Clutch Clinic: Audi A3 2.0 TDI

We fit a new clutch and dual mass flywheel to our ex-project Audi.

Renewing the clutch, release bearing and dual mass flywheel (DMF) on a 2005 Audi A3 2.0 BKD diesel engine takes three to four hours, assuming you have access to a two-post ramp and all the necessary tools (see Essential Tools).

The work involved isn’t particularly difficult, but the gearbox is heavy to lift, so we recommend you recruit three helpers to remove and refit it. Space is tight when manoeuvring the gearbox in and out of the engine bay, so it’s tempting to detach the offside driveshaft coupling, but this will inevitably result in gearbox oil leaking out. The gearbox can be drained, but this requires a special 16mm multi-splined tool with a hole in the centre to undo the drain plug, which has a notch in the middle. We covered this subject in more depth in the June 2016 issue, renewing the gearbox oil with two litres of 75W GL-4 oil.

Other issues can easily arise when undertaking this work, such as split CV boots and leaking driveshaft seals, all of which we covered in our A3 project car series from April-october 2016.

The following steps show the clutch, DMF and release bearing being renewed for the A3’s six-speed manual gearbox using a Sachs kit supplied by GSF Car Parts. One of the main differences between this and the five-speed manual gearbox is that the clutch and DMF are often supplied pre-assembled on the five-speed, whereas they are separate units on the six-speed.