vt951

So, it looks like parts for the complete clutch job total over $2200. If I don't get the upgraded race clutch kit and lightweight flyweel, then I could save about $800. But, I'm thinking those are probably good upgrades for DE and auto-x duty. So, the $800 question is: Is this overkill? My car is stock under the hood now but my goal is to get it to around 300 rwhp in the next couple years.

Here's my shopping list:

Clutch Kit-Race 930 Disc (includes 930 clutch disk, lightweight pressure plate, and release/throw-out bearing)
Flywheel - Aluminum, lightweight
Flywheel Ring Gear
Clutch Release Arm
951 Clutch Accessory Kit (includes rear crank seal, pilot bearing, clutch lever shaft and bearings, release bearing guide, and all flywheel and pp bolts)
Clutch Alignment Tool
Clutch Hose - Master
Clutch Master Cylinder
Clutch Master Cylinder Bushing - pedal
Clutch Master Cylinder Gasket
Clutch Slave Cylinder
Clutch Hose - braided cloth (5 ft?)

Dave951

If there is one place where going overboard is OK, its on new clutch/drive train related parts since they are such a pain to replace in the first place. I think your part selection should be a nice compliment to your goal of 300rwhp and will not sacrifice on road drive-ability like puck style clutches often do.

vt951

True enough... I guess the lightweight pressure plate and flywheel don't really increase the life of the clutch, though... just better performance. I guess the question I should be asking is how much performance increase I can expect from the extra $800 spent.

KuHL 951

I've driven a 951 with a Fidenza aluminum flywheel and personally thought they were really harder to drive around town and launch from a stop, on a hill it was much harder to modulate. You have to be more careful of stalling it and it seemed to require a bit more slipping of the clutch. You can always get your OE flywheel lightened also without having to worry about if the sensor plugs are in the right spot or not. I don't know what mods you have made but if you are at less than 300 whp the OE PP and the 930 disc should be just fine. IMO an aluminum flywheel and lightened PP is a waste of money unless you spend 80% of your time on a track. Again just an opinion.

951Saga

Don't believe the ring gear is necessary unless the teeth are damaged.
Try Zim's for the disk and PP. They had the best deal when I was looking.

vt951

Kuhl, I think you just saved me $800. Thanks for the insight.

I checked the clutch fork movement through the inspection port, and when the clutch is pushed in, it moves a good half inch or more. So, I think according to what you guys are saying, that rules out a hydraulic problem. I guess the thing to do is start taking it apart and see what's in there, and then order parts accordingly.

I did check the clutch disk wear as shown below, and it measured approx. 25 mm. According to Clark's, new is 18 mm and replace at 34 mm. So it might be less than half used up.

PorscheDoc

Very solid advice. There are better places to spend that $800 on the car.

aben8057

Sounds like the same exact symptons I had with my 951 before the clutch didnt release. When I removed the slave cylinder, a small piece of spring fell out which confirmed my thoughts. The only way I was able to move through the gears was when the car was off. When the car was started..NADA.

remove the slave...its simple

vt951

Alex, thanks. I think I will start there because it's cheap and easy and would need to come off in order to get into the clutch anyway. If that's it, I might still be married next month (the wife's not too happy about my $2000 clutch problem after all the money I've already dumped in this year).

After talking with "Dan the man" (xsboost90), he still isn't convinced that it's not a hydraulic problem... the clutch pedal will return to the up position even if the hydraulics are toast because there is a return spring up under the dash that pulls it back. Also, he said just because the slave (and fork) are moving, doesn't mean there isn't a hydraulic problem... they just may not be moving enough due to a leak in the master or slave. Or, if Alex is right, it could just be a clutch spring jammed in there.

PorscheMD

The pedal will not return on its own if you do not have hydraulic pressure. you can pull it back up by hand and it will stay there unless you push on it then it will shoot back to the floor and stay there. Your problem is not in the hydraulics.

aben8057

yeah...my wife want happy either. I did the job myself and told her "Look at all the money I am saving by doing it myself" after getting numerous quotes on the job. The saving's was spent on a nice Coach bag for her....I come to find that the 951 is a balancing act between the love of the car and the wife. Let's not get into suspension upgrades for the track..thats another story.

gotta run..she's calling me to wash the floors

vt951

Man, you should've traded in all that savings for some "favors". Although I guess a coach bag works too. At least I've got my wife thinking the worst now... it hopefully can only get cheaper from here.

aben8057

Does your car disengage gears when the engine is off and does nto when it's started? Another sympton is when the car is in gear, with the clutch pedal depressed, the car would want to creap forward.

vt951

Yes... it is very hard to get out of gear when it is running. Pushing in the clutch pedal doesn't seem to have any effect, so it would drive forward as if the clutch was not being pressed at all.

I can only get it into gear with the engine turned off. Then I can turn on the engine and the car immediately takes off (whether the clutch is pressed in or not). Then I can upshift by matching revs (around 3500 rpm or so it seems to drop in). I was not able to downshift at all. Have to yank it out of gear and coast to a stop using my brakes. Then to get going again, shut off the engine, put it into gear, and so on...

What are you thinking? Still sound like the same thing you had (the spring)?

aben8057

Exactly the same symptoms that happened to me. Which is why I asked the questions.

There are small springs in the clutch assembly which two of mine were destroyed (as in picture) after a DE event. Even if you pull out the slave and there are no pieces of metal in the housing, I bet they are stuck in the bell housing somewhere.

Lift her up and get to work. I used clark-garage, rennlist and a great article in Excellence for preperation.