumed your current mileage/2 year old car ruled out an almost worn out clutch plate. ie. you've done 60,000+ miles. (Usual cause of a heavy clutch pedal). And I can't see the foot pedal/clutch master cylinder position being affected severely by engine heat.

Wrote it so you could use. Its not common or an identified issue with VW.

C.

[markjp]

Yes, very difficult to demonstrate.

I assumed your current mileage/2 year old car ruled out an almost worn out clutch plate. ie. you've done 60,000+ miles. (Usual cause of a heavy clutch pedal). And I can't see the foot pedal/clutch master cylinder position being affected severely by engine heat.

Wrote it so you could use. Its not common or an identified issue with VW.

C.

Thanks RW1

Cars only done 9000miles