Time for a clutch, Questions!!

So I have now been a porsche owner for 3 months and my 28k miles 996 now needs a clutch! Funny thing is i bought this car so I could have a nice sports car and not turn wrenches on it like I do my high HP 3rd gen rx7. So the plan is not working out!!! I am considering doing the clutch job myself since I have done many before and can not think to pay $2000+ for it. My question is what all should I replace while doing this? (Disk, pressure plate, throw out bearing, RMS, ??) How big of a job is it? Were can i get a shop book or disk to help out? What brand clutch? Thanks in advance!!

anyone? 47 views!

Can't help with the clutch repair, but why, per se, did it fail in just 28k miles? Do you track this car? Do you heel/toe shift? Maybe the prior owner wasn't to great a driver? seems WAY too soon.

make sure you get a porsche OEM clutch kit... stay away from the SACHS aftermarket porsche clutch kits.... unless they are the performance clutch kits that is... Porsche OEM is very very good.

Clutch assemblies will easily give 100K+ miles of use unless the car is abused.

I disagree entirely unless you spend a lot of time driving on highways and parkways and country roads free of traffic lights and stop and go traffic. Here in NYC, the service guys at Pepe told me that they see guys come in with clutches that need to be changed as early as 30k miles because traffic is so awful in these parts. Plus, driving in the city as I do and stopping every few blocks, I'll be amazed, nay awed, if I get 100k before my clutch repair. As is, I have 16k miles and no probs as yet.

Driving a manual transmission car in an urban environment just takes skill and finesse. While a clutch may only last 80K-100K miles in an urban setting, anything less is a reflection on the operators abilities, not the capabilities of the hardware.

I think it has more to do with usage. If you drive 50 miles to work and depress the clutch 10 times, and I drive 5 miles to a restaurant, and depress the clutch 20 times, I'm going to go through my clutch before you...all things being equal. I've been in a lot of cities, but there's nothing like New York City when it comes to tons of grids and lights. Not even Bos, Chi, or SF come close. Come hang out with me in midtown one day after work; I'll show you what I mean. You might depress the clutch 5 times just to move a block (1/20th of a mile).

Too bad you can't buy clutch insurance.

I have to agree with Orient Express here - my '76 911S clutch went 138,000 and that included a fairly large number of trips to Texas World Speedway. My '74 914 clutch was still going strong at 110,000 miles when I sold the car and it was primarily an autocross car. I expect my 996 clutch to at least 100,000 miles.

+1 on my last car (saab) 145K on original clutch when I sold it. NYC car.

+1 It's so easy to blame it on the car's engineering for issues and never the nut behind the wheel.

You guys are missing the point. In autocross, you are in gear, clutch in, clutch out, in gear. And how many times are you hitting it hard like that a month? Every weekend as most? That's 4 times a month. Try hitting your clutch hard every single day on city streets. Not commuting outside the city. But in it and into it. At very low speeds. Here's what traffic is like: clutch in, roll on throttle, clutch in, roll on throttle, clutch in, roll on throttle, over and over and over again. Going fast enough to stay in first gear without clutch is a blessing. Even stopping is a blessing. Anyway, I'm not stating that's it's not possible to go far on the clutch; rather, I was stating that it really depends on how you're using the clutch. Racing, autocrossing and highway driving is mostly an off clutch experience. Traffic in metro areas is more of a very slow, painful, constantly clutch-slipping experience. In fairness, I don't see too many Porsches commuting in vicious traffic. People must be driving their second cars and saving the Pcars for faster flowing drives. Here in New York, that's anytime between 730p and 630am.

This does bring up a relatively important (but supposedly well understood) question: Are the following maneuvers good or bad for the clutch? 1. Take your foot off instantly ( aka burn rubber) ..... Good / Bad ? 2. Take your foot off gently and give sufficient gas so as to not stall ..... Good / Bad ? 3. Rev match to previous gear while upshifting/downshifting ..... Good / Bad ? 4. "Holding" the car uphill (preventing it from rolling back), by releasing the clutch halfway ..... Good / Bad ?

Try www.WorkshopManuals.co.uk I have a pdf file of the 911 Carrera(996). Section includes Removing and installing transmission. I can e-mail the pdf if you can't find it. "996 Group 3 Transmission-Manual.pdf" . There are also P Boxer manuls that are closed to the 996 remove/install. 2000 Porsche 996 C2 Cab Eibach springs. Short shifter B&M. Fabspeed Exhaust. Headers Agency Power Rear Adj. Control Arms, OBC Switch, MP3 Wired, 280 30 x 18 Pilot Rib, 997 Air Box, Red Silicon Intake Airbag Deactivation

+1

That requires anyone that has a clutch replaced at less than 100K miles to be restricted to driving automatics only!

1. Bad, can glaze the clutch 2. Good 3. In between, uneeded unless racing 4. Bad, one of the biggest reasons people kill clutches, that is what the brakes are for

From Art's Automotive : The average life for a clutch is about 90,000 miles, but a clutch's life is greatly affected by a number of factors. How you drive is one factor. If you ride the clutch (leave your foot on the pedal all the time), drive fast, or leave the clutch partially depressed for a long time when taking off, then the clutch will wear out faster. If you drive in a hilly area or in stop and go traffic the clutch will also wear faster. The clutch can also fail prematurely if the transmission input shaft leaks oil onto the clutch disc. A second clutch's life will likely be shorter than the first if the pressure plate is not replaced or the flywheel is not machined.

Yes, please! Email me the pdf file! [email removed] Thanks a ton! I do not have much history on the car. It had a couple past owners and was NOT bought from a porsche dealership. I did have the car taken to my local porsche dealership and had them go over it and give me anything that needed done. I have put maybe 2k on the car. I do drive my cars hard. I have never babied any of them (sports cars). I do tend to ride the clutch, I know bad habit but my rx7 has a race clutch that I have to slip in order not to break my neck and i guess thats were it came from. Now if you guys think it is best to let the dealership do it tell me as I can afford it but just hate paying for something I can do..

I also must say from reading up on clutchs in the 6spd forum I came upon many replacing them in the 30k range.

Posters to 6sp do not tend to represent individuals with normal driving habits.

bad neutral neutral very very bad (nothing is "good" for a clutch)

Very true, except if you are aimed downhill. Release the brake, coast a bit, rev match idle, and release clutch.

Phil G. has has figured out a "good" thing for the clutch which causes no clutch wear... he dosen't drive the car!

My question is what all should I replace while doing this? (Disk, pressure plate, throw out bearing, RMS, ??) How big of a job is it? Were can i get a shop book or disk to help out? What brand clutch? Thanks in advance!!

porsche OEM... unless you want to buy a performance clutch package which is a LOT more expensive!

That is strange, because I have driven my 03 Targa to NYC for 3 years now. Almost 3 times a week and 54K miles later, my clutch is fine, I also Track the black beauty, now I am confused....

how many times do you drop your clutch, ride your clutch and spin your wheels?

I hear you mate. I'm not saying it's impossible, just harder. Moreover, remember that you're driving TO New York. That means you get highway time. Think about it like this: one guy drives 3000 miles on the highway but shifting up to 6th gear once and staying their the entire way. Another guy sits in midtown traffic for 3000 miles shifting infinitely. Who's clutch has more wear? I guess the key is to drive out of the city on parkways only, but my 911 isn't a garage queen. Holy ****! This could be my problem! So are you saying that this isn't good?

Tim...I know what you mean now

First clutch, 21K. big hills, many clutch pressing and spirited driving. Clutch is a wear part, no harm done to the car, just enjoy!

Yeah, and I try to take every opportunity I can find to jab him about it, too!

so is SACHS oem or not?

If your clutch last 100k, I think you drive like a P$#@%. But seriously I don't know how someone can compare the clutch on a low hp/torque car with one with much more. I have a brand new clutch sitting in the garage and there isn't that much pad material to begin with. When I get home I'll check the mfg. name. Btw, the turbo rx7 transmission has the same splines on the input shaft. The pilot alignmnment tool may fit.

Ok, So I have found anew local performance shop to do the job. They have worked on Porsche before. Said they did a GT2 a few months back. Anyway he quoted me $1100 for a Spec stage 2 (kevlar) clutch kit and labor! I can buy the clutch kit for $650 so they are basically charging me 450 for labor and he said they will hire a certified Porsche tech to over see it. ???