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Figured I'd share this. Yes, my driving needs improvement. Fully acknowledge. Dealer mechanic was nice enough to show me some pointers. Some obvious, some subtle. 55kmiles, 1st clutch kit and flywheel change. Symptoms started two months ago with a vibration on clutch when putting into first. This grew to occasional erratic rpm occurrences, to occasionally slipping, to slipping all the time in every gear. After clutch and flywheel replacement, car drives like new. Thank goodness. .
Clutch, thoroughly shot.
2012 997 GTS clutch/flywheel assembly
Zoom in on pressure plate surface. Wear and hotspots.
Zoom out on pressure plate. Blue is hot spots.
Dual mass flywheel. No I didn't consider switching to single mass. That would ruin the ride.
Dual mass flywheel with hotspots.
Pressure bearing with groove, not good.
Last edited by love2drive; 03-10-2017 at 01:47 AM.
Lol, no offense taken. I'm glad to learn, albeit the hard way. To answer your question, actually no; this would be my fourth manual car. First time needing a clutch though. I put nearly 100k miles on previous cars:
- 2006 BMW e90 330 6mt: lovely redline scream, in need of torque though
- 2008 BMW e90 335 6mt: sweet, and solved the torque problem
- 2010 Mustang GT 5mt: rugged, shifter was too notchy and starchy, but Fun car after stabilizing suspension with FRP kit.
Live and hopefully learn, but Live.
Originally Posted by Louis de Funes
don't want to knock you but I have to ask - is that your 1st MT car ?
well at least you know that a new clutch to ruin again (just kidding)
Figured I'd share this. Yes, my driving needs improvement. Fully acknowledge. Dealer mechanic was nice enough to show me some pointers. Some obvious, some subtle.
Originally Posted by love2drive
Lol, no offense taken. I'm glad to learn, albeit the hard way. To answer your question, actually no; this would be my fourth manual car.
Bummer you needed a flywheel too. So pay it forward a little more, what were the mechanic's pointers?
Is this wear just from excessive riding of the clutch? I wouldn't think quick ins and outs would damage it. Taking 10+ seconds to get the car moving from a standing stop with the engine @ 4K RPM?
Bummer you needed a flywheel too. So pay it forward a little more, what were the mechanic's pointers?
Well, the mechanic watched me drive a bit and saw the following flaws in my driving.
- 1st gear engagement, too long, too much gas on startup. He says, 1st gear engagement is where the majority of clutch wear occurs, especially if you're doing it let's say uhhh non optimally ��. Ideal is to minimize or eliminate time when on throttle while clutch is partially released. So, if on flat surface, release clutch slowly with no gas to get car moving. Then let go of clutch and apply gas in a smooth fashion was what he suggested.
- Second item is, while driving and switching gears up or down, try not to use throttle until clutch IS fully released. My bad habit of "modulating the clutch" was picked up probably back when driving a Honda Civic in order to prevent stall. He said, you don't need to do that with this type of car.
- Third, Never ride the clutch. I guess I didn't know exactly what this meant before despite hearing the phrase from time to time. It means, while the car is in motion, wheather or not on throttle (although especially so if on throttle); Never partially depress clutch in anticipation of a gear change or out of bad habit. He said, even the slightest depressed clutch pedal while car in motion Will be wearing down the clutch.
Yeah, I know.. many will say duh. But those are the rules that really should be taken seriously when driving a manual. Especially on such a lovely car as a 911. After replacing clutch and flywheel, the car drives like new and puts a smile on my face again. I'm great full that the mechanic at Leith Porsche was kind enough to gracefully show me the clutch wear as well as to take the time of showing me my mistakes. I visualize the above parts when shifting now which helps me appreciate what the machine is doing, and how important my role is to ensuring it gives an optimal performance.
Hope this helps others, if not only for entertainment value.
Last edited by love2drive; 03-10-2017 at 12:19 PM.
55k and first clutch? Fine by my books. Your having fun.
Kudos to you and your mechanic. I like seeing the removed parts.
I always get a better understanding of why I need a new part.
Also makes it easier for me to hand over the cash.
$2-3ooo for flywheel, clutch and bearing, all laid out on the bench?
Good value for visual.
I'd also add, something to consider is that even a GT3 comes with dual mass flywheel. Only a GT3 RS or the purist 911R comes standard with a single mass flywheel. For the upcoming 991.2 GT3, the lead project leader chief engineer advised the world to not try and use a single mass flywheel on upcoming GT3 that will be available with 911R manual.
A couple other tips - when in stop-go traffic, I leave enough space to try and cruise in 1st at 5mph without pressing the clutch
Another tip - never go in reverse up bumps or steep hills. The drive ratio for reverse is lower than 1st and so at idle you'll be going faster. That means that you'll have to modulate the clutch to go slower.
Case in point - when I brought mine the first day home, I tried to back into the driveway since I was worried about scraping the front. The sidewalks here are not cut down and so I was slipping the clutch to make it slowly in. The smell wasn't pleasant...
(not mine)
I now learned to go askew (thanks to a tip from a friend) when going over bumps. Works great when parking it home as well
I thought about buying those rubber driveway bumps but going in askew works like a charm every time
03-10-2017, 01:31 AM
This is your clutch on drugs.
. 
