Jim Demas

I have a question about the 968 clutch setup... since I have not had the damn thing apart yet.

Lately it has been hot here in northern CA... and in stop and go traffic... the clutch gets very finicky. With stop and go driving... it becomes very hard to feather and engage smoothly and starts to shudder slightly... is very easy to come close to stalling..... and shudders a lot after driving for awhile when then attempting to back up.

When not in stop and go driving... the clutch feels just fine.

My old S2 had a rubber centered disk which would shudder in hot stop and go driving... but I know the 968 does not have a rubber centered disk. Does the dual mass flywheel in the 968 have rubber??

I know this could be due to a hotspot on the flywheel or disk... but I have no idea whether this shudder characteristic is normal for the 968 and its dual mass flywheel?

My 1995 has 39k miles.. I bought the car 1 year ago today with 32k miles... and this is the original clutch.

Thanks for your help. Since I have not had this clutch apart yet.. I have not seen the dual mass unit and its construction to know whether this is the culprit and normal.

Tabor

I have never heard of this as a problamatic area of the 968. Expensive, yes, problamatic, no. I think you got it right when you said that it just got a little too hot.

JasonN

Keep us updated on what you find when you get in there. My car makes a loud whine, rubbing sound when engaging on very hot days after the car has been running for a bit. It doesnt engage differently though...just makes the sound. But it is embarasing in stop and go traffic. I too thought a hot spot on the flywheel or something of that nature.
Thanks,
Jason

Tabor

I take everything I said back. I do remember someone telling me that the 968 clutch can go funny when it gets warm. But I don't remember specifics. Go over to 968.net and ask them. I bet somone there knows.

senn

It has the same problem as your 944. My 968 had it happen once during a very hot day in stop and go traffic.
Fred

Ern

Checkout, the 928 forum regarding clutch problems. I bet we are having the same trouble. I sure would like to know what causes the 928 problem. I will watch your Form see what advice is given. Ern

Russ Morcom

Perhaps a little off topic. My '94 968 has never suffered with shudder during clutch engagement, but not long after I got it 2 years ago, it developed a shuddery feel, or perhaps better described as a pulsing effect through the pedal during clutch actuation, both engaging and disengaging. On strip down, it was found to be a faulty dual mass flywheel. This was replaced (fortunately for me) by Porsche Cars Australia as part of a warranty program which had been paid for by the previous owner. I had the clutch replaced at the same time, as it was reasonably worn. I have searched the discussion pages for quite some time, but have not come across another mention of this particular symptom or its cause. (I know the earlier LUK flywheels in the 964's had problems, but I don't know how they manifest.)
Just for your interest.
Russ M

gnosis

Jim, I have exactly the problem you are describing, and it occurred immediately after an official Porsche Service Centre replaced a worn clutch. They admitted that it was because they forgot to machine the flywheel as part of the service, which is a required standard step in the clutch replacement procedure. I am so disappointed with the quality of work that this supposed official Porsche Service Centre consistently does with my car that I have decided to live with the semi-frequent shudder until I replace my clutch (myself, this time). Please tell me if you have had you clutch apart since your post, because if it's something other than uneven wear on your flywheel, I'd like to know. Thanks.

Doug

Jim, I have owned a 911,914,944 & now a 93 968. I a have also owned several VWs. I would have to say they all experience "hot clutch" syptoms. I believe it may be the compounds used on the disk. My 93 does not like stop and go for long periods, The clutch works like silk when stone cold. But once hot it "looses" its smooth engagement. Things get back to normal after it cools down. I have read other posts about this same topic. I believe the problem gets worse as the glaze builds up on the disk and FW surface over the life of the FW surface and disk.

The Dual mass flywheel has springs between the two masses similar to those on a spring loaded disk. I had thought it was rubber as well, but turns out it uses springs. I doubt this is the problem.

93green968

My 93 did the same thing after an hour in rush hour traffic. I thought it was a charteristic of the clutch, which I believe it was. I should mention that the pedal was very high and it did start to slip within 8k miles (1000 be hard track miles). I wouldn't worry about it, until it slips.

Joe

Boston968

This is real common on 968's in traffic. If you go to neutral with clutch engaged as often as possible you will eliminate a lot of the problem. Minimize the time you sit with the clutch disengaged to minimize heat buildup.