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BFI Stage 3 issues

black forest ind

Drag Race Newbie
Location
Cary, North Carolina
Car(s)
All of them
Of course it didn't. Hopefully BFI will step up to the plate, admit responsibility and make things right.

We are working with OP to come to a solution, and we are trying to test all options before it comes down to the customer having to spend the money to get the transmission pulled again. There are many factors that can cause this issue, some of which are not the clutch itself, and we need to be sure we can pin point the issue.
 

nonegiven

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Midwest
We are working with OP to come to a solution, and we are trying to test all options before it comes down to the customer having to spend the money to get the transmission pulled again. There are many factors that can cause this issue, some of which are not the clutch itself, and we need to be sure we can pin point the issue.
Understood as I'm sure that BFI will be refunding the OP for any and all labor costs. Best to check everything else first.
 
I'm simply following their directions. It's essential that every possible solution be looked at especially because it costs close to 700 dollars just to yank the tranny off. I appreciate that they are involved rather than other companies I have dealt with where those other companies attitude is more like "oh well tough shit". It's good to have them involved.
 

freshpots

r'zub n t'zug
Location
Canada
Car(s)
'22 GTI, '19 GT350R
Okay so after this thread was created it got me thinking... I have the BFI Stage 3 clutch and I'm having an issue where if I let off the throttle, the car kind of hesitates. It's hard to explain, so bear with me.

You know how when you let off the throttle, the car almost right away will start to decelerate; mine does not. It continues to accelerate/maintain neutral throttle for a couple seconds. In fact, in the MFD if you look at the constant fuel consumption, it will remain at 5, 6, 7 L/100km (or 30-40mpg for Americans) instead of going straight to zero as it should - and my foot is nowhere near the throttle. After a couple seconds, it will go to zero and stay there.

I do have a P2014 code related to the intake flap sensor, which I thought was causing this issue, but now I'm thinking is it something to do with the clutch?
 

freshpots

r'zub n t'zug
Location
Canada
Car(s)
'22 GTI, '19 GT350R
yeah i hope so too. weird thing is there is another guy on this forum that had the same problem, is still active, but has not mentioned it in his posts and has not responded to a pm i sent him. im wondering if he switched it out or it stopped


these damn clutches are really expensive, i could have bought two competition clutches with the flywheels for my former dc5 for what i paid for one for tis gti

Sorry about this dude. Been fairly busy and haven't checked up on here in a while.

For what it's worth, the 1st gear thing still happens to me, and not only when I'm coming off the highway. Seems to happen sporadically. However I noticed that whenever this happens, if you just touch the throttle slightly the gear lever will move out of first. I'm not sure why this happens, I'm not really fluent when it comes to how clutches operate.

I don't have the ECS bleeder block. But I did remove the restricter valve in the OEM bleeder block, and it does exactly what the ECS one does now. I still get the first gear problem.

I will say though that it does not happen frequently enough for me to really care about it. In BFI's defence, on the race track this clutch is a champ. It's an absolute dream when you're pushing the car hard, and I'm more than pleased with it. The pedal feel is fantastic, it bites just the right amount, and it handles high temperatures impressively. I do love this clutch, but like yourself I'm having minor issues which I'd like to be resolved.
 

Escape Hatch

Autocross Champion
Location
USA
Car(s)
Mk7 GTI
Its getting worse, now its hard to get the car in gear from a stand still. Hope they hit me back soon.


I'm going to be at BFI tomorrow, lol.
 

tomr1088

Passed Driver's Ed
Just some Input. On some types of clutch materials the friction disk can actually weld itself to the flywheel or pressure plate if it gets too hot. I remember seeing a note of this on some of southbends clutch kits in the instructions. They state if it happens you have to start the car while in gear and most of the time it breaks free. Only happens on some types of clutch material but maybe that's your issue as well.
 

freshpots

r'zub n t'zug
Location
Canada
Car(s)
'22 GTI, '19 GT350R
Just some Input. On some types of clutch materials the friction disk can actually weld itself to the flywheel or pressure plate if it gets too hot. I remember seeing a note of this on some of southbends clutch kits in the instructions. They state if it happens you have to start the car while in gear and most of the time it breaks free. Only happens on some types of clutch material but maybe that's your issue as well.

Maybe, we don't know what the issue is. I called BFI the other day and told them about this thread and how much information is on here but I don't see a reply from them anywhere..

I don't have really any problems except the odd time I can't get the car out of first, unless I blip the throttle, at which point it becomes free. I have no idea what the relationship is. Hopefully someone can explain, it might shed some light on the solution.
 
BFI got back to me today, they are offering to send another clutch so that my car is not down for an extended period of time. Being in Germany has made things very difficult. I have to give them a credit card on file, and when the transmission comes off they need detailed photo's of the clutch to see whether or not it needs to be sent in. In the event that this was caused by a manufacturing issue, they will cover the cost of having the clutch removed again and some other stuff.

I am confident in them finding a manufacturing issue, as I am not the only one with this issue. I am hoping I do not have any further issues with the replacement. In the event that it was an installation error or misuse (highly unlikely, as I broke the clutch in properly before stomping on the throttle) then I have to deal with the costs.


I just want this to be over with. I absolutely need the car for daily driving, and worry that the clutch not disengaging could cause an accident.
 

freshpots

r'zub n t'zug
Location
Canada
Car(s)
'22 GTI, '19 GT350R
BFI got back to me today, they are offering to send another clutch so that my car is not down for an extended period of time. Being in Germany has made things very difficult. I have to give them a credit card on file, and when the transmission comes off they need detailed photo's of the clutch to see whether or not it needs to be sent in. In the event that this was caused by a manufacturing issue, they will cover the cost of having the clutch removed again and some other stuff.

I am confident in them finding a manufacturing issue, as I am not the only one with this issue. I am hoping I do not have any further issues with the replacement. In the event that it was an installation error or misuse (highly unlikely, as I broke the clutch in properly before stomping on the throttle) then I have to deal with the costs.


I just want this to be over with. I absolutely need the car for daily driving, and worry that the clutch not disengaging could cause an accident.

That's great news. I hope that it was a manufacturing problem because then hopefully they can send me a new one too. Are they paying for the labour too?

All this talk about clutch issues is making me think that my driveability issues have nothing to do with the intake manifold flap position sensor going all wonky on me.

Do you have an issue where, when you shift gears, after the shift is completed and when the clutch is fully released, the car seems to "kick"? It's almost like theres a delay between the clutch pedal being released and the clutch actually engaging the flywheel. Again, I thought this was my intake manifold, but if you have the same problem then it's the clutch.
 
It is definitely not your intake manifold flaps. You need to contact BFI if your hoping for help. It Has to be a manufacturing issue, i'm not the only one with the same problem and I broke the clutch in correctly so couldn't be me
 
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freshpots

r'zub n t'zug
Location
Canada
Car(s)
'22 GTI, '19 GT350R
It is definitely not your intake manifold flaps. You need to contact BFI if your hoping for help. It Has to be a manufacturing issue, i'm not the only one with the same problem and I broke the clutch in correctly so couldn't be me

I also put roughly 750 km on my clutch before getting on it. My clutch was also installed by a Certified VW Technician.. Now he's Audi, actually

So what you're saying is, you have the same issue?
 
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