adame993

I can't honestly be grump that I find myself here, having expected to have the motor back out of the car this spring/summer but it appears this morning I was given due cause for the job.

Pretty sure the clutch failed on the way home from dropping my son off at school today. First thing I noticed was a grind in a gear that I didn't miss, then a different pedal feel....clutch just didn't feel like it was engaging. Couldn't get anything above 1-2nd gears-at all and having just spent good money making sure the gearbox was solid, I wasn't about to force things and risk breaking something else. Limped her home in second gear - about 2 miles at low speeds. Having not ever had a clutch fail, I can only assume this is what it feels like. One thing I did find odd is that I could 'coast' with the clutch at least partially engaged(perhaps fully)...just couldn't grab higher gears.

Failure came with no drama or fireworks...none of that heart warming sound of metal snapping or grinding...which frankly I celebrate as that would surely haunt my dreams nightly until I get her back on the road.

Other previously deferred maintenance will have to be done at the same time - tune up(plugs, cap rotor, wires, fuel filter, air filter, valve covers and the like). I'll take a look at LWF kits and it looks like Pelican has a pretty good tune up kit.

I got lucky on the sale price of the car, had hoped I got lucky on a very old clutch as well. That it seems I did not isn't the end of the world but it has me a bit glum, as I'm sure it would for all of you.

I welcome any input but I'll jump into a more thorough diagnostic workup here soon....fingers crossed.

therossinator

I just did all of your tune up items on my car not too long ago. I found Sunset to be slightly more expensive thank Pelican (about 5%-10%) but you get genuine Porsche parts. How many miles are on the car?

JB 911

Condolences Adam. That stinks. I've never had a clutch go out myself, but sounds like something may be hanging. Doesn't sound like the typical slippage at high rpm or going uphill in to high of a gear etc. It was freaking cold this morning too. 20 degrees. Maybe try it again on Thursday when it warms back up, but I hear you the car has to run on any day. Sorry to hear that bro...

axl911

Bleed your clutch first. Could be you just need a bleed or worse a new master/slave cylinder.

rsabeebe

SonnyT

Adam, I've had a clutch fail on a 944 while driving. It got extremely hard to depress and had a wooden feel to it.

I'd try bleeding first as Axl suggested. Good luck

CalvinC4S

Sounds like a T/O bearing failure, like we used to get on the earlier 911's that didn't have the vent vacuum.

dombeau

open frunk, look at the pentosin reservoir... leaking?

pantdino

If the clutch master fails the pedal will depress but feel funny and the clutch will not disengage fully. Sounds similar to what you are describing. Try pumping the pedal so see if you can get the clutch to fully disengage. Since the fluid just slips past the piston seal it does not leak out-- just moves back to the reservoir. Of course it can leak externally also.

If the clutch slave fails fluid will leak out and the system will go dry eventually.

As has been said, usually clutches themselves just wear out in the friction surface and slip rather than doing anything dramatic.

trophy

There is no Pentosin Reservoir.

'95 993's use the Brake Fluid reservoir as the supply of brake fluid for the Clutch system.

Adam, as per above check system and do a bleed before anything else, let's eliminate the easy touch's first.

Next step would be to jack the car, remove the rubber inspection cover on drivers side of transmission, and look in while a helper actuates the clutch pedal. Listed for strange noises, movement etc.

Randall921

Not questioning as I'm sure Trophy has much more 993 knowledge than myself, just clarifying for the OP.

The "Pentosin Reservoir" is the power steering fluid tank (I think 993s of '95 vintage may have been originally filled with something other than Pentosin), so I guess it does exist...but the clutch is actuated with brake fluid (found in the right side of the frunk, if you're looking at it from the front) for all 993s (at least NAs).

CalvinC4S

Pentosin guy has a turbo, different system.