Mark_

Whats the score with these?

Do the cause gear box failure or not?

I'm in need of a clutch for my Cupra R, It started slipping on boost.
I'm thinking of a SMF but there are bad tales on the net.

Anyone have any experience they would like to share?

fraser9764

iTrader: (3)

i put one in my vw transporter t4 2.5tdi, been in now for nearly 20k with 150bhp from the standard 88, with no problems other than a little more clutch judder than before.

Cossie Sean

dont buy a cheap one !

the DMF was there for a purpose, make sure you put a sprung clutch in there

"it destroys gearboxes" is bollocks, pure abuse breaks them

shoddy ones that are poorly balanced can cause vibrations etc, just obvious really, hence my first comment matey

plenty quality ones available for not a big load of cash, and you should only ever have to buy it once!

P_is_for_Paul

My mate changed to one in his Golf GTi edition 30 with no problems, other than it being very noisy when sitting still.

Mark_

Thinking of using a Valeo kit

Mark_

http://www.carparts4less.co.uk/cp4l/...d282f29&000299

zippyobrien

iTrader: (2)

Fitted one to my cupra r. Single best thing I've done to the car.

Make sure u change the slave at the sime time.

Mark_

What kit did you fit Zippy?

ajamesc

I only work on big stuff but are van shop dose a few vans with duel mass fly wheels and they rate them as shit lol and a fair few things get converted to normal!

botters

iTrader: (2)

ive only ever personally experienced one problem with a smf conversion and ive fitted hundreds and it was on a 2.4 transit the crankshaft broke in two due to a harmonic imbalance which is one of the reasons the dmf is fitted in the first place, i have fit other conversions to transits before and since and never again seen it happen so it may have been a freak occurence

Mark_

Botters, Thats the sort of things I have read.

I have been told the Valeo kits use large springs on the friction plate and almost feels OEM.

black_jack

Fitted SMF to my modified (400+ Nm) mk3 Mondeo diesel

Fitted organic fast road clutch, hd backplate 30% increased clamping force

with sprung plate

drives smooth and ive had no problems in 2 years (driven hard)

Agree with cossie seans comments about sprung plate/ sh1t ones

if you are going to the trouble of dropping the gearbox may as well do the SMF, and the parts of the clutch inc CSC

fraser9764

iTrader: (3)

the one in my van was a valeo kit.

Mark_

Gonna bite the bullet and buy it,
Going to buy the concentric slave as well

zippyobrien

iTrader: (2)

I've got the exeeddy kit.

Love it. The peddles so much lighter

Piston Broke

Hi mate own and run a garage for a number of years now so have fit more than i would like to remember, SMF are the best thing to fit, Duel mass are gearbox killers as the amount of vibration they send into the box down the main shaft when they have play in them is unreal, they are known for killing alot of the VAG gearboxs (german) and SMF is the only way to go in my mind. The reason for duel mass in my mind is for a smoother, less shocked gear change as the spring/grease system inside them absorbs the impact which they are good at but once they go wrong they dont half F@@k things !

zippyobrien

iTrader: (2)

I've found mine so much smoother at low revs now. Don't get chatter at idle either ?

Piston Broke

yer they dont half rattle when you take them out and god they weigh a ton ! NOT MADE TO LAST lol

Mark_

Ok so I have ordered the Valeo kit now, Just hope it can cope with the stage 1 remap,

Ive never fitted a csc, Do you have to bleed the hydraulic system after fitting?

Piston Broke

Yes mate, takes no time ! alot say dont pressure bleed. We crack the nipple and let them gravity bleed for the first part ( time for a coffee lol )

xr2wishy

iTrader: (2)

i have a Valeo SMF and clutch kit fitted to my remapped bora, apart from a slight clutch chatter around 2000rpm under load, it's spot on.
feel of clutch is the same and has handled the 170bhp remap for just short of 18 months and still going well.
mine cost about Ł360 with slave cylinder.

Mark_

So will I need an easybleed or can it be done without?

Mark_

just paid Ł343 including the CSC, carparts4less is great.
Im pretty sure its part of eurocar as the site is identicle

xr2wishy

iTrader: (2)

piss easy to bleed, gravity is the best bet.
i tried the wife pressing the pedal, but just dropped to the floor. It needed the pedal lifting to have another few go's till it sorted it's life out.

Mark_

Found a decent guide online, I'm going to drop the box on Saturday and crack on with it.

mick

iTrader: (1)

let us know how you crack on......... looking at the valeo kit for my e46 330i

Mark_

Sure, I'll report back after I fit it Saturday

Mark_

do you have to prefill the CSC? It looks like the bleed nipple is before the CSC

Piston Broke

No you dont mate, just fit it all then do the bleed.

Mark_

Cheers, Looking forward to fitting it and getting the boost wound up again.

Piston Broke

lol until the next thing goes bang............. always seem the way fella

Mark_

The kit turn't up today, Looks well made.
The CSC only has an inlet, No bleed nipple so I guess it's bled before the CSC.

How the hell does the air in the CSC get bled if the nipple is before it?
This was why I asked if it needed to be prefilled with fluid before fitting the hydraulic line.

Piston Broke

Mate trust me i fit about 3 - 8 clutches a week, you dont pre-lube it just fit it and crack the nipple, once the fluid has come out give it a few pumps and then crack the bleed nipple, the air will always find its way to the top ! a lot of vans are like this, did one today on a Vauxhall vivaro same one nipple BEFORE it goes to the csc

Mark_

Ok, Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Will be done Friday. Let you know how I get on

Mark_

Well I spent today fitting the conversion,
I can now confirm its on my 'NEVER TO DO AGAIN' list.

Working on the floor is now joke, I've done a few Golf 1.8t Clutches in the past and they have been a doddle!
They were all 5 speeds though, The extra size and weight of the 6 speed is really noticeable.

The box is in and all bolted up but I ran out of time due to waiting for some help lifting the box back in.

Need to bolt up the drive shafts and tighten the anti-rollbar then bleed the system,
Hopefully there won't be any dramas with that and it will be back on the road tomorrow.

I will never do another one of these on the floor.


EDIT: I forgot to say, I had problems getting the gearbox to close up on re-fitting, Turned out to be the CSC stopping it.
Because they are spring loaded we couldn't get it close up. Ended up bolting it up and pulling it on that way.

Piston Broke

lol welcome to my world, try doing it for rally teams mate is the pissing rain with them asking you how long how long lol

Mark_

LOL, I can imagine.
The CSC really caused a head ache, I pulled the box off twice and rechecked the clutch alignment because it would go on but just wouldn't close.
After examining the old unit I realised it was spring loaded. I could see that the CSC had been in contact with the pressure plate so we decided to wind the box on with a bolt.
Went on fine after that. Hopefully it will bleed up ok and the rest will go back together fine in the morning.
Definitely not in a hurry to do it again.

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Where i work we have fitted solid flywheels to vauxhall combo vans and the ecu has to be remapped cause we have heard of stories of the flywheels snapping the cranks.

Mark_

Glen, That's a scary thought.
I have heard its mainly diesels that suffer with these conversions.

What do they actually adjust within the map?

zippyobrien

iTrader: (2)

How exactly does a remap affect crank harmonics ?

Mark, check your car has a dampened front pulley. Mine does. Some don't.