[harsh_ride]

When she was in getting the belts done, Rob at Dutch Treat noted the clutch was well worn (at 96K and the original clutch, I expected nothing less). It was next on my to-do list (I dropped off and picked up the car from Dutch Treat today, where they replaced the leaking high pressure hose on the power steering).



Impatient to be made 100% worry free and whole, the car forced the issue, popping the clutch on El Segundo Blvd. early this evening. All of a sudden, the clutch pedal went straight to the floor and she wouldn't go into gear, exactly the failure Bob told me to expect "within the next thousand miles or so." (About 175 miles ago.)



How many hours of labor is involved in a straightforward clutch swap? I'll go with his judgment as to parts (DMF, etc), just trying to get a feel for how much blood I'll have to cull from the ole' turnip-wallet.



The upside: The company just (before the clutch went out) offered to lease for my use (an executive perk) a 987 ragtop or stripped down Cayman. May take them up on that, and reserve the 968 for more enjoyable duties (wine tasting trips, etc)...

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[SILVY968]

SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE CLUTCH. THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR PROBLEM IS PROBABLY THE HOSE BETWEEN THE MASTER CLUTCH CYLINDER AND THE SLAVE.

YOU SHOULD REPLACE THE HOSE WITH THE BRAIDED STAINLESS STEEL LINE FROM PETE AT RS BARN. WHILE YOU ARE AT IT I WOULD REPLACE BOTH OF THE CYLINDERS, THEY ARE JUST AS OLD AND WILL PROBABLY GO IF YOU JUST REPLACE THE LINE.

I DID MINE WHEN I REPLACED THE DM FLYWHEEL AND DISK. IT MAKES THE CLUTCH FEEL MUCH FIRMER AND TIGHTER. EXPECT $50 FOR THE LINE, $ 100 EACH FOR THE CYLINDERS, ABOUT $250 FOR THE DISK AND ABOUT $ 800 FOR THE DM. THROWOUT AND BOLTS (NEVER USE THE OLD BOLTS) WILL ADD ANOTHER $100. LABOR IS ABOUT 4 HOURS FOR THE DM/CLUTCH AND ABOUT 1-1.5 HRS FOR THE CYLINDER JOB. CHECK THE PRESSURE PLATE " WHILE YOU ARE IN THERE. YOU CAN SAVE WITH A CLUTCH KIT INSTEAD OF GETTING EACH PIECE INDIVIDUALLY.

YOU ARE LOOKING AT ABOUT $2,000 @ $100/HR LABOR.



BRIAN

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[rhudeboye]

[quote name='SILVY968' post='34964' date='May 2 2007, 07:47 PM']PROBLEM IS PROBABLY THE HOSE BETWEEN THE MASTER CLUTCH CYLINDER AND THE SLAVE.

YOU SHOULD REPLACE THE HOSE WITH THE BRAIDED STAINLESS STEEL LINE FROM PETE AT RS BARN. WHILE YOU ARE AT IT I WOULD REPLACE BOTH OF THE CYLINDERS, THEY ARE JUST AS OLD AND WILL PROBABLY GO IF YOU JUST REPLACE THE LINE.

I DID MINE WHEN I REPLACED THE DM FLYWHEEL AND DISK. IT MAKES THE CLUTCH FEEL MUCH FIRMER AND TIGHTER.



BRIAN[/quote]



Ditto.

As a reminder, use the links from this site should you choose to support the sponsors when ordering.

The hose will ship out fast possibly same day, whereas I had a 2 week wait for my cylinders.

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[harsh_ride]

I'll point the shop here for ordering.



Looks like a flywheel is $475 - $615 at Paragon; any reason not to use the lightweight flywheel?

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[Anchorman]

You've started to open Pandora's Box. Depending on how you use your car, that could be significant reasons not to use a lightweight flywheel. Noise and vibration are at least two, plus driveability. There have been threads with extensive discussion on this issue, so do some more research before you leap to the lightweight solution. You might also contact Pete at RS Barn. He has developed a flywheel that may be more to your liking without going back to the DMF.

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[SILVY968]

[quote name='harsh_ride' post='34976' date='May 3 2007, 07:07 AM']I'll point the shop here for ordering.



Looks like a flywheel is $475 - $615 at Paragon; any reason not to use the lightweight flywheel?[/quote]



Money, driveability changes and noise in the transaxle.

Search this site for LOTS on this subject.

Pete at RSBARN, a sponsor, has the lightweight flywheel. I would contact him and discuss.

Brian

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[harsh_ride]

Thanks all; I'm going to keep it stock. The dollar amount has racked up past the point where a couple of hundred bucks matters. :\ (The clutch felt fine to me, but evidently it was completely gone -- metal on metal, flywheel nothing but grooves, etc.)



It's a good thing I love this car! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> (They say "marry it or bury it," when a car gets to be about this age. We're registered at Mont Blanc and Paragon Products...)

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[harsh_ride]

The final bill (all work / parts sourced through Dutch Treat Porsche Service in Lawndale) was $2507, for basically everything clutch-related: Clutch, dual-mass flywheel, all bolts / bearings / etc., new slave cylinder and hose, etc. Complete parts list available upon request. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> He said it was the worst clutch he'd ever seen; I managed to nurse it to 96,200 before it went, and the clutch was factory original from late '93 production. The new clutch is going to take some getting used to! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[Renalicious]

Yeah, I think I will opt to do the clutch first (instead of the variocam) and fix up that oil leak in the back. It has gotten pretty bad back there <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/sad.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> Gonna call Pete tomorrow and order that flywheel, hopefully it will get here before too long.



Then I will need to get used to the new clutch as well heh, it's already different with the new clutch hydraulics <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[Renalicious]

Alright! RSbarn flywheel ordered, shop date booked! Wee! Now all I need to do is take it easy and hope that rear seal doesn't completely fall to peices before I get it fixed. No spirited driving for two weeks, doh. Anyone have a spare 968 they can lend me untill mine is fixed? <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[sguy]

Ren - If you get down to Moscow. we'll go for a drive and I'd let you have a turn. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/cool.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



Cheers, Stephen

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