Just spotted this on Facebook, anyone have any experience with thrust washer wearing?

I think I would be more worried of a child turning the key and managing to start the car, than thrust bearing wear, or washer as they have referred to it. Thrust bearing wear is not an issue I have heard of on VAG cars or, or in act any other manufacturer that use this safety method to prevent unintended engine starting.

Oh and charging £22 to short out a switch is taking the pee.

Edited 5 August, 20169 yr by Kenny R

Hmm.

Never heard a whisper of such things and I'm sure if it were that much of a problem VAG would have a solution by now because an issue of this sort is likely to manifest itself within the three year warranty period?

I was taught to always start my car with the clutch depressed anyway...? reduced risk of the car leaping forward if left in gear and reduces strain on the starter not having to pull to whole gearbox around with it.

 

I'll give that plug a miss I think

As above... it's always good practice to start any manual car with the clutch depressed.

 

It's usually holding the clutch down for extended periods with the engine running that wears them I believe.

 

I also wonder if this device would have any affect on cruise control? If it's tricking the car into thinking the clutch is pressed then sure cruise control will not engage.

As above, people who keep their car in gear at traffic lights and such are wearing out the thrust bearing faster than just pressing the clutch to start.

I don't know about you but the vast majority of my clutch depressions would be while on the move and changing gears.

Starting clutch depressions would be a very small percentage

I was taught to always start my car with the clutch depressed anyway...? reduced risk of the car leaping forward if left in gear and reduces strain on the starter not having to pull to whole gearbox around with it.

 

I'll give that plug a miss I think

Same here

One of my previous Skoda's required me to push the clutch before starting the engine but I didn't realise it was a feature for a few months after buying it as I did it every time anyway!

Thanks for the input guys

Total BS and also miss selling. How the Hell can the crank and engine block be toast if the thrust release bearing was to fail. Just another clown selling snake oil.

I was taught to always start my car with the clutch depressed anyway...? reduced risk of the car leaping forward if left in gear and reduces strain on the starter not having to pull to whole gearbox around with it.

 

I'll give that plug a miss I think

+2

One of my previous Skoda's required me to push the clutch before starting the engine but I didn't realise it was a feature for a few months after buying it as I did it every time anyway!

Indeed, id had mine several months before I read on here it was a feature!

Suspicious about this. And also is the 'clutch down to start' system not inextricably linked to the auto stop/start? I had always presumed this to be the case.

 

As mentioned above it also has a safety benefit. And I too was always taught to start the ignition with the clutch down, so I've always done it as a matter of course.

I was taught to always start my car with the clutch depressed anyway...? reduced risk of the car leaping forward if left in gear and reduces strain on the starter not having to pull to whole gearbox around with it.

 

I'll give that plug a miss I think

Same here, maybe its my age, but I learnt on secondhand cars built in 1970s, when batteries were weaker and you had manual chokes, pressing the clutch to help engine turn easier was normal.  Even when warm you always depressed the clutch to avoid any problems as parking in gear was also a commonly done thing in days when handbrakes could be iffy.

Edited 6 August, 20169 yr by SurreyJohn

parking in gear was also a commonly done thing in days when handbrakes could be iffy.

Things don't seem have have changed very much. :-(

As Moggytech says. What a load of sh...

I haven't heard anything within the dealer network.

Agree with others I never knew you had to depress the clutch for months as I was taught to depress the clutch before you start the engine.  

Total BS and also miss selling. How the Hell can the crank and engine block be toast if the thrust release bearing was to fail. Just another clown selling snake oil.

I presume he is referring to the crankshaft thrust bearing not the clutch release bearing.

But still don't think they wear that much other than when you sit on the clutch constantly. As you are pushing the clutch diaphragm into the flywheel which is pushing the crankshaft and it's the thrust bearing that takes the load

Edited 7 August, 20169 yr by V6Jules

Hi all. This is my product. Just stumbled across this page, so will reply to some of the comments.

 

I think I would be more worried of a child turning the key and managing to start the car, than thrust bearing wear, or washer as they have referred to it. Thrust bearing wear is not an issue I have heard of on VAG cars or, or in act any other manufacturer that use this safety method to prevent unintended engine starting.
Oh and charging £22 to short out a switch is taking the pee.

The connector housings, terminals, seals, loom tape etc cost me £16 per unit. Postage is then another £2.06. So I make about £5 per unit...hardly taking the pee. Infact, a large proportion of people who have bought them have said they are surprised they aren't more expensive!
 

 

As above... it's always good practice to start any manual car with the clutch depressed.

 

It's usually holding the clutch down for extended periods with the engine running that wears them I believe.

 

I also wonder if this device would have any affect on cruise control? If it's tricking the car into thinking the clutch is pressed then sure cruise control will not engage.

 

It has no effect on cruise control. The "normal" clutch functions (cruise control deactivation, stopping over-rev on gear change etc) and the starter interlock are on 2 separate circuits. 

 

Total BS and also miss selling. How the Hell can the crank and engine block be toast if the thrust release bearing was to fail. Just another clown selling snake oil.

It's not BS or miss-selling. When the crank wears the thrust washer, the crank is damaged beyond repair, and also damages the main bearing caps. Sounds like you're thinking of t the clutch release bearing, which is something entirely different.

 

Suspicious about this. And also is the 'clutch down to start' system not inextricably linked to the auto stop/start? I had always presumed this to be the case.

 

As mentioned above it also has a safety benefit. And I too was always taught to start the ignition with the clutch down, so I've always done it as a matter of course.

Unfortunately this doesn't work on cars with start/stop technology, as you have correctly identified. 


I have sold 95 of these so far. They have gone all over the UK, USA, Singapore, Austrailia, Ireland, Germany and France. They have been sold to varying degrees of owners, including several tuners and engine builders, who have bought large batches of them to sell on. They have been fitted to Mk5 Golf's, Mk6 Golf's, Scirocco's, A3's, S3's, TTS's, and TTRS's.

They are certainly not snake oil. If they were, I wouldn't have had so much success, and I certainly wouldn't have had the approval of well respected tuners and engine builders.

The problem arises from the initial startup of the car when there is no oil between the crank and the thrust washer. In stock cars it isn't a problem in 99% of cases, but once you fit an uprated clutch, which normally has a higher spring rate in the pressure plate, the increases the force pushing against the thrust washer, which exaggerates the wear.

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php/138689-Jetta-Clutch-crank-free-play
 

Edited 7 September, 20169 yr by georgeseamons

I was taught to always start my car with the clutch depressed anyway...? reduced risk of the car leaping forward if left in gear and reduces strain on the starter not having to pull to whole gearbox around with it.

 

I'll give that plug a miss I think

Not even slightly convinced by this. After close to 1 million miles driving manual cars...in all environments...and always dipping the clutch to start the engine, I have never suffered any of the supposed problems. Device inventor even says that 99% of stock vehicles are not affected. Sales of 95 units, apparently across the globe would not be my definition of success. Presumably this device also invalidates warranty.

 

Many many years ago a professional engineer warned me that most release bearing problems were caused by sloppy drivers who constantly rest their left foot on the clutch pedal.

 

I'll stick to my DSG, thank you.

 

I have sold 95 of these so far.

 

They have been fitted to Mk5 Golf's, Mk6 Golf's, Scirocco's, A3's, S3's, TTS's, and TTRS's.

 

In stock cars it isn't a problem in 99% of cases,

 

95 units sold hardly represents 1% of total sales of al the cars mentioned so you are appealing to a tiny minority only.

 

Having been a senior engineering manager at a major automotive consultancy, and a car driver for over 40 years, my opinion is that the supposed problem of crankshaft wear is so minimal that I do not consider it necessary to take any measures to alleviate it. Indeed, I would suggest that the risk from fitting electronics not manufactured to full automotive specifications may well constitute a greater risk. Just my $0.02

Not even slightly convinced by this. After close to 1 million miles driving manual cars...in all environments...and always dipping the clutch to start the engine, I have never suffered any of the supposed problems. Device inventor even says that 99% of stock vehicles are not affected. Sales of 95 units, apparently across the globe would not be my definition of success. Presumably this device also invalidates warranty.

 

Many many years ago a professional engineer warned me that most release bearing problems were caused by sloppy drivers who constantly rest their left foot on the clutch pedal.

 

I'll stick to my DSG, thank you.

As I keep saying, it was primarily developed for the 2L TFSI engine, which DOES have thrust washer issues (not clutch thrust bearing!). The majority of people who have inquired have modified cars (mostly through various Facebook enthusiast groups), and in the quest for more power have uprated clutches...hence the large amount of sales.

 

The rest of the people that have bought them have been people that just simply find having to push the clutch to start annoying.

It's not a problem for the majority of other cars on the road, so in your 1 million miles, it won't have ever been an issue. However, in those 1 million miles, I doubt you drove a 2L TFSI with an uprated clutch?

I appreciate its not for everybody, and I'm by no means forcing it upon anybody. However, branding it snake oil, saying its bull**** etc, just because you don't understand the issue, or haven't heard of it isn't really very fair.

As I keep saying, it was primarily developed for the 2L TFSI engine, which DOES have thrust washer issues (not clutch thrust bearing!). The majority of people who have inquired have modified cars (mostly through various Facebook enthusiast groups), and in the quest for more power have uprated clutches...hence the large amount of sales.

 

The rest of the people that have bought them have been people that just simply find having to push the clutch to start annoying.

It's not a problem for the majority of other cars on the road, so in your 1 million miles, it won't have ever been an issue. However, in those 1 million miles, I doubt you drove a 2L TFSI with an uprated clutch?

I appreciate its not for everybody, and I'm by no means forcing it upon anybody. However, branding it snake oil, saying its bull**** etc, just because you don't understand the issue, or haven't heard of it isn't really very fair.

You are, of course, correct. Uprated 2.0 TFSI engines do not figure in my logbook. As it now becomes plain that this device is aimed at uprated clutches, I withdraw my adverse comments...having no real experience on which to base those comments.

Driven some fairly hairy stuff....how about a Jaguar 3.4 engined Anglia? Wasn't that quick but didn't like corners...or not at anything over 20mph, at least, and as it was a track car that was something of a drawback. Seem to recall the whole shooting match cost us less than £100. Many many years ago. Ended its days cosying up to some Armco one wet day.