Noise / Clutch (Solution)

Have a lovely evening together.

I own a Volkswagen Golf 6 Variant with the CFHC engine, manufactured in 2012, and it currently has 170,000 kilometers on the odometer. For the past few kilometers, I've been hearing a noise that's concerning me.

When the clutch pedal is not depressed (foot off the clutch pedal), there is a slipping sound with a frequency proportional to the engine speed. The noise occurs both when the vehicle is stationary and when it is moving.

If I press the clutch pedal even slightly, so that there is still a connection between the engine and the transmission, the noise immediately disappears. Even when the clutch pedal is fully depressed, the noise is no longer present.

The noise is coming from the direction of the clutch bell.

There are no other noticeable issues – there are no unusual vibrations, starting is normal, and the travel of the clutch pedal remains unchanged.

What do you think is broken?

The last work done on the car was replacing the brake pads and rotors on the rear. Of course, I retracted the brake pistons, which caused an increase in the fluid level in the brake fluid reservoir. I mention this for completeness, as the clutch is also connected to the hydraulic system. I noticed the noise for the first time afterward, but I haven't yet found any connection between it and anything else.

Best regards, Georg.

Quote:

If I depress the clutch even just a little, so that there is still a connection between the engine and the transmission, the noise immediately disappears. Even when the clutch pedal is fully depressed, the noise is no longer present.

That sounds like a pressure bearing, or a central release bearing. Possibly, the bearing is slightly stuck, which prevents it from rotating freely when not under load, and this can cause scraping noises when it comes into contact with the spring.

To fix that, the transmission needs to be removed... and then, you should really replace everything that's related to the clutch.

If the noise is still present or very faint... observe it first.

Hello Uncle BM,

Thank you for your assessment!

I have attached an audio recording of the sound to this post.
The engine is idling, and I'm lightly pressing the clutch pedal every 5 seconds, which causes a noise to appear or disappear accordingly.

Over the past two days, I've driven 400 km with this noise. It has remained unchanged.

Only a visit to the workshop will bring clarity. For the first time in my life as a DIY enthusiast, I have to take my car to a workshop. I can't remove the gearbox with the tools I have available.

Does anyone know how many labor hours are typically required for a clutch and dual-mass flywheel (DMF) replacement? I'd like to go to a local independent repair shop, and getting an estimate of the costs would help me evaluate their offer.

Best regards,
Georg.

Hi,
I have no idea what the number of hours refers to. Assuming you have the right tools, it should be doable in 4 hours without rushing or wasting time.
I've heard that the G6 sometimes has issues with the clutch diaphragm spring breaking, which can sometimes lead to damage to the transmission housing. I wouldn't wait too long...

Best regards from Berlin,
olli

"So, a lift is definitely better. I once did this privately on an old Golf IV in our pit, but I wouldn't want to do it again. A workshop should be able to do it in about 4 hours." At the time, it took me approximately 7 hours, with the help of instructions and breaks (and without any prior experience or the possibility of disengaging the inner star from the clutch).

"So, a lift is definitely better. I once did this privately on an old Golf IV in our pit, but I wouldn't want to do it again. A workshop should be able to do it in about 4 hours." At the time, it took me approximately 7 hours, with the help of instructions and breaks (and without any prior experience or the possibility of disengaging the inner star from the clutch).

Hello everyone,

The noise was caused by the coil spring.
In this SACHS clutch, the Belleville spring is clamped between two plates. The Belleville spring has partially dislodged and is pressing against the transmission housing. Approximately 1 mm of material was removed here – that was the sound of the grinding.

When the clutch was engaged, the diaphragm spring was compressed and no longer made contact with the transmission housing.

Conclusion: In the described scenario (noise disappears when the clutch is engaged), the clutch should be replaced as soon as possible.

I had the LuK repair kit with part number 600 0017 00 installed. The kit includes the friction disc, pressure plate, dual-mass flywheel (DMF), and the hydraulic release bearing with integrated release bearing. It costs around €300 online, which is a significant price advantage compared to the original VW replacement part. The workshop charged 6 hours of labor.

Thank you for all the answers, especially to olli from Berlin, who correctly diagnosed the problem using his intuition.

Best regards, Georg.