Occasional difficulty selecting gears

[Dave_M]

Just wondering if anyone has experienced this. Car has done 56k miles and is on original clutch. Goes up through the gears ok (although can be a bit notchy), but when changing down particularly from 6th to 4th or 4th to 2nd the change can baulk completely and can take a couple of attempts to get the lever into the gear.

Only seems to do it occasionally, and seems worse when hot than when setting off from cold.

Any clues as to what's causing this? As it's still very intermittent there's no point trying to get the garage to diagnose as I'll just get a bill for an hour's labour to tell me "no fault found"!

Thanks
Dave

[Ian_C]

56k isn't a bad mileage for a clutch, on average they tend to go sooner than the S4 V8 B6 and B7, mine was done at 63k, so I'd imagine its probably the clutch that is dying here. Check your piggy bank funds for potential clutch and dual mass flywheel, and have a think about whether you want to go Audi or down the specialist route with OE parts.

[adsgreen]

Hmm... If you're skipping gears and having trouble it may point the finger at the synchros.
With a clutch on it's way out I'd expect it to be all gears - the fact it's only on a down change where synchros are working their hardest is another potential symptom.

Might be worth getting the gearbox oil changed as it's a relatively easy and cheap thing to try first.

[Dave_M]

Hmmm - of those 2 options I'm hoping it's the clutch as otherwise my piggy bank is going to take quite a hammering I'd imagine.....

Will try getting the gearbox oil changed for the time being and see if it gets any worse.

Dave

[Timster]

Sounds like the ubiquitous clutch-return problem, to me !

(Audi clutch design issue)

[mac911rs4]

had the same issue couple of months back, took it back to audi who test drove it and they replaced the clutch under warranty, only because i'd brought it from them weeks earlier though.

[Dave_M]

Mac

I take it the new clutch cured it? Did they give you any info as to what the fault was with the clutch. I've only ever had to have a new clutch in one car - my Impreza turbo had 2 new clutches - the first under warranty at 10k miles due to excessive judder, and the second about 40k miles later when it started to slip. I wasn't aware there was a failure mode which made it difficult to select gears - which implies presumably that the clutch isn't releasing fully?

Thanks
Dave

[adsgreen]

There is the clutch return pipe issue - iirc it's routed too close to the hot exhaust manifold and can cause issues.
That would also explain why it only does it when hot.

Should be easy to check as I'd imagine the outer casing has bubbled.

Do find it odd though only when skipping gears.

[Dave_M]

Should have said it's not exclusively when skipping gears - but I notice it most then as I'm usually in "lazy driving" mode at the time rather than pressing on, and hence notice the obstructive gearchange more.

Anyone have any experience of using AmD for a clutch change? I only ask as I've just booked the car in for a carbon clean at the end of June so could possibly combine a clutch change as I'm leaving the car with them for a week anyway. Will have to check the state of the piggy bank first though......

Dave

[mac911rs4]

HI Dave,

When we collected the car, only 25k on the clock,one owner, felt fine, first RS and i just thought it's a different gearbox i'm gonna have to get used too. My wife said she was finding 1st and reverse when cold slightly difficult, sometimes even 2nd. Thought nothing of it for a while and then thought, may as well have it checked, Audi drove it, agreed it was difficult in lower gears then normal, so replaced it with a new one.

I did manage to contact the last owner who seemed decent enough, he did say he was surprised it needed a new clutch as he never thrashed it so hard it would warrant a new clutch, i know we'd all say that, but i took his word for it, anyway, it was replaced FOC, so i was happy. Major difference with the new one, feels so easy. no problems at all.

mark.

[Dave_M]

Mac - thanks. Symptoms sound very similar to mine. I'm the 2nd owner, but knew (and still know) the original owner. I'm pretty certain he didn't abuse the car, and I certainly haven't abused it - drive it quickly but I don't launch it and don't overly rush gearchanges.

I also now find 1st difficult to engage - particularly when cold, and I'm sure it didnt used to be that difficult.

Sounds increasingly like I might need a new clutch .

Dave

[mac911rs4]

fraid so, sounds all too similar, never got to see the bill but i'd have expected to be in excess of £1k? someone may have mentioned on here around £1600?

Hope it's not that problem, good luck anyway......
M

[river_rat]

I just had a new clutch and flywheel at Russell Automotive (specialist in London) - cost was a fairly unpleasant £1950 inc VAT.

I think AMD quoted me £1600 + VAT just to replace clutch.

[Dave_M]

Ouch!