I was driving home today and as the traffic slowed I pressed the clutch and try to down shift. Immediatly I noticed that I couldn't get it in gear at all. When I released the clutch pedal it stayed to the floor. Using my toe I pulled up on the clutch pedal and it popped back into the up position.
I pressed it again and it took almost no effort to depress and it stayed on the floor again. Right after I pressed it a second time a clacking noise started and grew louder if I pressed the accelerator. So I had it towed home to assess the damage and see what fellow listers think. I checked under the car and saw nothing out of the ordinary. The noise it made came from under the center of the car. Any ideas? Clutch replacement or possibly slave cylinder??
Car is an 89 Turbo.

TED

 

UPDATE
I put it in 1st gear...
Pulled the clutch pedal in the up position...
turned the key as if to start it up...
The car lurched forward like the clutch was working fine???

Any Ideas?

thanks

 

I had the same thing happen to me. It turned out that the snap ring that holds the throw out bearing on the pressure plate popped out. All I had to do was get a new ring and reassemble the pressure plate/throwout bearing and I was back on the road.

Mine happened 3 months after I had installed a new clutch. I did the work myself and think that I must not have had the snap ring seated properly.

It could also be a broken clutch fork.

 

You're in Westwood? Cool stuff! I grew up in Norwood right next to ya' (assuming you consider me to be "grown up" that is). Still got plenty of relatives around that area too - not many 944s/951s back east!

 

Your clutch master and/or slave cylinder is shot. It's not a bad idea to replace both at the same time. You probably have fluid leaking from one of them as well.

 

Hey it just so happens I have good used ones, I can sell. My clutch line got a leak but I replaced the master and slave before I knew it was the line. So they work well.

 

Yep, sounds like hydraulics to me.
Usually they go out gradually, but I've seen sudden failures like this before as well.
Look for which one is leaking fluid. It's usually a good idea to change them as a pair though, since they're both the same age, and have seen the same use.

 

Ahh update, Pagaon is closed for the storm so supply just decreased and demand stayed the same...this means PRICE HIKE. (I follow the petrolium industires pricing policies) So now insted of being reasonable they are rediculously priced at 4X the original price. ($65 by the way or make an offer)

 

Your clutch master and/or slave cylinder is shot. It's not a bad idea to replace both at the same time. You probably have fluid leaking from one of them as well.
__________________

 

Porsche-O -- yeah still in westwood. Near university ave train station. We were neighbors at one time =)

So it seems that my master/slave need to be replaced. Im going to check out clarks to see the procedures. My only other question is what is the horrible noise coming from?? It seems like there is something in the bellhousing rapping against the flywheel. If it is the thowout bearing then I might as do the whole clutch job....no?????

 

bump

 

if you can afford it, do the whole job. How old is the clutch? It's a GIANT PITA, so get all of the "while you're in there stuff" taken care of.

 

Im going to do the whole job and "while your in theres" as well. Clutch has 93k on it...I think. Ill start reading up on the proceedure and get all the tools/parts I need.

I have access to a drive on lift. Has any one done a clutch job one these kind of lifts? I would prefer the lift that leaves the wheels open but I don't have much choice.