Thork'sGT3

Well I am 99% sure that I am going to replace the clutch/pp/throwout bearing in my .1GT3. It currently is chattering in first gear and reverse. I realize this is a common issue with these cars. My GT3 has 60,000 km on the odometer so a clutch is undoubtably in it's near future anyways.

Questions for the RLs:
1) What clutch assembly would you put in? I have heard the 4.0RS is the best. Exactly what is involved with changing to the 4.0RS?
2) What preventative maintenance would you do while the engine is out? Coolant line fittings are a given. Would you put set screws in? or Weld? I will be purchasing the new coolant elbows from Sharkwerks as well as it seems like a no brainer for $250.00.

The dealer will be doing the work for me and our relationship has been excellent for the past 15 years.

Thanks RLs for your input.

Cheers

Brent

TAI2

I am interested in the 4.0RS clutch info as well......

While the engine is out I would have the coolant fittings welded (this is what I did with my .1GT3).

I would also check the LSD as that is probably ready for a rebuild. Might as well change the spark plugs as well.

Protocav

Mine chatters in reverse with 17K miles. Is that a definite sign that the clutch is gone?

I just bought it CPO!!

Thork'sGT3

There are a lot of post on the GT3 clutch chatter. Personally with only 17000 miles on it I wouldn't worry about failure.
Mine has significantly more, so this is why I am doing it. I spoke to Dan at Sharkwerks and they have done countless coolant fittings and he is a big proponent of using the set screw technique. I am leaning towards this way for now.
Plugs were changed 6000 km ago so may not do those.
Great advice on the LSD check. I hadn't thought of that. Will have them do it for sure.

BT


Brent

chandrew

I just reserved a 10GT3 and the clutch was replaced at 5500km ! ( i dont have the details why ).
The previous 2 local ones i looked at had clutches replaced under 30,000km.
perhaps sheer luck to have hit 3 cars like that.

ChrisF

FWIW, my race shop noticed chatter in reverse and a little extra noise as well in my NB 3.8. I thought I had just hot spotted the disc. Started at around 8K and he suggested taking it to the dealer for inspection around 12K. Dealer diagnosed it as a bad throw out bearing and agreed to replace it under warranty. We agreed that if they felt the clutch disc and PP needed replacement, I would purchase the 4.0 components and they would replace them while the tranny was out. The disk and t/o bearing were perfect according to the tech so they just reinstalled them. Car has been fine ever since.

Thork'sGT3

Interesting that they just reinstalled the parts and now everything is fine? I had the same discussion with my dealer in that if they found the parts to be defective that all work would be under warranty (CPO car), however if not the case I would do the upgrade.
Dan at SHarkwerks also stated that the Mk 1 GT3RS clutch is also a good upgrade as well.

StephenB

My 6GT3 chatters in reverse. I've been waiting for it to fail for the last 20k miles so I can do an upgrade.

997gt3north

The mk1 gt3 and RS share the same Pressure Plate (PP) and Friction Disk (FD) - the RS has a Light Weight Flywheel (LWFW) versus the gt3 which has a Dual Mass Flywheel.

Sharkwerks also sells a PP for the GT3 that does not have the OE spring system so the engagement is very slightly more direct - you can ask them about this one - I have it in my car when I did my PP replacement.

Thork'sGT3

Perfect. Thanks and will check with Dan.
As per the OP, is there anything that I am missing with regards to preventative maintenance while I have the engine out and on the ground? So far I have:
Clutch Assembly - options given there, thank you RLs
Coolant fittings - Weld or Set Screw? - opinions welcome
Coolant 90 degree elbows from Sharkwerks - will do
Spark plugs - just done 6000km ago

Am I missing anything??

Mvez

Only use the rigid hub PP if you continue to use your stock dual mass flywheel.

If you already have, or plan to upgrade to the RS single mass flywheel, you will want the stock sprung hub PP (clutch).

You want something to absorb some of the shock. Single mass flywheels with rigid hub clutches are too hard on the tranny. That's a race car setup.

Just stick with the .1 stock PP and disc, it's proven and will work with either flywheel.

997gt3north

when i had my engine out for the welding of the coolant fittings, my shop also replaced a few of the plastic coolant hoses as they aren't expensive and this particular shop has seem them leak on turbo cars so they were absolute on this opinion

in terms of welding versus pinning, i think the key must know is if the shop knows of an expert aluminum welder - an expert

my shop called around until they found someone who they absolutely trusted - every place they called said they could do it, but once they started asking questions they kept calling until they found a person who had extensive aluminum welding experience - they shipped the parts out and a few days later the parts were shipped back - i went out to see how it looked and the shop was very happy to show off every single weld - they were perfect - thats the kind of person you want doing the welding

Thork'sGT3

Mvez - this makes good sense. This means that the RS 4.0 is a sprung hub if it uses the SMF, correct? If so if I am to upgrade to RS 4.0 I will then be buying a RS 4.0 flywheel as well $$$$$$$$.

997gt3 - Luckily I do know of a very talented welder. I would have no issues with him welding the fittings at all. I have heard horror stories where welds have pin holes and thus leak after the engine is returned to its home.

Some day I will figure out how to "quote message in reply"

997gt3north

I do not disagree with this but I use the unsprung PP with the LWFW and have no issue with it - you would think it may not be streetable but it works with almost no noticeable difference - there is a tiny bit but it is little. There is far more of an issue with the cup cables than an unsprung PP in my experience.

Mvez

Correct. There is absolutely nothing wrong with installing the same .1 GT3 clutch kit, along with the .1 RS flywheel and pulley. It works perfectly fine, and there is not evidence, unlike the 3.8RS, that any .1 GT3/RS needs a 4.0 PP and disc (clutch kit). I'm just sayin.....sometimes better is not always better.