Clutch release bearing or flywheel?

[Gillard]

Recently I’ve gotten a terrible clunking sound when I depress my clutch pedal, I took it to a mechanic who said it was most likely the clutch release bearing, I asked him if it could be the DMF and he replied that he didn’t think I had one in my car. I had a surprisingly difficult time finding out whether my manual, petrol 1.4 (CMBA, 122bhp) has a single or dual mass flywheel.

I’m thinking about replacing the clutch myself with a sachs clutch kit, but I would like to know for sure whether I have a DMF before I drop the gearbox, because if that’s the case I’m going to replace that as well while I’m already in there.

Thanks in advance,

I’ll be sure to keep you updated ..

 

[Magnet]

Welcome Gill,

Just enter your registration number into say Parts in Motion’s website and that should hopefully give you an answer, based on cost and/oravailability. Many DMFs have become main dealer only parts at silly prices. 

[Gillard]

Thanks for the reply, Gareth. Thats the thing, only flywheels for the s-tronics come up. Which I find to be the case for many of the parts sites. I did find one at Autodoc which is for the 6-speed manual, and judging by the pictures it looks to be a single mass flywheel? 

As I understand it a failure of an SMF is far more unlikely and would not warrant a change even when replacing the clutch.

Edited April 12 by Gillard

[Magnet]

Thanks Gill,

Also try LLL Parts website where you might get an illustration, but it does sound like a DMF and possibly a main dealer part only. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[enc]

On 4/12/2025 at 8:08 PM, Gillard said:

Thanks for the reply, Gareth. Thats the thing, only flywheels for the s-tronics come up. Which I find to be the case for many of the parts sites. I did find one at Autodoc which is for the 6-speed manual, and judging by the pictures it looks to be a single mass flywheel? 

As I understand it a failure of an SMF is far more unlikely and would not warrant a change even when replacing the clutch.

Careful with autodoc. They are notorious for supplying incorrect parts 

[alpha omega]

as a last resort take it apart then you will know for sure😁

[Magnet]

Um Stephen.

Wouldn’t really recommend that since you are then stuck with an immobile car. 
Regards,

Gareth.

[alpha omega]

lol of course not gareth sorry i put it across in a go and do it now lol.i meant when ian feels he has the time.kind regards stephen

[Gillard]

A little update for others who may wonder the same; I’ve gotten it confirmed from the Audi dealer/importer here in Norway that my manual ‘13 A3 with the 1.4 TFSI CMBA engine does in fact not have a DMF but single mass.

Ill be ordering a sachs clutch kit and swapping it out myself, seeing as the kit itself is only 220£ and I’ve been quoted from 1700 to 2500£ for just a clutch swap, which is insane in my opinion.

[Magnet]

Great, many thanks Gill.

Kind regards,

Gareth.

[enc]

keep us posted on how it goes Gill 

[Gillard]

A little update for you guys. New clutch is fitted, spent about 12 hours all in with two people over two days. Went off without a hitch!

Taking off the old clutch made the cause of the noise readily apparent; two of three metal straps holding the pressure plate together was broken! This caused a rough idle and an ungodly rattle with the clutch pedal depressed.

Lifted the car by the gearbox side motor mount with an engine lifter and put it on tall jack stands, removed the battery and battery tray. Next we unbolted the wheel well cowling(?)/plastic and the lower control arm for the bushings on the drivers side (Norway so LHD not RHF) so we had space to pull the driveshaft out completely, right hand side driveshaft only need unbolting from the gearbox. After all the bits and bobs on the gearbox was out we dropped it from the bottom with one person underneath. This was a bit finicky but it was enough space to do it without too much trouble.

Gearbox oil changed, new clutch slapped on. We didn’t have the tool to compress/pretension the pressure plate so we used a simple centering tool and gradually torqued the screws to 20nm in typical zig zag fashion.

With me lying on a creeper/roller and the gearbox on my chest lifted the gearbox and mated it back to the engine with the other person standing above the engine bay and lifting from there. This wasn’t super easy, but a bit of finessing and manouvering of the gearbox did the trick. 

Highly recommend being two for this job, especially for the mounting and dismounting of the gearbox. 
The 12 hours includes coffee breaks, googling stuff and a trip to the local parts store.

For the algorithm: This was done on a manual 2013 Audi A3 8V 1.4 TFSI CMBA 122bhp engine, gearbox code is MYF/0AJ.

 

 

[enc]

excellent glad you got it sorted and thanks for the update. 

[cliffcoggin]

14 hours ago, Gillard said:

With me lying on a creeper/roller and the gearbox on my chest lifted the gearbox and mated it back to the engine 

That takes me back 50 years. I must have been mad, but I got away with it.