Clutch Issue

[Hombre]

At its recent annual service the technician stated that my clutch had less than 2,000Km life on it. The car has covered 28,000Km (17,500 miles) so far albeit I bought it last Jan with 15,500Km showing.

The car also has a relatively high oil consumption e.g. 1 Litre Mobil per 1,000KM (625 miles). I am told this is just within Porsche tolerances and am quite relaxed about this as all 911 engines would seem to be "individuals"!!

Are the above oil/clutch factors linked??

Appreciate any considered comments.

PS I love my car especially with its new Italian rubber!! :D :rolleyes:

[fastboydave]

At its recent annual service the technician stated that my clutch had less than 2,000Km life on it. The car has covered 28,000Km (17,500 miles) so far albeit I bought it last Jan with 15,500Km showing.

The car also has a relatively high oil consumption e.g. 1 Litre Mobil per 1,000KM (625 miles). I am told this is just within Porsche tolerances and am quite relaxed about this as all 911 engines would seem to be "individuals"!!

Are the above oil/clutch factors linked??

Appreciate any considered comments.

PS I love my car especially with its new Italian rubber!! :D :rolleyes:

Jeeeezzzzz! Thats low milage for a new clutch, unless its been hammered? I had my clutch changed on my 996 TT at 35000mls purley for the fact that the labour was covered under my warrantee as the clutch release baring had gone and they reckond it was half worn. So i thought what the hell, while its there........ Surely a non turbo 911 should use the clutch less??

The oil does seem a bit high too. The TT's tend to use more oil (or so i'm led to believe) and mine tends to be a 0.25 litres every 1000mls.

Hope everything turns out OK.

[violaGT3]

At its recent annual service the technician stated that my clutch had less than 2,000Km life on it. The car has covered 28,000Km (17,500 miles) so far albeit I bought it last Jan with 15,500Km showing.

The car also has a relatively high oil consumption e.g. 1 Litre Mobil per 1,000KM (625 miles). I am told this is just within Porsche tolerances and am quite relaxed about this as all 911 engines would seem to be "individuals"!!

Are the above oil/clutch factors linked??

Appreciate any considered comments.

PS I love my car especially with its new Italian rubber!! :D :rolleyes:

Hey if that be the case you have some issues. I do not lose 2 oz. of oil between changes (5kmiles) and I run the recommended 0w40 Mobile1 in my 99 @75K+ miles. As for the clutch could be up-selling, you know 2, 000miles, 20,000miles what's the difference really. But if it is worn there's a problem causing premature failure. Be it a retarded car or a retarded driver, previous driver that is.

[neil.c]

Must be a good Technician if he can evaluate the life of your cluch down to the last few k miles from the ball of his foot

[Danyol]

Actuation effort appears to get higher as it wears, calibrated foot?

I had mine done at 33k mls, I believe it could have waited until slip was evident. What is going to happen if one waits until it is slipping?

[Orient Express]

Sounds like the previous owner drove the $hit out of this car. Normal life of a clutch plate is between 160,000 Kilometers and 200,000 Kilometers. Anything less points to a clutch system that has been used in a severe environment.

The oil usage also sounds a bit high as well. It is not unusual to see 996s that only use 1 qt in 25,000 KM.

[jmj996]

Actuation effort appears to get higher as it wears, calibrated foot?

I had mine done at 33k mls, I believe it could have waited until slip was evident. What is going to happen if one waits until it is slipping?

Do not wait until it slips. My clutch never slipped before it needed to be replaced. I got to see exactly what they pulled out. Clutch worn down to an immeasurably small thickness above the rivets. Literally, it would have been any day before the rivets started grinding the flywheel, then it would have been another $1k-$2k for a new flywheel (which you can't really take your time to order at lowest cost on the Internet AFTER your car is apart and you find out you need it).

The Porsche service techs knew it was time to replace it based on where the clutch engaged/disengaged through the pedal's travel, and correspondingly how much pressure had to be used. Let me explain the pedal pressure/effort aspect, because there seems to be some confusion on how that could actually be true: The more material that is worn off of the clutch disc, the further the springs travel/compress, so the less material you have left on the clutch, the more spring pressure you have to counter before the clutch is actually engaged. After my clutch was replaced in my Boxster, the clutch was FAR easier to use, it was like driving a new car. This is one of the best (albeit most costly, especially when you add the RMS and IMS seals) maintenance events you go through because you feel like you get a new car back. The Porsche service techs feel lots of clutches on a regular basis and know pretty quickly when they use a clutch that is getting close. It's very possible to have a low-mileage clutch that needs to be replaced. Mileage is no indicator at all considering the varying driving circumstances and driving personalities that people have. One really bad, extreme example I have from my former service manager is of a customer that burned up a brand new clutch within 45 miles, after taking delivery of a new car on Maui (the dealer is on Oahu). It was their first manual trans. Car had to be shipped right back to Oahu.

Edited June 23, 2007 by John Jones

[jamesgood72]

I've just picked up my 32000mi 1999 996, and think it might need a new clutch, but maybe you guys can tell me it doesn't.

The car is beautiful, obviously garaged it's life, low miles, very finely cared for, but it's not the easiest to drive smoothly. I've driven manual cars all my driving life (15 years), and I've not had problems before.

The biggest problem is a fast change from 1st to 2nd, it's very difficult to do this quickly without a dull graunching sound. It's not a horrendous, completely missed the gear type of sound, but it's not pleasant. It's I'm slower (a normal change), it goes through without graunching, but it's not exactly butter. The clutch adjustment seems high to me, and this was confirmed in my pre purchase checkout at the dealership, but they said there wasn't too much to worry about. I don't think they looked very hard at it though.

Can anyone tell me anything based on that information?

I'm thinking I should maybe get the clutch replaced. I drove my MINI Cooper S (6 speed manual) again the other day, and it felt to smooth and buttery after my 911. :( I'm sure that's not the usual scenario, right? Clutch replacement runs about $1500? Maybe it's linkage adjustments? I don't know about these things...

Thank you!

-James.

[Izzy]

Before, I would try something pretty inexpensive, change the fluid (75W90 Mobil 1) on the transmission. There is a DIY in this site, it is very easy to do and can make a big difference on shifting. I change mine yearly as I run on tracks a bit.