Spec 07-08 VW EOS/06-08 GTI MKV/Jetta V Stage 1 Clutch Kit

The SPEC SV871-2 is the Stage 1 kit in SPEC's non-ratcheting clutch family for the 2.0T Volkswagens with the six-speed manual, listed here for the 2006-2008 GTI Mk V, the Jetta V 2.0T and the 2007-2008 Eos. Most people looking at it have a GTI or Jetta with a worn clutch and a rattling dual-mass flywheel, a mild tune at most, and a plan to switch to a single-mass flywheel while the gearbox is out. Stage 1 is the entry point: more holding power than a tired stock clutch, with the easiest pedal and smoothest takeup in the SPEC lineup for these cars.

What the Stage 1 clutch does in a 2.0T six-speed

Volkswagen fitted these cars with a self-adjusting pressure plate on a dual-mass flywheel. The self-adjuster ratchets the plate as the disc wears, and the dual-mass flywheel carries the springs that damp engine pulses. SPEC's -2 kits drop the ratcheting adjuster for a fixed, consistent clamp load and are designed to run on SPEC billet single-mass flywheels, the SV87S steel or SV87A aluminum. SPEC rates the SV871-2 at 350 ft-lb of torque capacity. On the same application chart the Stage 2 SV872-2 is rated 411 ft-lb, Stage 2+ SV873H-2 456 ft-lb, and Stage 3 SV873-2 517 ft-lb, so Stage 1 is the right pick when the goal is reliable daily driving on a stock or lightly tuned engine rather than big boost.

Symptoms that bring Mk V owners here

• Revs rise without acceleration in fourth or fifth when the turbo comes on
• Knocking or rattling at idle that quiets when the pedal is pressed, typical of a worn dual-mass flywheel
• Judder pulling away in first or reverse
• Pedal engagement creeping higher as the disc wears thin
• A sinking or inconsistent pedal, which often points to the concentric slave cylinder rather than the clutch
• Burning smell after stop-and-go traffic on a hill

Clutch slip does not set a stored fault code, so plan on a road test and visual checks.

How to confirm before you buy

Hold fourth gear at about 2,500 rpm and apply full throttle with the engine warm. A tach needle that moves faster than the speedometer means the clutch is slipping. Listen at idle in neutral for the dual-mass flywheel rattle, and check the shared brake and clutch reservoir level. Oil at the bellhousing seam means a seal must be fixed during the job or it will contaminate the new disc. Our slipping diagnosis guide lays out the test drive step by step, and shift flare vs slip helps rule out other causes.

Fitment

This listing covers the 2006-2008 GTI Mk V, the Jetta V 2.0T six-speed and the 2007-2008 Eos 2.0T. SPEC's application list for SV871-2 is broader: GTI Mk V 2006-2009, Jetta V 2.0T 6-speed 2006-2013, Eos 2.0TFSI 2007-2009, plus the Audi A3 2.0T, GTI Mk VI and several other 2.0T models, all in the billet single-mass flywheel configuration. Do not install it on the factory dual-mass flywheel; SPEC sells a different kit series for cars that keep the OE flywheel. Engine codes and gearboxes changed over these years, so send us your year and VIN if you are unsure. If you have a bigger tune, step up to the SPEC SV872-2 Stage 2 or the SV873H-2 Stage 2+.

Install notes

• Order the SPEC billet single-mass flywheel with this kit and torque the flywheel bolts with new hardware.
• SPEC sells the concentric hydraulic release bearing and slave assembly separately for the GTI Mk V. Replace it while the transmission is out if it is original or damp.
• Center the disc with an alignment tool set and draw the pressure plate down evenly, a little at a time, in a crisscross order.
• Use a very light coat of high-temperature grease on the input shaft splines only.
• Bleed with fresh DOT 4 brake fluid from the shared reservoir; a vacuum bleeder helps clear air from the concentric slave.
• Drive normally for the first few hundred miles so the disc and flywheel bed in before any hard launches.

Does SV871-2 work with the stock dual-mass flywheel?

No. SPEC designs SV871-2 for its billet single-mass flywheels, SV87S steel or SV87A aluminum. Cars keeping the OE dual-mass flywheel need a different SPEC kit series.

How much torque will the Stage 1 hold?

SPEC rates SV871-2 at 350 ft-lb. If your tune makes more than that, look at Stage 2 SV872-2 at 411 ft-lb or Stage 2+ SV873H-2 at 456 ft-lb.

Will it fit a 2009 GTI or a later Jetta 2.0T?

SPEC lists SV871-2 for the GTI Mk V through 2009 and the Jetta V 2.0T 6-speed through 2013, in the single-mass flywheel setup. Our listing names 2006-2008, so send your VIN and we will confirm.

Is the release bearing included?

SPEC sells the concentric hydraulic release bearing and slave assembly as a separate item for these cars. Replace it during the clutch job if it is original or leaking.

Why do the SPEC -2 kits need a new flywheel?

The factory pressure plate self-adjusts with a ratcheting mechanism and runs on a dual-mass flywheel. SPEC's non-ratcheting kits use a fixed clamp load and are matched to SPEC's own single-mass flywheels.

• Transmission Slipping Diagnosis Guide
• Shift Flare vs. Slip: How to Tell the Difference
• Automatic vs. Manual Transmission Repair Cost