User 52121

Debating whether or not to put a clutch in my car while I've got the motor out. I've already spent a good bit of cash taking care of a lot of other "while you're in there" projects. Belts, rollers, water pump, rear main seal, all the other seals and gaskets (cam/balance shaft/oil cooler housing, etc.), head gasket, rod bearings, baffled pan, new clutch hydraulics (master/slave), Lindsey steam vent kit and monster oil cooler.

Pretty sure the car has a stock clutch in it. Plenty of meat on the disc. Doesn't slip, and it grabs nice and early in the pedal travel.

Power-wise, car is mostly stock. 26/6, Welt chip, MBC @ ~12psi, 3" exhaust, TiAL wastegate.

Car is a fun weekend/summer daily driver which will see some stop and go traffic on days in the summer when I decide to drive it to work. It will be autocrossed regularly, 5-6 events a summer with two drivers (wife and I) and usually we get 8-10 runs an event per driver, so figure a good handful (~100 or so) of aggressive starts over the next year. We're also planning to pick up some DE's this year, with my wife a n00b at it so the clutch will take some abuse due to her non-rev-matched downshifts.

Stock clutch has lasted me 2 summers so far, plus whatever the previous owners used it for (and the guy I bought it off of used it religiously for track use.) Probably has at least 40k on it. Never had a hint of slippage or even clutch stink in the time I've owned it and driven it hard.

I'm really leaning towards leaving it alone, but would like input from the collective. How much abuse can these stock clutches take?

If I go with a new clutch, I have a connection to SPEC and will most likely go with one of their clutches. Was originally just thinking of their Stage 1 but am now thinking that if I do it, the Stage 2 will probably last a bit longer.

onspeed

if you can afford to change it, I would, just because amount or work/time it takes to change it when everything is back together again. At the very least, I'd say do the bearings. Pilot bearing, clutch fork bearings, and TOB if they are all stock. I ended up doing a clutch job on my car at only 35k original miles because the TOB was shot because of its age.

User 52121

Pilot bearing is shot - have a new one that's going in regardless of whether I do the clutch. TOB is in good shape. The car has 145k on it so I'm sure it's not the *original* clutch. But it's probably a stock unit.

CDH-CTT

Might be worth it to go to a better disc and leave the Pressure plate alone....but the big question is "if" the clutch does get wiped out do you want to have the car "down" just for that alone...or will there be anything else you need/want to do.....
IMO I would look for a better clutch for the track and just have the Wife get used to the NEW clutch....haha

cruise98

If it is the cup disc and has 50% or so of the thickness, leave it. If it is the stock disc with the second row of smaller springs, replace it now. That is what I would do.

pnbell

Is it the "Rubber Center" Clutch? If so; Get a new Spring Clutch in there! Especially if you plan on tracking, or autocrossing it...

The thing is,,, With the engine out it will take you like an hour to replace it... It's like 13 hour job to do otherwise..

With a Clean Engine, and New Clutch, your car should be pretty solid for a long time..

p.s. I wouldn't recommend a lighten flywheel -just based on what i have heard/read from others...

User 52121

Hmmm - I will have to take a look at the disc when I get home to see what it is.

Definitely not a rubber-centered clutch. That much I do recall - it would have jumped out at me and I wouldn't even be debating it if it were still the rubber clutch.

So far... most folks seem to think I should replace it. My wife says so as well (LOL... that doesn't happen very often....)

Decisions, decisions.

JohnKoaWood

Jim,

If it were me... I would send the clutch disk and PP to Southbend Clutch, have them reline the disk and cryo treat the PP... not too rough on price, keeps the core components you have now, but freshens them up (and makes the PP a bit higher clamping force)...

But again thats just me..

You could also just instal a cup disk and call it done...

OR

Roll the dice on the lifecycle of the compnents you have now...

it is cost vs risk, and in reality there isn't much risk if the components you have now are in good shape!

And yes, a rubber centered clutch disk would have jumped out at you as they were NEVER installed in turbos....

V2Rocket

+1 on relining if anything. got my disc remade for $90 here in socal at a dedicated clutch shop, flywheel and PP are in good shape so no worries

PorscheDoc

The question is how fast can you drop a clutch to R&R? If it isn't a big deal to you and you can knock it out pretty quick, replace the bearings, the guide tube and slap it back together. That is what I would do, but having to go in later to do a clutch isn't a big deal to me either. I tend to see more issues with the bearings going to heck before the clutches start to slip (or rubber centers failing etc in the non turbos). If you think doing a clutch from the bottom is going to be a pain for you, then definietly put in the new parts now.

Darwantae951

Is go with southbend. BTW rubber centered clutches did not come on turbos.

blown 944

I'd third southbend, but would opt for feramic material. One of those jobs you don't want to do again anytime soon imo

User 52121

Hmmm ok I will give South Bend a call later this afternoon and see what their costs are and what their turnaround time is. Hoping to get the motor back in the car in 2 weeks. Thanks for the suggestions everybody.

User 52121

*sigh*

Bit the bullet - ordered a clutch from the John @ South Bend. Based on my car and my usage he recommended a kevlar unit. Not cheap but he said it should pretty well take anything I can throw at it - dumping, slipping, burning the hell out of it.

Rather than futz with shipping my stuff out to him, then having him ship it back, I just ordered new. Screw it.

I need a drink.

I tell ya - whoever winds up buying this car off of me when I decide to sell it is going to get a hell of a car.

Darwantae951

If you don't mind me asking, how much was the kit new? You can PM me if you like.