RE: Cracks in firewall at clutch '85 4KQ

["Buchholz, Steven" <Steven.Buchholz@kla-tencor.com>]

My theory for why the clutch gets more difficult is the wear on the plastic
sleeve that the throw-out bearing rides on.  When I did the clutch on the
'85 4kSQ that I bought (original clutch still worked at 204K miles, but the
throw-out bearing came apart and wore through the fingers on the pressure
plate!) I found the plastic sleeve was VERY badly worn.  I installed the new
metal sleeve with the clutch/pressure plate/pilot bearing/slave cylinder/
throw-out bearing and as I've said before ... like buttah ... it is almost
TOO easy to depress the clutch!  :)

I wish I would have remembered about the cracked firewall ... I guess I'll
have to check back in there.  To those of you who have BTDT, is it easiest
to see the cracks from the inside the passenger compartment or the engine
compartment?  Do I need to depress the clutch to see them?  TIA!

Steve Buchholz
San Jose, CA (USA)

> ----------
> The best I have been able to determine is the increasing force required to
> disengage the clutch is a function of increasing friction inside the
> pressure-plate assembly. I have never taken one apart for forensic
> diagnosis. Ever increasing clutch pedal force seems to be a very common
> problem on all higher-mileage quattros that I have BTDT experience with
> (various ur-q/4KQ/5KTQ) usually starting about 100,000 miles and often
> ending with a broken throwout-bearing and/or broken clutch fork. I've
> never actually worn out an Audi clutch....
>