Why do cupra clutches fail so soon ?

[ZiggyEP3]

Just puzzled how my clutch could be failing and its not even got 56k on the clock. Yes it was an Ex SEAT press car so would have some abuse before I got it but surely they should last a bit longer than 56k and it started to show signs of going at 47k slipping with stock power.

Do SEAT just make them on the cheap and sell at the high price ?

 

[mike0105]

All depends on how it's has been driven. Like you say, it may have been badly abused. You can kill clutches very quickly if you try...

 

[MJ]

Never really seen a trend in them failing. The s3's on the other hand chew them up for fun.

 

[Guncha]

Mine have 120k km on the clock + Stage 1 is for 30k km and it started slipping only in 4th and 5th gear.
I changed OEM cluth and went for Sachs sintered+LUK DMF

 

[traumapat]

62k here and no problems.

 

[ZiggyEP3]

Thinking my car had a harder life before me than i thought

If its been driven lots like this video which just happens to be my car in the video then I'm not surprised my clutch in knackered.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xN1JX2z52I

 

[DaveysFR]

Was running stage 2 since about 30k and now have 85k on my 07 cupra. No clutch slip etc. Oil pump failed meaning need full bottom end rebuild, turbo reconned, new oil pump etc.

Point is, pulled the engine out and the clutch plate still has a bit of life in it yet. Fitting new clutch and flywheel now though as have the whole thing apart.

Not a hard driver so maybe that's why mines has lasted me this long

 

[TidzaCupra]

My clutch started slipping at around 40k with stage 1, only for a month or two however. Covered 10k since and not slipped at all...

 

[Crafoo]

Mine began to fail around 50k

 

[Richoscos]

54k, '11 plate: clutch still feels strong - no hint of slip, but pedal has started vibrating when pulling away, heavier when cold.

 

[G19RJS]

Got a 2011 62,000 no probs as yet with clutch does the school runs mainly


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[Richoscos]

Yeah, mines my daily so I'm really careful with it: warming it up properly, idling before shutdown, and only once in a blue moon will I launch it and only to get in a gap in a traffic. I also rev match downshifts when I can and don't floor it at low revs or in high gears.

 

[ZiggyEP3]

Noticed from posts it is tending to be the R's that have the clutch going sooner. I know they don't come with shed loads more power but they use the same clutch so will wear sooner I would think.

Must get the hang of rev matching as i like the idea of it. Tried it a bit but I only have when nobody is watching me so i don't look like a right spanner who cant drive at all

 

[Richoscos]

Good spot mate. It's only 25 more horse powers (supposedly) more than the Cupra, but that might be the defining factor.

I've been rev matching for years and still get it wrong occasionally. The air con might be on for example so revs drop quicker. Even if you get it right a few times out of 10, then you're increasing the life of the clutch. Block shift as well if you don't already and, if you can't rev match, change down when current revs are as close to idle as possible. There's loads you can do to increase clutch life.

 

[traumapat]

Noticed from posts it is tending to be the R's that have the clutch going sooner. I know they don't come with shed loads more power but they use the same clutch so will wear sooner I would think.

Must get the hang of rev matching as i like the idea of it. Tried it a bit but I only have when nobody is watching me so i don't look like a right spanner who cant drive at all

I wouldnt take much notice. I ran a very modified MK1 on its original 10 year old clutch when others were seeing clutches fail on far less power and age. I think its a luck of the draw/driving style thing.

 

[Crafoo]

I think the main thing that kills these clutches is being sat in 6th at low revs and then burying the throttle rather than dropping a few cogs. Because they seem to be able to shovel along in pretty much any gear I think people can become lazy and this can obviously seriously shorten the life of the clutch.

 

[Richoscos]

I think the main thing that kills these clutches is being sat in 6th at low revs and then burying the throttle rather than dropping a few cogs. Because they seem to be able to shovel along in pretty much any gear I think people can become lazy and this can obviously seriously shorten the life of the clutch.

Agree with you here, mate. Chugging in high gear and low revs seem to hurt clutches more than people realise. The hidden evil of having a few torques!