there goes my dad's clutch.....
06-04-2004 | 05:41 PM
#1
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Campeck Rulez
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From: Woodstock, GA
there goes my dad's clutch.....
well...After coming from a metal works place with my newly rebuilt head there is a big, wide intersection.....My dad decided to make a run across it at moderatly high speed when shifting out of first there is a crunch sound and alot of rattlin....then he tries second the car wont move...third, dead....
fourth, dead.....so we pulled into the nearest CVS and parked...after 2 min...we backed up..everything sounded ok and then on putting it in first the car went for 3 feet at 1,200 rpm before the rumbling and crunching sound came again and the car stopped moving.
(wow, long sentence)
Anyway we had to get towed home and here wqe are going to get my grandparents.......HONDA
untill my car is done and he can drive it...
SOOOooooo....the clutch is dead and mine is on the way to being dead....
stupid 18 yr old cars!!!! why do we love them so much???
Im out,
Ashton
fourth, dead.....so we pulled into the nearest CVS and parked...after 2 min...we backed up..everything sounded ok and then on putting it in first the car went for 3 feet at 1,200 rpm before the rumbling and crunching sound came again and the car stopped moving.
(wow, long sentence)
Anyway we had to get towed home and here wqe are going to get my grandparents.......HONDA
untill my car is done and he can drive it...SOOOooooo....the clutch is dead and mine is on the way to being dead....
stupid 18 yr old cars!!!! why do we love them so much???
Im out,
Ashton
06-04-2004 | 06:04 PM
#3
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My trans came apart and made that same noise, 3 times. Hope it is a clutch instead (though at about the same price the trans is MUCH easier to replace.
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06-04-2004 | 06:33 PM
#6
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From: Dayton, Ohio
Re: there goes my dad's clutch.....
Originally posted by Campeck
..the clutch is dead and mine is on the way to being dead....
..the clutch is dead and mine is on the way to being dead....
06-04-2004 | 06:54 PM
#7
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From: Milwaukee, WI
StoogeMoe: My Civic's still on it's original clutch at 176k. I was thinking it had to be near the end, but you give me hope!
The 944 is much more fun to drive, but you can't beat the Hondas for reliability. Though come to think of it, it has 120,000 on it's original rubber center clutch.
The 944 is much more fun to drive, but you can't beat the Hondas for reliability. Though come to think of it, it has 120,000 on it's original rubber center clutch.
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06-04-2004 | 07:31 PM
#11
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From: California
Originally posted by Dan87951
My first 944 turbo clutch lasted until 172k miles, how are you guys driving your cars? How your drive them depends alot on clutch life.
My first 944 turbo clutch lasted until 172k miles, how are you guys driving your cars? How your drive them depends alot on clutch life.
My car had the original clutch up to 223k miles!!! Of course it looked like hell, but it still worked for so long. Previous owner was an old guy, so maybe thats why. It was changed with the original one that came on the 66k engine later on.
06-05-2004 | 02:54 AM
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From: Virtually Everywhere...
Originally posted by Billy W
Sounds more like a ring and pinion
Sounds more like a ring and pinion
CRUNCH!!!
Let me guess. You just took off from the line or shifted into 2nd and heard a loud bang and then experienced a sudden loss of power. Engine is still running fine - Transmission appears to shift okay - Clutch feels right - but, it just won't go anywhere in any gear and if it does it sounds like a box of rocks. I hate that I know this... ad nauseam.
The ring and pinion is basically what transfers transmission driving forces to the differential - open or limited slip, makes no difference. The Audi transaxle our car's use is historically prone to R&P failure. There are many opinions why - the most accepted and realistic is that they simply wear out. Improper shimming for preload of the R&P during rebuild is also a major contributor to R&P failure.
It is very important that you DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE once something like this has happened. If it is the R&P, and you stopped immediately, you may not have any more damage than just to the R&P. If you continue to work the gears it can cause broken pieces to circulate through the transmission leading to even more damage.
Inspection
There are some other things that can cause a loss of driving power. The clutch, central shaft and drive shafts can all cause similar problems. If you suspect it's the ring and pinion, drain the transaxle to check for pieces. It's not hard to tell - here's what it may look like:
If you see this, pull the differential cover to inspect the damage:
- Ensure fluid is drained completely
- Remove right-side driveshaft
- Remove right-side output shaft
- Remove differential cover
What you find should look similar to this (open differential):
What Next?
The 944 transaxle is neither cheap to replace nor affordable to repair. Most folks go with a used unit for anywhere from $200-$1500 depending on condition, mileage and options (LSD, oil cooler). The standard 83-85.1 or 85.5-89 transaxle should go fo no more than $500-700. Don't even bother with a transaxle that you cannot verify yourself or at least have an impartial inspection done on - possible exceptions for very trusted sources. There are simply too many failed or failing units out there to make this anything close to a safe bet. If you choose to rebuild, get ready for a minimum of $1000 to a not-so-unlikely $2000. They're not easy to do and they are not very popular - a replacement R&P alone runs about $500.
What can I do to prevent this?
Well, as someone on Rennlist once pointed out, you could not drive the car. Yeah, me neither. If rebuilding or getting a rebuild, be sure the preload on the R&P is 100% correct (per factory manuals). Most of all, try not to take off too fast and keep your shifts smooth. Autocross is probably the hardest on the ring and pinion with the sudden starts, quick shifts and high load edge-of-control driving you absolutely must do to win. Find the happy medium, or, pay the piper.
Doom and gloom?
Maybe. I am truly sorry if this happens to you, too. But hey, it's better than a spun rod bearing! Oh, why did I have to bring up that painful memory. "And, for my next trick..."
Good Luck!
Let me guess. You just took off from the line or shifted into 2nd and heard a loud bang and then experienced a sudden loss of power. Engine is still running fine - Transmission appears to shift okay - Clutch feels right - but, it just won't go anywhere in any gear and if it does it sounds like a box of rocks. I hate that I know this... ad nauseam.
The ring and pinion is basically what transfers transmission driving forces to the differential - open or limited slip, makes no difference. The Audi transaxle our car's use is historically prone to R&P failure. There are many opinions why - the most accepted and realistic is that they simply wear out. Improper shimming for preload of the R&P during rebuild is also a major contributor to R&P failure.
It is very important that you DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE once something like this has happened. If it is the R&P, and you stopped immediately, you may not have any more damage than just to the R&P. If you continue to work the gears it can cause broken pieces to circulate through the transmission leading to even more damage.
Inspection
There are some other things that can cause a loss of driving power. The clutch, central shaft and drive shafts can all cause similar problems. If you suspect it's the ring and pinion, drain the transaxle to check for pieces. It's not hard to tell - here's what it may look like:
If you see this, pull the differential cover to inspect the damage:
- Ensure fluid is drained completely
- Remove right-side driveshaft
- Remove right-side output shaft
- Remove differential cover
What you find should look similar to this (open differential):
What Next?
The 944 transaxle is neither cheap to replace nor affordable to repair. Most folks go with a used unit for anywhere from $200-$1500 depending on condition, mileage and options (LSD, oil cooler). The standard 83-85.1 or 85.5-89 transaxle should go fo no more than $500-700. Don't even bother with a transaxle that you cannot verify yourself or at least have an impartial inspection done on - possible exceptions for very trusted sources. There are simply too many failed or failing units out there to make this anything close to a safe bet. If you choose to rebuild, get ready for a minimum of $1000 to a not-so-unlikely $2000. They're not easy to do and they are not very popular - a replacement R&P alone runs about $500.
What can I do to prevent this?
Well, as someone on Rennlist once pointed out, you could not drive the car. Yeah, me neither. If rebuilding or getting a rebuild, be sure the preload on the R&P is 100% correct (per factory manuals). Most of all, try not to take off too fast and keep your shifts smooth. Autocross is probably the hardest on the ring and pinion with the sudden starts, quick shifts and high load edge-of-control driving you absolutely must do to win. Find the happy medium, or, pay the piper.
Doom and gloom?
Maybe. I am truly sorry if this happens to you, too. But hey, it's better than a spun rod bearing! Oh, why did I have to bring up that painful memory. "And, for my next trick..."
Good Luck!