8/13/2019 CLutch Replacement for the VW Golf & Jetta

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The clutch assembly in VW Golf, GTI and Jetta models is unusual in that the clutch bolts to

the crankshaft and the flywheel bolts to the clutch. It also does not have a conventionalrelease bearing. The release arm works a small lever in the release housing on the transaxle

that ushes a small bearing against the end of a long ushrod. The ushrod runs through the

middle of the transaxle mainshaft and ushes against a !release late! over the clutch. When

the ushrod moves toward the engine, the release late resses against the clutch diahragmto release the clutch.If dirt gets in between the ushrod and transaxle mainshaft, it may cause the ushrod to bind

in the released osition, causing the clutch to sli. If the ushrod wears through the release

late or the lever arm in the transaxle release mechanism is broken, the clutch may fail torelease when the clutch edal is deressed. In either case, the ushrod and release mechanism

should be insected to determine the cause.When servicing the clutch, the release rod bearing, located at the rear of the transmission

under the round, sheet"metal cover, should always be relaced along with the other clutch

comonents. The sheet"metal cover can be easily bent during removal and may also have tobe relaced. #ther items that should be relaced are the seal and bushing that revent

transmission oil from leaking into the transaxle and contaminating the clutch. $lso, insectthe release rod for wear or distortion, and relace it if either condition is found.

VW uses a steed flywheel on these cars, so that when the flywheel is resurfaced, e%ual

amounts of metal must be removed from both surfaces to maintain the roer clutch heightand ressure. If only the inner face is resurfaced, the clutch will not exert enough ressure

against the disc, which may allow it to sli, overheat and wear.If you&re installing a new flywheel because the old one is cracked, damaged or too badly

worn to be resurfaced, you should know that some relacement flywheels may not have an

ignition timing mark. If there is no mark, you&ll have to make one by filing a notch '( mm)*.+( inches- to the left of the To ead /enter mark.

0osition the clutch ressure late on the crankshaft. $ly threadlocking comound to newbolts, and install and tighten the bolts without shoulders to 1 2m )11 ft. lbs.- or bolts with

shoulders to '** 2m )( ft. lbs.-. VW released a bulletin )3("*(- that revises the bolt tor%ue

secs on '34 and u Golf, and '343 and u Jetta )and 0assat-. The bulletin says to tightenthe bolts to 5* 2m )++ ft. lbs.-, then turn them an additional '6+ turn )3* degrees-.

2ext comes the release late. The center contact for the ushrod should be lightly lubricatedwith lithium grease. The retaining ring should be aligned so the oen ends are over one of the

holes in the late.

The clutch disc can then be laced inside the flywheel, and the flywheel bolted onto theressure late. 7ou&ll need a secial centering tool because an ordinary ilot tool won&t work

on this alication. VW&s clutch centering tool for '.48 9#:/ engine alications is VW

1+, while the one for the '.48 #:/ '5"valve engine alications is 062 ;'4.