Improved Clutch Action Dramatically
02-20-2010, 07:16 AM
#271
Newbies Hospitality Director
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Winston-Salem, NC
Posts: 18,084
Likes: 0
Received 33 Likes
on
33 Posts
It's too bad Arron (Medtech) sold his car, other wise he could have done th......... oh wait..... I forgot..... Arron's car was a Tip! 
05-21-2010, 06:50 AM
#272
Burning Brakes
Quote:
Originally Posted by nick49
1. remove the plastic air ducting thats in the way
2. remove the elecrtical switch by disconecting the terminal and twisting switch 90 degrees
3. I found it easier NOT to remove the clip and pin in the plastic male clevis
4. insert a nail or short piece of wire thru the hole in the pin that extends thru the back side of the sping canister to prevent the spring from fully extending upon removal
5. depress the clutch pedal as necessary and pry the complete spring and canister forward to release it from the gold bracket
6. maneuver the spring assembly so as it will drop out as the pedal is depressed fully
Originally Posted by nick49
1. remove the plastic air ducting thats in the way
2. remove the elecrtical switch by disconecting the terminal and twisting switch 90 degrees
3. I found it easier NOT to remove the clip and pin in the plastic male clevis
4. insert a nail or short piece of wire thru the hole in the pin that extends thru the back side of the sping canister to prevent the spring from fully extending upon removal
5. depress the clutch pedal as necessary and pry the complete spring and canister forward to release it from the gold bracket
6. maneuver the spring assembly so as it will drop out as the pedal is depressed fully
05-21-2010, 04:48 PM
#275
Burning Brakes
Does this explain why my 2000 Boxster S clutch is heavier then my 2004 C4S? I was really surprised when I got in the C4S the first time and the clutch was so much lighter but also had less feel. I got use to it pretty quickly but may be interested in doing this as a comparative experiment. Besides, I need to crawl underneath there anyway to disable the darn clutch interlock switch.
05-25-2010, 10:25 PM
#277
Three Wheelin'
Did the clutch mod. Some thoughts...
Thanks to Chris996 for resurrecting this old thread. I've had the occasional stall-out, and now it seems like it was because the "assist spring" was disengaging (by rotation) at the same time the clutch was engaging, making it hard to feel.
Did the mod yesterday, and it took me a while (maybe an hour) because I didn't understand how to remove the hinge pin end. Turns out you don't have to pull out the retainer clip and slide the pin out, you just pull on the spring and it comes out.
The trick of placing a mop handle through the steering wheel, and using the power seat back to push the clutch was a lifesaver!
The force to actuate the clutch is MUCH higher, but I don't mind it. To fix the wobbly clutch and cruise control, I removed the compression spring from its housing using a vise (be careful!). I picked up a smaller spring at Home Depot (P/N 684838, $3.98 for two). I had to open one end slightly using pliers, but it fits fine. Easy to compress with two hands. It keeps the uncompressed clutch pedal from wobbling, but adds just a little pedal compression assistance. Nice!
Did the mod yesterday, and it took me a while (maybe an hour) because I didn't understand how to remove the hinge pin end. Turns out you don't have to pull out the retainer clip and slide the pin out, you just pull on the spring and it comes out.
The trick of placing a mop handle through the steering wheel, and using the power seat back to push the clutch was a lifesaver!
The force to actuate the clutch is MUCH higher, but I don't mind it. To fix the wobbly clutch and cruise control, I removed the compression spring from its housing using a vise (be careful!). I picked up a smaller spring at Home Depot (P/N 684838, $3.98 for two). I had to open one end slightly using pliers, but it fits fine. Easy to compress with two hands. It keeps the uncompressed clutch pedal from wobbling, but adds just a little pedal compression assistance. Nice!
05-25-2010, 11:24 PM
#278
Thanks to Chris996 for resurrecting this old thread. I've had the occasional stall-out, and now it seems like it was because the "assist spring" was disengaging (by rotation) at the same time the clutch was engaging, making it hard to feel.
Did the mod yesterday, and it took me a while (maybe an hour) because I didn't understand how to remove the hinge pin end. Turns out you don't have to pull out the retainer clip and slide the pin out, you just pull on the spring and it comes out.
The trick of placing a mop handle through the steering wheel, and using the power seat back to push the clutch was a lifesaver!
The force to actuate the clutch is MUCH higher, but I don't mind it. To fix the wobbly clutch and cruise control, I removed the compression spring from its housing using a vise (be careful!). I picked up a smaller spring at Home Depot (P/N 684838, $3.98 for two). I had to open one end slightly using pliers, but it fits fine. Easy to compress with two hands. It keeps the uncompressed clutch pedal from wobbling, but adds just a little pedal compression assistance. Nice!
Did the mod yesterday, and it took me a while (maybe an hour) because I didn't understand how to remove the hinge pin end. Turns out you don't have to pull out the retainer clip and slide the pin out, you just pull on the spring and it comes out.
The trick of placing a mop handle through the steering wheel, and using the power seat back to push the clutch was a lifesaver!
The force to actuate the clutch is MUCH higher, but I don't mind it. To fix the wobbly clutch and cruise control, I removed the compression spring from its housing using a vise (be careful!). I picked up a smaller spring at Home Depot (P/N 684838, $3.98 for two). I had to open one end slightly using pliers, but it fits fine. Easy to compress with two hands. It keeps the uncompressed clutch pedal from wobbling, but adds just a little pedal compression assistance. Nice!
08-01-2010, 09:47 PM
#279
Three Wheelin'
Funny story.
I read this thread a year or more ago and always wondered what poeple were complaining about. I've always found it really easy to feel where my clutch engages.
Sure I drove some other 996 cars, and sure the clutches felt lighter. Mine was always a bit stiff but I always kind of figured it was getting old and tired.
Well, I drop in to my local indy shop recently and a tech I've known for many years jumps in my car and says - hey your clutch helper spring feels broken. So he pops it out and sure enough, the bottom 1 cm is broken off and rattling around in the housing.
That explains a lot. There's enough tension to keep the cruise control switch working normally, and maybe even enough tension to assist the clutch a bit, but I'm getting the raw clutch feel being discussed here.
The really good news is that this means my clutch probably isn't as badly worn as I thought. <thumbs up>
He asked me if I wanted to replace the broken spring with a new one.....I'm thinking I don't.
Ha!
I read this thread a year or more ago and always wondered what poeple were complaining about. I've always found it really easy to feel where my clutch engages.
Sure I drove some other 996 cars, and sure the clutches felt lighter. Mine was always a bit stiff but I always kind of figured it was getting old and tired.
Well, I drop in to my local indy shop recently and a tech I've known for many years jumps in my car and says - hey your clutch helper spring feels broken. So he pops it out and sure enough, the bottom 1 cm is broken off and rattling around in the housing.
That explains a lot. There's enough tension to keep the cruise control switch working normally, and maybe even enough tension to assist the clutch a bit, but I'm getting the raw clutch feel being discussed here.
The really good news is that this means my clutch probably isn't as badly worn as I thought. <thumbs up>
He asked me if I wanted to replace the broken spring with a new one.....I'm thinking I don't.
Ha!
10-12-2010, 08:37 PM
#280
3rd Gear
I just performed this mod on my 2001 996TT and I wish I would have done it the first day I bought the car. What a difference ! I have been telling people that this is the most inconsistent clutch I have ever used, not anymore though ! I feel confident that my wife will have no problems driving it now, unlike before. Is it stiffer? Not that I have noticed; even if it is, my calf could use the exercise :-) The cruise control still works too, even if it didn’t, that would be an easy fix. Thanks guys !
10-12-2010, 08:43 PM
#281
Three Wheelin'
Well, I just repaired my clutch helper spring and couldn't be happier to have it back to how the Porsche engineers intended.
The car feels much more refined and so far I have had *no* problem finding the friction point.
As it happens, I repaired my clutch helper spring (which had broken) using the spring element from a 997S. Not the whole assembly, just the spring itself. The assembly housing was different. I wonder if the spring rates were the same?
Anyway - I like it the way it is now. Nice and smooth and the bottom of my foot is thanking me.
The car feels much more refined and so far I have had *no* problem finding the friction point.
As it happens, I repaired my clutch helper spring (which had broken) using the spring element from a 997S. Not the whole assembly, just the spring itself. The assembly housing was different. I wonder if the spring rates were the same?
Anyway - I like it the way it is now. Nice and smooth and the bottom of my foot is thanking me.
11-04-2010, 12:14 AM
#282
3rd Gear
Since I removed the spring I have put about 250 miles on the car. I could not be happier with the mod. My wife who initially had much trouble driving the car, put about 40 miles on over the weekend and she as well cannot believe how much more user friendly it is to drive. When I asked her if the clutch seems stiffer, she replied with “not that I can tell”.
11-04-2010, 09:56 AM
#283
Three Wheelin'
I did this mod in the Spring (no pun intended), and I am very happy with it. I ended up replacing the stock helper spring with a small spring that I got at home depot (see post #277). It provides just small return force to take the excess play out of the clutch travel and actuate the clutch microswitches.
The mod is still good, but now there is a slight creaky noise when I depress the clutch. I think my spring is just rubbing on the plastic spring-retainer housing. QUESTION: Has anyone used any lube in this area to deal with the squeaky clutch pedal?
The mod is still good, but now there is a slight creaky noise when I depress the clutch. I think my spring is just rubbing on the plastic spring-retainer housing. QUESTION: Has anyone used any lube in this area to deal with the squeaky clutch pedal?
12-23-2010, 02:25 PM
#284
AutoX
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Arizona
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Extra springs for clutch mod.
I did the mod over the weekend and was similarly amazed by the improved feel but unhappy with the loose pedal. Didn't want to use an offset (such as rubber hose) to contact cruise control switch so I purchased the softer springs from McMaster-Carr as suggested earlier in this thread. The softer spring moves the clutch pedal to the proper "at rest" position and adds a little assistance throughout the entire clutch pedal travel -- just enough to take the edge off the ***** of my feet from my aluminum pedals (thanks Dutchie in NC). The best thing is that the feel is still dramatically improved. At the beginning of the pedal stroke (seems like 1" in my 2002 Coupe), you can tell that you're not pushing the clutch, just the pedal. That makes a huge difference for me, and the lack of a quickly rising pedal as you release the clutch. As I've read from others, my biggest issue was shifting smoothly from 1st to 2nd. I've stalled the car only once and that was due to inattention (stereo versus stoplight).
I have 5 extra springs that I'll gladly ship to anyone interested. MacMaster-Carr had a 6 piece minimum.
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. A great mod. Now onto my exhaust...
I have 5 extra springs that I'll gladly ship to anyone interested. MacMaster-Carr had a 6 piece minimum.
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. A great mod. Now onto my exhaust...
01-29-2011, 07:45 PM
#285
Nordschleife Master
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Toronto, Dubai, Kuwait & Bombay
Posts: 6,976
Received 86 Likes
on
65 Posts
Mine i felt it acting Wierd in December after i heard a Crunching and Clunk noise come from my Pedal as i was throwing Gears... I believe mine has been broken for a long time. Because today when i picked up my car from the shop with the new Unit in, my Clutch Pedal never Felt so smooth ever before... I have owned my car for alsmost 5 years now and she is 7 years old with 126k. My Pedal now feels like a Brand new car thats in the Porsche Showroom.
This is the Latest Part Number 996-423-081-20, its $49.82 USD at Suncoast or Sonnen Porsche
here is what happend to mine...
This is the Latest Part Number 996-423-081-20, its $49.82 USD at Suncoast or Sonnen Porsche
here is what happend to mine...