Keep trying to use the clutch (car on or off, doesn't matter). If it starts sticking to the floor or gets worse and worse, it's the hydraulics.

I'd check the condition of the rubber fluid hose that runs the down the firewall into the clutch slave. If it feels wet or you see bulging, it's time to replace. It's only 20 bucks new from pelican. If that seems in good shape (at that price I'd replace it anyway), I'd look at the clutch master. Pull it, remove the circlip and check the bore for rust or gouges and check the rubber seals. New one isn't too expensive (50 bucks maybe?). Replace the blue hose while you're at it (3 bucks from paragon). If that doesn't fix it, then it's time to investigate the clutch =(

Bleeding the clutch system is tough. Here's my method that I've had good success with on my 928 and on my friend's 951.

1) Fill the reservoir full with brake fluid.
2) Wash the nastiness that is brake fluid off your hands and have a beer, giving the system ample time to percolate air up through gravity
3) Hook up a vacuum bleeder to the bleeder valve and get a good batch of air out.
4) Top off reservoir
5) unbolt clutch slave and give the rod a good push to dislodge air bubbles into the reservoir
6) If you've got a speed bleeder valve on the clutch slave, you can open and give another shove
7) Hook the vacuum bleeder back up and while you have vacuum, have an assistant put the clutch to the floor. You should see a big batch of fizzy fluid. Repeat until there's no more fizz, being careful to keep the reservoir at max.

 

Also - as a way to test whether it's the hydraulics

Watch the inspection hole, have an assistant slowly push the clutch, stopping at each quarter-way point and announcing it (1/4 way down, 1/2 way down, 3/4 down, to the floor). If the clutch slave moves out continuously, then investigate the hydraulics first. If it hits a certain point and then stops moving, doesn't begin to move until the pedal is most of the way down, or doesn't move at all, it's the clutch binding.

There should be 15-18mm of movement. It's tough to get anything up there to measure - I used a small L-square.

 

ben z, ive never seen you around! we should meet up some time (when my car actually moves)!

btw i just remembered that im getting 700 bucks back in taxes this year. looks like thats gonna fund my clutch.

ben allison, ill check what you recommend tomorrow

 

Ben has a good description of troubleshooting the problem. If the hydraulics are working here is a picture of the problem. The small springs fall out and jamb the works, so the clutch will never disengage.

http://forums.rennlist.com/upload/da...lutch_disc.jpg

 

* UPDATE * UPDATE * UPDATE * UPDATE *

it works!!!!! wtf????? after letting it cool down i went back a few hours later and it works like normal again. normal for my car, not normal for a clutch. its still slightly fussy going into first and reverse, but it does it.

 

somebodys gotta have an idea of what can be wrong........

 

If the hyraulics are good it is a bad clutch disc. The spring that was jambed in there fell out and things will work again for awhile. With enough movement of the pressure plate, you can get lucky and the springs fall out.

The picture I posted was from a friend's '89 951 with ~50k miles, and he had exactly the same symptoms. Worky, no worky. We bled the hydraulics once and it started working again, but then a month later the cluch was stuck. Then we held the clutch pedal to the floor and started stopped the engine trying to dislodge it. He did not drive the car much, so I thought the disc was frozen to the flywheel. We got it unstuck again, but then with more driving it locked up totally.

 

3 hours of labor and $125 bucks of parts (clutch hydraulics) is much better than 20 hours of labor and $600 bucks of parts (clutch kit) =) Please test the hydraulic system before thinking about replacing the clutch.

Overnight the system may have "gravity bled" out any air that came in from last time (yes, it does this). If the slave cylinder-to-clutch arm mechanism has the full 15-18mm of travel, or binds at some point in the travel, then it's time to bite the bullet and pull the clutch.

 

Remember to check the clutch fork while you're in there. If the ears on it are bent, they won't engage the TO bearing properly, making you think the rest of the clutch is toast even if the rest of it is OK.

Scott-
Thanks for the arms, bolted them on and I'm now back on the hunt for that elusive parts car. Had a great time with you guys last week.