need new clutch...any advice??!!

[g40mat]

hey guys just wanted bit of advice, recently bought my first G40, im finding it hard to locate first and second gear, took it to local garage and was probably due to my clutch.  my engine is tuned fairly high, all due to the hard work of the prevoius owner!!!  altho still running standard clutch,

any tips on which clutch i should be heading for? and where to buy one form??

thanks guys

 mat

[hayesey]

well if you want a standard one then GSF Car Parts or Euro Car Parts are the best bet.  I think they are priced slightly cheaper if you buy it as an early (1996-1997 if I remember correctly) mk4 16v clutch which is the same.

Or if you want an uprated one then the Helix Organic ones are good. 

[g40mat]

thanks alot mate, putting a upgraded one in would only benifit the engine surely? as its upgraded too?  any ideas where to buy that upgraded clutch from?

thanks mate

[PeteG40]

could be a poorly adjusted cable??? mk3 ones are self adjust and they stop working sometimes. worth replacing and they are abotu £10 from gsf

[g40mat]

cheers mate, gunna be worth looking into. weekend job i guess!! got a gsf close so il get one thanks again

mat

[breadman]

TBH, the standard clutch is pretty good, it'll certainly cope with up to circa 160-170 bhp no problems. Obviously its service life will be shorter though, but you have to weigh it up - how much mileage do you do?
An uprated clutch is worth having if you have higher output though. The trouble is they can be heavy on the pedal and snatchy in operation, particularly the paddle clutches.
If it is a daily driver and isn't more than 170 bhp, I'd personally stick with a new standard clutch.

[g40mat]

wel it is my daily drive, do around 20 miles a day max. have heard performance clutches are snatchy, so could be a problem. il see how much a new standard one is from gsf tomorrow. i believe mines at around 160 bhp.. so you reckon it'l be fine?  thanks

[G4O LP]

I have had a standard, paddle and a non paddle organic helix clutch and I found the paddle one quite snatchy but nothing you cant get used to and the non paddle was not snatchy at all very much like a standard item this is obviously just my opinion.

On a side note the paddle clutch bent my pedal box which in turn needed replacing.

[hayesey]

yeah the paddles are pretty heavy and also snatchy, I've got one in mine and wouldn't want to drive it daily.  I think it would fuck my ankle up for one thing because I broke it badly a few years ago and there's metal plates in there holding it together.  It does ache a bit if I drive somewhere in the G and end up in a stop-start traffic jam where you're constantly operating the clutch. 

I would go for the helix organic if I were you and you want an uprated one.  But bear in mind they are about £300 for the full kit.  Otherwise just get a normal new clutch from GSF should be no problem for 160bhp.

[Andy]

It's torque figures you need to think about when speccing a clutch, not bhp. Above 165lb/ft I'd consider using an organic lining and uprated pressure plate - or a paddle if you're making significantly more torque or race the car.

Have a paddle on mine because it used to get a fair bit of RWYB action, and hence abuse. The pedal box takes a bit of a beating as G4OLP said.

[hayesey]

yeah I was just kind of working on the assumption that lb/ft would be roughly the same as bhp on a g40, +/- 10 lb/ft anyway.

[g40mat]

thanks alot guys have taken everyones suggestions on board, guna ring up for some prices.

thanks again people keep in touch

[diggersg40]

hi mate

i think you own my old g40

she shouldnt need a new clutch as i fitted a genuine vw one not that long ago i think and she cant have done many miles since (check the receipts there should be on for the new clutch)

try the cable matey

matt