RS4 Gear Change

[Rstuart]

Hi,

Had my RS4 for around 2-3 months, love the car for its all round abilities etc...

The example i have got has done 85k, all the paper work is stamped up, i have got receipts that show that the Cam belt, all 4 disks and pads were replaced at an approximate £2.5k cost, this was all done 2 months prior to me buying the car, had spoken with the previous owner at length and he was a definate enthusiast.

The only gripe is that unless you are very very carefull and smooth at changing gear there is a slight clunk, doesn't sound harsh but just wondered if this was a standard thing.

My initial impression is that it was the cluth plates, i have assumed that because the car has to cope with so much power that the plates are heavier duty than on my previous car which was a TT, that car was very smoth at changing gear no matter what.

Any ideas or concerns?

Cheers
Stuart

[Marlon]

The extract below is from auto express and might be what your referring to?

"Along the way, you'll encounter a relatively heavy clutch and some driveline shunt from the six-speed manual gearbox - an annoying trait shared with most other Audis"


I think it does have something to do with the amount of power and heavy duty clutch required to deal with it.

Full article link below

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/previews/a ... &x=100&y=7


Cheers

[Paulm]

I think this is Audi's trade mark.

I had an S2 coupe an S2 Avant and now my S4 and they all did the very same thing

[bakerdcb]

Nothing to worry about as long as its not really severe. Normal feature of Quattro transmission.

[quattrosteph]

Hi,

Had my RS4 for around 2-3 months, love the car for its all round abilities etc...

The example i have got has done 85k, all the paper work is stamped up, i have got receipts that show that the Cam belt, all 4 disks and pads were replaced at an approximate £2.5k cost, this was all done 2 months prior to me buying the car, had spoken with the previous owner at length and he was a definate enthusiast.

The only gripe is that unless you are very very carefull and smooth at changing gear there is a slight clunk, doesn't sound harsh but just wondered if this was a standard thing.

My initial impression is that it was the cluth plates, i have assumed that because the car has to cope with so much power that the plates are heavier duty than on my previous car which was a TT, that car was very smoth at changing gear no matter what.

Any ideas or concerns?

Cheers
Stuart

If the pedal is really hard you may be need a new clutch kit. I had an S4 V8 before my RS the gear change was smooth even at start cold, but with the rs the gear box is an older generation, you will find especially when cold the first and second are a little bit hard, it desappear when warm. You will find the gear change is easier when higher in revs.
If it is difficult to change for 3rd, 4th....there is may be a problem.

If you can compare with another RS.
Regards, Stephan

[Golich]

When you say clunk could this be described as a 'thud'? If so this is indeed a trait with both the S4 and RS4 and probably all the A4 quattros.

I'm in the process of reducing this annoying trait. So far I've recently replaced the rear diff mounting which in my opinion has far too much play designed into it. £85 from VAG parts £100 from Audi. This made very little difference.

I've just received a drive line stabiliser DTS from AWE £220 from Vag tuner, which I plan to fit this weekend. This should reduce the thud.

[Golich]

PS in the meantime carefull use/timing/adjustment of technique in using the clutch and thottle significantly reduces this thud. You'll soon get the hang of it

[wozza]

Worth considering that differential tyre wear between the front and the rear wont be helping i.e causing a different rolling radius between front and rear

My RS4 had significan tyre wear on the front recently (prev owner didnt rotate the set) and the thud during gear change was very evident especially when dropping the clutch during slow moving traffic and decelerating.

Changing all 4 tyres has eased the problem considerably - and whilst the tyre place (micheldever tyres - good mob) balanced the wheels its shown up that my nearside front wheel is buckled... B*gger!

[don]

Yes, I get a clunk occassionally as well and it is damn anoying, but as Golich said, with a bit of care and skill it doesn't do it. As the guys say must be something to do with the quattro.

Alternatively, just floor it and dump the cluch between gears and you wont notice a thing.

[Golich]

Just an update on this, the DTS as far as I am concerned does not improve this trait. So I am back to looking at reducing the play allowed in the rear diff mount. However, I can't help think the dual mass flywheel might be to blame and I wonder if anyone can tell me if the S4 and RS4 flywheels are different? I know the clutch is different, but I am not sure about the flywheel. The reason I ask is the S4's thud is nowhere near as bad as the RS4s.

Also for those guys running a lightweight flywheel has this helped with the thud issue?

[smurfbus]

078 105 266 S flywheel rs4
078 105 266 N flyheel S4 AGB

I've heard that rs4 one should have stiffer springs but dunno.

[itaplikeabiatch]

no, the clunk still remains and i have the tanoga lwfw.

if you really concentrate in trying to perfect your changes then it doesnt occur.

i onl get the clunk on occasion now but it still does happen.

[Golich]

Thanks for that guys - well at least I know to focus on all the mountings. I wasn't looking forward to the bill for replacing a flywheel.

I have a small mountain bike helmet camera which I have been thinking about strapping to the underside of the car to see what is moving most. I know one of the main contributors to Audiworld did this prior to fitting his DTS some years back. I know the diff mounting has at least 10mm of free play which I could shim out. Then there's observing what the sub frame mountings are doing along with the main diff mounts at the rear of the diff.