VW Golf bad idle?

[LouPee]

I have a 2002 golf se tdi it is totally standard and has 37,000 miles on the clock. For the past 4 months it has been in and out of the dealers with a recurrent problem. When sitting at traffic lights or queing in tarffic the car sometimes not always, almost vibrates and shakes, sometimes it vibrates worse than othertimes and then it might not even do it. I have a VW warranty and want to solve this problem before it runs out next March and let them foot the bill and not me. Has anyone had the same problem or can anyone give me any advice on what it could possible be. The dealers haven't got a clue. The car had a new clutch in 35,000 miles and I am sure it has done it since this. Any help would be much appreciated.

[Birt]

Having a new clutch at 35k miles is a bit suspicious. The Dual Mass Flywheel may also be damaged and could cause a vibration (as the main function of the Dual Mass Flywheel is to absorb vibration)

[LouPee]

I bought the car from a dealer who i thought i could trust, a few days after i had took it I noticed the clutch was slipping, they changed the complete clutch free of charge. The problem doesn't always happen sometimes it doesn't do it.

Could it be anything else??

[Birt]

When a garage says the have changed the complete clutch this will not include the flywheel unless they specifically mention it.

[LouPee]

Why then wouldn't I have noticed it before the old clutch was changed. I am 90% sure it didn't do it in the first 3 weeks before it was changed??

[Birt]

Its a bit difficult to be 100% certain it is the flywheel but if you look at the evidence.
1 Car Ok but clutch slipping
2 Clutch replaced now vibration apparent.

Points to problem with either the work that has been done, the parts fitted or parts that should have been fitted.
The DMF controls vibration so it makes sense that this is a prime suspect in this instance.

Has the garage felt the vibration? Does the whole car shake or is it just the pedal ? Has the garage given any indication as to what i might be?

[LouPee]

The garage have not felt the vibration, I usually take it the evening before, but when they start it the next morning it has not been doing it. You feel the vibration as though it is shaking the cabin, I have not felt vibration in the pedal or is making any other noise. I can sometimes start it in the morning and it will do it even before I press the clutch in?
The garage say I could be using crap diesel so I am trying shell diesel at the moment but still doing it. I cannot even see that the rev counter moves when the problem occurs.

[__LEE__]

ermm vw golf diesel with vibration probs...

smells like exhaust mounting rubbers to me.

[__LEE__]

If the engine was hung while they did the clutch, it is possible that they stretched the exhaust rubbers or broke the center bracket while doing the job.

[hightower]

Dose the car run ok under pressure?, And when you put your foot down dose it pull as normal, I,m asking this because it many be a few thing's I.m thinking of. I,ve you changed the diesel filter, There might be water in your filter making the car not idle right. And check your engine mounting too.

[LouPee]

When under pressure it runs normal you can only notice the problem when stationery. It pulls as normal as well. I am sure the filter was changed when I bought the car. But I will ask the questions when it goes back in.

[hightower]

Is the engine just vibirating, or the car has well?. I'm thinking it could be a fuel problem, Have your fuel pipe's and fuel pump checked. You might have a blockage in the fuel line, This can recurr sometime's. just like in petrol car's, Have you run the fuel tank low anytime. Because that can do it as well. good luck!

[LouPee]

The whole car seems to shake, you can only notice it when queuing in traffic, the car runs and accelerates fine.

[Andyvon]

Maybe an engine or gearbox mounting is loose. If the dealer changed the clutch and didn't tighten all the mountings that might explain it.

LouPee, it might be worth asking someone to check all the engine and gearbox mountings are tight - and actually all there! If one was missing or loose then it might not show when the engine was under load as the driving would take up the slack. The engine might vibrate badly though when it was just ticking over.