Amroth

Hey guys. For a couple of months I felt that the clutch pedal feel had changed a bit. It felt like most of the engagement was happening at the end of the clutch release, instead of its usual progressive engagement...making it a little harder to shift smoothly. But otherwise it was fine and I had no slipping.

Then the other day I did something stupid and dropped the clutch at around 5,500 RPM to get some fast launches. I did this twice and was all proud that my clutch didn't slip like I heard would happen when you try to burnout in a C4.

Then the next day Im going along and when I WOT in 3rd my clutch totally slips for a couple of seconds before settling down again. Now in any gear if I don't tread gingerly on the throttle it will slip. The only way I avoid slipping is if I potter around with part throttle, and it's breaking my heart to know that it was probably my irresponsible racing antics that might have hurt my car!

Was my clutch already on the way out and I gave it a kick in the face? Or could something have given way because I abused the tranny by dropping the clutch at high revs? Help!

koalaslim

911s are all about traction. If you want to do burnouts and show off to your friends a Corvette or Mustang would be much more effective.

4wd cars don't spin tire very easily on launch, and so the clutch and gearbox take the brunt of the forces when you do clutch drops. You are lucky your car has a strong box and you most likely just glazed the clutch when you launched. It might start to grip again after a few days when the surface wears down a bit, or you may have put the finishing blow on the clutch and need a new one. Time will tell.

elquiosc

I do drift in Dubai just doing it to burn the clutch.Change the car ... try a c2
Good look!

Indycam

Are you going to remove the engine / transaxle so that the clutch can be replaced
or are you going to pay someone else to do the job for you ?

Amroth

Hey Indycam,

I worked at Porsche as a mechanic trainee for a year so I know how to do basic jobs. Services, brakes, suspension, etc.

However I don't really have the right expertise for an engine and tranny drop. I could possibly do it but I don't have the confidence so it would take forever. So I'll have to be paying somebody to do this job.

Why do you ask?

springer3

I agree with the advice to drive for a while. A little extra wear will either finish it off, or will get to some non-glazed friction material and you could have several more years.

Shortly after I bought my car, I was pulling out into some high speed traffic on a steep hill. I was so worried about bogging the engine that I spooled up before letting out the clutch. I created a cloud of blue smoke and the car reeked of burning clutch for days. That was seven years ago, and the clutch is still going strong.

What I have learned is that unlike the smaller-displacement 911s I owned, the 964 engines have plenty of low-end torque and you can launch without abusing the clutch.

andrew911

I know this doesn't help but I can't resist...What the heck were you thinking????- between being a rear engined car and a C4....I think if you are lucky you fried your clutch. It's possible you did even more damage, but a clutch at a minimum.

An off topic recommendation, and I don't mean this as in insult but given the massive abuse of your car thus far, I'd like to urge that you wait for the oil to get up to full operating temp before using full throttle and high revs.

We all learn from our mistakes....in 20 years of driving 911s I did a drop clutch start one time in the rain in my first 911SC and never again as even with that I realized how abusive that sort of thing is- with a mustang that has a light rear end not as much so, but in a 911 yes it's pretty bad.

Amroth

Alright guys, I'll let you know what happens in the next few days. Thanks.

Andrew, I generally take good care of my car and I keep below 4,000 RPM until the engine oil is warmed up properly. This drop-clutch was a stupid stunt that I used to impress a friend. First and last time that I will hurt my lovely car by doing that!

Indycam

"Now in any gear if I don't tread gingerly on the throttle it will slip. The only way I avoid slipping is if I potter around with part throttle,"

I ask cause I think you need a clutch .

Indycam

Whats the news on the clutch ?

wellcraft290

glad to hear you generally take good care of your car by letting it warm up before revving the hell out of her as you said generally. well I know one 964 I would never buy.

Amroth

Indy, the car is at the workshop and I will hear very soon what the verdict is. Pretty sure it will need a replacement. The clutch pedal feel had deteriorated in the last couple of months before this happened. I'm guessing the pressure plate usually has to be changed at the same time as the clutch disk? Just to compare, people, when I get an estimate... how much would one of your garages in the US/ Europe charge for a clutch job?

wellcraft, if your post was meant as a sarcastic dig at me, then was that really necessary? I've already admitted that the drop-clutch stunt was a one-off stupid mistake and not an indication of how I treat the car in general.

FYI when I sort the clutch it will be a pretty desirable car indeed. More than 27k $USD spent on the car in the last five years in original parts, engine overhaul, restoration, full paint job, soft top work, electronics, etc. Add to that the car's mileage is less than 75k km/ 47k miles on the odometer. My father and I have put a lot of love into this car, so this abusive incident is the first and last time I deliberately put the car in harm's way. We learn by mistakes, don't we?

Peace

boxsey911

FYI replacing the clutch at my Indy Porsche garage would be about £800.

Indycam

Not always , sometimes just replacing the disk is all it takes on some cars .
If the pressure plate on your car is the original , I'd suggest replacing it

My guess is that it was a 75k km/ 47k mile / 10 plus year old clutch and that it was not in the best of health . The "mistake" was doing it to an old clutch that could not handle it . If it were a newer clutch it probably would have been fine .

Its a bit like doing burn outs on tires that have no life left on them .

Amroth

Take a look at what the official porsche garage in Dubai have given me for an estimate. Typical style of that company to just suggest replacing absolutely everything. Lots of rich people here so many fall for it. I used to work as a mechanic there so I know how it is!

I think I'm going to pull it out and do it at a closeby indy garage....