Clutch kit.. Older mature driver...average life of 1986 944 clutch??Am I due?? Thanks in advance..Cartervs

 

Depends on whether its a rubber centered or spring centered clutch

If its a rubber centered clutch, then I think 40k is not completely out of the norm, but it strikes me as a bit low.

If the problem is that there's no resistance in the pedal any more, I'd check the master and slave cylinders first. When my clutch ate it, the pedal felt fine, but I couldn't rev the car in gear past 3k rpm

 

Check/replace the master/slaves (should have been done during the clutch job).

I got over 130k miles on the turbo clutch, and it still didn't need to be done, but I was in there replacing the rear main seal and decided to do it "while I was in there".

On my S2, with the rubber centered clutch, the rubber center failed at about 110k miles, the friction surface was still great, lots left.

 

Am I missing something.... Adjust the freeplay if there is none!
Are there any other problems, slipping, clunking, etc?
If not, then just make the adjustment and kep driving.

 

If you're asking if the clutch is due for replacement after 40k miles, then you're asking the wrong question. A clutch's lifespan varies greatly depending on how the driver operates it. You're supposed to just keep using it until it starts slipping badly.

If you ever experience problems or issues in the pedal, then address the hydraulics (master cylinder, slave cylinder, hose) and/or bleeding. But the same advice applies here: just keep using it until a problem arises.

To give you a rough idea of the clutch robustness, there are people on this site with over 250k miles on their original clutches!

 

Speaking of replacing clutches... sure I may be one of the people with over 200k miles on my original rubber centered clutch, but what is the lifespan of an aftermarket one? Or an oem replacement? I assume if its an oem replacement rubber centered one, it could in theory last just as long?
sorry for the hijack!

 

On the rubber center clutch, the rubber part will fail long before the friction disk.

The factory replacement clutches were all superseded by the spring centered clutch from the 951. Those last even longer than the NA clutches!

I can't comment on aftermarket clutches - never tried one.