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16' Golf - I can't seem to drive this thing properly? (Manual)

M

Mercfh

Ready to race!
Location
United States
Maybe it's just me, maybe im just stupid....but I've had the car for at least 6-7 months now (along with having driven a manual for 10 years) and I can NOT shift from a stop to 1st smoothly.

it feels like either:

A. I need to rev it way up, close to 2k and slip it for at least a second for it not to buck.

B. It bucks when it gets into gear if im not slipping it for freaking ever.

C. God help me if the AC is not, stuff is even worse.
It's SO inconsistent. I feel like im wearing the hell out of the clutch. ESPECIALLY if im trying to go from stop-->1st quickly it's gonna buck a little bit unless im feathering the living hell out of it. I know it can't be good for the clutch but hell I can't figure out what to do?

Is it just me? I feel like this has to be really messing up the clutch! Hopefully im not causing any other damage by doing this? Im trying not to lug it too is the main thing as well. I promise im not new to manuals but this has been one of the hardest manuals to drive ever.
 
MeltedSolid

MeltedSolid

Autocross Newbie
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
Car(s)
'15 Golf, e36 328i
What you are experiencing is a very common problem. There is between 1 and 3 free or super cheap fixes for it depending on your driving style and your car.

The most common fix that applies to everyone is the clutch delay valve removal here: http://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21877. Unfortunately the pictures are gone, but it's not too difficult to figure out.

Second is the clutch spring removal, which from what I've seen primarily applies to GTI's, but you might as well check: http://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21157

The third is a clutch stop. This is more depending on your driving style, but I haven't heard of many people who dislike it and it made shifting gears smoother for me: http://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24943

Again, screw Photobucket. I'm glad I never used them for any of my pictures.

Also, for more expensive options, I think stiffer drive-train mounts will also help, and of course better clutch lines, etc...
 
dr_mat

dr_mat

Go Kart Champion
Location
Berkshire
I doubt there is anything wrong with it, personally i just find that VWs have very little engine inertia at low RPM, so you do need to balance the clutch pretty carefully to get a totally smooth pull away. That said I don't think current generation are much worse than any others (my 21 yr old VR6 for example has less off the line torque at idle than a bog standard 1.6 ford).

At least the six speed manual has quite low gear ratios. The Corrado is much worse.


...if it creaks, it's probably made by VAG
 
Joel

Joel

Ready to race!
Location
TN
Do the mods and if you have obd11 or vcds, remove starting vibration. It limits torque in lower gears. And the direct accelleration tweak.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J727AZ using Tapatalk
 
M

Mercfh

Ready to race!
Location
United States
I mean have I damaged my car? Since sometimes it jerks a little bit when it finally grabs onto the clutch. Plus is slipping it for over a second normal? Seems odd to have to do that but otherwise it's just not smooth.
 
MeltedSolid

MeltedSolid

Autocross Newbie
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
Car(s)
'15 Golf, e36 328i
Don't worry, Joel is joking. No, that's just the way the car is stock. I highly recommend the mods I linked above, it should make that "it feels broken" sensation go away.
 
O

Ouishank

New member
Location
Az
I have a 2015 S, have not done any mods and must be used to it. I never have a problem starting out. One thing I would like to get rid of is hill assist. I burned my clutch once due to that.
 
L

lucyfek

Ready to race!
Location
IL USA
Car(s)
GTI & GSW
This is normal. VW MT/clutch will teach you humility and may embarrass you publicly when moving from the stop (especially if you're the one that practiced no rev/slip philosophy). I still run - on occasion - into this noob embarrassment even in GTI with mod 1 and 2 installed. It was even more difficult in 2015 Golf. I'd not worry about jerkiness when shifting above 1st, I'd blame it on imperfect rev matching (more pronounced when down shifting) and avoid the slip just to minimize this. Sometimes I can manage the "magic" of shifting into 1st when I can literally feel the engagement of cogs (and even then it stalled it few times at this point). It's nowhere near the ease of shifting in my ZX3 (even now with shift cable end zip-tied to the transmission).
I also think it's due to low inertia of the system and low torque down low - recently my GTI stalled while I was creeping in traffic (over minimal incline) with my foot off the gas pedal. While it stalled there, the ECU seems to overcompensate whenever shifting into 1st - something I dislike (especially coming from ZX3 without electronically controlled throttle). Anyway, do the mod 1. Mod 2 is trivial but I don't think it matters much. Mod 3 - I can't see point of this one. Practice VW way of shifting. BTW, reverse is ever worse, right?
When the time comes for clutch replacement (my old car, with all its issues is at 200k with no signs that would prompt the swap), I'll definitely consider switch to single mass flywheel for both the cost and drivability reasons.
 
R

Reggie Enchilada

Autocross Newbie
Location
nowhere
Car(s)
yes
lucyfek said:
This is normal. VW MT/clutch will teach you humility and may embarrass you publicly when moving from the stop (especially if you're the one that practiced no rev/slip philosophy). I still run - on occasion - into this noob embarrassment even in GTI with mod 1 and 2 installed. It was even more difficult in 2015 Golf. I'd not worry about jerkiness when shifting above 1st, I'd blame it on imperfect rev matching (more pronounced when down shifting) and avoid the slip just to minimize this. Sometimes I can manage the "magic" of shifting into 1st when I can literally feel the engagement of cogs (and even then it stalled it few times at this point). It's nowhere near the ease of shifting in my ZX3 (even now with shift cable end zip-tied to the transmission).
I also think it's due to low inertia of the system and low torque down low - recently my GTI stalled while I was creeping in traffic (over minimal incline) with my foot off the gas pedal. While it stalled there, the ECU seems to overcompensate whenever shifting into 1st - something I dislike (especially coming from ZX3 without electronically controlled throttle). Anyway, do the mod 1. Mod 2 is trivial but I don't think it matters much. Mod 3 - I can't see point of this one. Practice VW way of shifting. BTW, reverse is ever worse, right?
When the time comes for clutch replacement (my old car, with all its issues is at 200k with no signs that would prompt the swap), I'll definitely consider switch to single mass flywheel for both the cost and drivability reasons.
Click to expand...

SMFW is even easier to stall out on our cars. Revs drop a fair bit quicker with one. It takes some getting used to
 
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