B4 90q Clutch vs Rear Main Bearing Seal

[cobram at juno.com]

Bob Gregory <rggpa1 at yahoo.com> writes:

> Trying to evaluate if shop (I'm not doing this fix)
> should replace clutch (134K miles) while the gearbox
> is out for the RMB seal.  Original clutch still has
> life left, but may be ruined by this oil leak.

I'm a little on the fence about changing the clutch, long story short,
had to pull the transmission on the 5KS many moons ago, decided to put in
new clutch, bearing etc.  Original clutch had 170K miles and still had
plenty of meat left, but I replaced with all new Lucas components (came
as a kit from WP.)  25K miles later and the bearing was squealing like a
stuck pig, clutch started sticking etc. and the car went off to Audi
Heaven with Chris Semple at the helm down the river Stix.  

If you look through the archives, you'll see that it's not uncommon for
factory clutches to go 2-3 hundred K miles without a problem.  

So, moral of the story I guess,  sometimes you're better off just letting
sleeping dogs lie.  If not, make SURE the mechanic buys Sachs or better
components.
  
BCNU,
http://www.geocities.com/cobramsri/
Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.