Dead dual mass flywheel or???

[Deerhurst]

Got a little vibration at idle and I can feel and gently hear a little click/thump with the clutch depressed. I'm thinking either throw out bearing shat it's self or the dual mass is failing/failed. Car has just under 150k on it.

Does this sound like a dual mass flywheel issue?

If so, what clutches do you folks recommend for the 3.0?

Thanks!

[Tahoe3.0]

How old is it? When mine went it was a violent vibration.

fwiw I replaced it with the more cost effective oem dual mass and I regret it. Imnuts runs a smfw and is happy (I believe).

[Deerhurst]

Best I can tell it's original to the car with just under 150k on it. It's not super violent yet but does make a vibration and can be felt with accompanying noise when the clutch is depressed. Otherwise it makes the idle rough and general everything a little rougher.

Who makes a single mass for the V6? I found a JHM one but their clutch kit is around $1000. It sounds pretty trick but holy hell is it expensive for a clutch!

Maybe I'm just used to $100 stage 3 clutches for pickups?

[Kevin C]

A LUK ( they were the OEM) from Rock Auto is pretty reasonable. $144 for the clutch kit and $234 for a flywheel. You can get a 5% discount by entering an easily found code into where did you hear about us. The factory parts lasted 150,000 miles, its hard to make a case that a design change to is going to be an improvement.

[jj94tt]

Sounds like DMF to me. Mine failed at 110k.

I went with the LUK clutch kit with LUK DMF. OEM quality and the car feels like new.

Tahoe3.0 - why do you regret it?

[From]

Sounds like DMF, I had same symptomns when mine failed. It is not recommended to install single mass for DSG.

[Tahoe3.0]

I decided not to switch because of the cost as well as the fear of chatter driving me crazy but in retrospect I would appreciate quicker revs over some noise with the clutch engaged.

I also have the LUK stuff from rockauto. The clutch arrived with the self adjusting components skewed requiring a trip to a machine shop to press it back into place. Other than that it has been perfectly fine.

I would say you are probably at the early stages of it letting go if it's original, Deerhurst. Mine very quickly went downhill once the symptoms started. It did weirdly stop shaking for about a week though before it just completely shit the bed.

[Deerhurst]

So if it feels OK again it's about to blow. Got it. Haha! I've got about 170 miles to go to get home. Hopefully it holds.

The DMF feels nice when it's not dying. I'd hope it would last more than 150k. Especially since the clutch it's self feels fine. My folks have over 200k on a factory clutch in their B8.

I don't think I would mind a SMF but I do want to keep the low torque.

From, what do you mean by DSG?

[Deerhurst]

Added another 175 or so miles on it today. Half was about 45-50MPH on ice. Don't feel it in the pedal anymore. Idle is a hair rough still.

[imnuts]

When my dual mass died, I was shifting a higher than normal RPM, and the car developed a vibration that changed with RPM and engine load. The worst was right around highway speed in 6th (2200-2700 range).

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL

[Deerhurst]

It's hard to tell any vibration at speed with the roads around here. My idle is no longer smooth. It used to be hard to feel the car running, now I can watch the shifter move. That and the clutch had some weird feedback when pressed yesterday which was gone once the car warmed up today.

[imnuts]

Try loosening the snub, engine, and transmission mounts, start the car and try to recenter them. I forget the exact procedure for it. I had an issue shortly after I had all of my mounts replaced. I loosened the mounts slightly to let them self adjust when running, and idle smoothed out. If it doesn't work, then you aren't losing much if you can do it yourself.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL

[Deerhurst]

I'm not wanting to pull the motor myself. I don't really have the space or the tooling needed. Last motor swap I did my truck sat outside side for 3-4 months. Not going to do that to the car.

Was quoted $2k for the flywheel, clutch installed plus rear main seal and tranny flush. Ouch.

[jj94tt]

For what it's worth, you don't need to pull the engine... I did it twice on my 3.0 from underneath on jack stands.

This is an over simplification, but it's not too far off:
- remove exhaust band clamps mid car
- 3 bolts on drivers side downpipe (disconnect o2 sensors)
- 6 bolts on drive shaft
- 6 bolts on driver side axle
- 6 bolts on passenger side axle
- 3 bolts on driver side axle heat shield
- 3 bolts on pass side axle heat shield
- support engine with harbor freight engine support bar
- strap trans to harbor freight trans lift
- remove rear trans mount
- 10 or 11 trans to engine bolts
- disconnect shifter linkage
- pull out slave cylinder
- drop trans
- 6 pressure plate bolts (i think)
- 8 dmf bolts (i think) do not reuse these
- repeat the above in reverse

the hardest part is removing the bottom 3 trans bolts... which your car may not even have if it had a clutch job done in the past. you may need to lower the subframe slightly to get to those.

You can do it all for less than $600, i bet. My problem was that I couldn't resist refreshing every part I touched. THAT got expensive fast. :)

**EDIT**
What I am saying is that it is not technically difficult and does not require special tools (except for the harbor freight trans lift and engine support... and jack stands... and triple squares bits). Ok, so maybe a few things. But mostly, just sockets, wrenches, and hex bits. A timing belt change is more technically challenging than a clutch change.

[Deerhurst]

Thats not making it sound any better. Hahaha! I lack the transmission supports and knowledge of where everything is. I also really dont want to do it.

Im pretty sure I could do it on the cheap but I dont want to have to refresh everything I touch. My anal retentiveness would make it rough. Im the kind of person that cleaned the inside of my bell housing to a shine. I waxed the valve covers on the truck and all the engine bay plastics on the car.


Ill be double checking with a couple shops to see if they want to pull the motor. If they do Im either not using them or telling them they will pull the tranny. Which doing so they will find my blown boot which I keep forgetting about.


Next up is brakes which I will do myself. And mirror motor.

[V70R]

Vibration at idle the same when the engine is cold and hot?

When my DMF failed there was a mechanical delay when coasting and getting back on the throttle, almost like it lost spark or fuel for a brief second. Being at your mileage I wouldn’t be surprised if the play exceeds what is recommended by LUK, especially if it’s seen a lot of city driving.

[Tahoe3.0]

Now that you mention it I remember mine doing that as well.

[Deerhurst]

Vibration at idle the same when the engine is cold and hot?

When my DMF failed there was a mechanical delay when coasting and getting back on the throttle, almost like it lost spark or fuel for a brief second. Being at your mileage I wouldn’t be surprised if the play exceeds what is recommended by LUK, especially if it’s seen a lot of city driving.

Vibration is all the time. Hot or cold. It's not bad yet but more than it used to be.

I'll have to drive it again to see if there is any delay. I was on the highway with cruise most of the time I drove it last.

I doubt it's seen a ton of city driving, especially in the last few years though it is originally from the California bay area.

[V70R]

Might be time for mounts as well. Super easy to do mounts when the trans is out

[imnuts]

I would still try just following the procedure to recenter the mounts. You may not need a new clutch/flywheel if the vibration is only at idle. You can loosen them without having to jack the car up, just make sure it's level.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL

[Deerhurst]

I can't even change the oil on my car without jacking the car up. Haha!

The roads are bad enough here that I can't tell if there is any vibration at other RPMs. I haven't driven it since Monday so I havnt checked for vibration at other RPMs when stopped and in neutral.

[shurur9]

A LUK ( they were the OEM) from Rock Auto is pretty reasonable. $144 for the clutch kit and $234 for a flywheel. You can get a 5% discount by entering an easily found code into where did you hear about us. The factory parts lasted 150,000 miles, its hard to make a case that a design change to is going to be an improvement.

This^

I got it at 187k..now at 220k..not very long really..but runs great..

[Deerhurst]

Well, the weirdness seems to have disappeared. I do have a little squeak off an idle in gear/letting the clutch out in 1st. Also a little squeak when I shut off the motor.

[Deerhurst]

After some talking to a dude on here from my state I'm trying to get my hands on a TTV single mass flywheel. From my research it's just under 16lbs and is beautifully machined. Wanting one set up for the B7 clutch. TTV says it'll only for the 2.7T. Stroker kits for the 2.7T use OEM 3.0 cranks. Both use the 01E tranny. Me thinks it'll be just fine.

[Deerhurst]

So far working with TTV has been like pulling teeth or herding cats. They were very prompt to respond (with only about half the info I asked for), usually within a couple hours, until I mentioned I wanted the flywheel for a 3.0 and that I would like them to send an invoice and a desired method of payment. They ignored my inquiry on purchasing a flywheel and just stated they have not worked on anything for the 3.0. I replied stating that it should be a simple drop in being designed for the 2.7T with the same 01E tranny I have and that several folks have reported good results and easy installs of 2.7T flywheels on their 3.0 from my research. Hell, the 2.7T stroker kits use OEM 3.0 cranks.

So far, not super thrilled with their responses or lack of. I'll wait until Monday to hear back before bumping them again.


Anyone recommend a different flywheel to look into?

[imnuts]

Depending on how much you're looking to spend, the B7 RS4 clutch kit from JHM is pretty good. Not sure if they'd sell just the flywheel if that's all you were looking to replace.

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[Deerhurst]

The JHM is lighter than I want to go. And quite pricy. Ended up finding a place that had the TTV and would ship put Monday with free shipping over $99. It uses the B7 clutch which is pretty cheap.

[J_L]

I just installed a TTV steel SMFL and B7 Rs4 240mm clutch and love it. It feels mutch better than my previous JHM kit, that was a rattle party in the drive train at high load/low rpm.

b6 a4 5858 engine.jpg
ttv flywheel.jpg

[Deerhurst]

Hell yeah! Ive heard good things about the TTV and the RS4 clutch. I managed to find one since apparently TTV doesnt want to deal with me.