Early signs of clutch going

[perleman]

Sometimes the car won't let the lever go into 1st gear from another gear i.e. 2nd or reverse, unless I select neutral, release & reaply the clutch. It doesn't do it all the time though. Is this an indication of the clutch being on it's way out, it was in my golf gti before.

There's no slipping, but the bite is high and pedal is stiff. I want to get the clutch changed early to avoid potential damage to the DMF.

[blinkwatt]

There's no slipping, but the bite is high and pedal is stiff. I want to get the clutch changed early to avoid potential damage to the DMF.

That's exactly how my clutch was when it was worn out. Extremely stiff halfway through the pedal travel and the bite was high.

Edited November 27, 2007 by blinkwatt

[insite]

i think boxster owners prematurely change clutches a lot. a high pedal bite can be a sign of age. stiffness is not necessarily an indicator. what's your mileage? i'm at 125,000 and the ORIGINAL clutch is finally in need of replacement.

[perleman]

I'm on 43,000 miles, car is 9 and a half years old, but pretty much all that milage was in & around london so very intensive start-stop traffic type driving.

[insite]

I'm on 43,000 miles, car is 9 and a half years old, but pretty much all that milage was in & around london so very intensive start-stop traffic type driving.

mine's atlanta traffic and race tracks. how near the top of the pedal travel does the clutch engage?

[Topless]

On most cars stiff pedal and difficulty engaging gears usually points to a clutch fluid/hydraulic problem. A failing clutch usually begins to slip in higher gears. Is Porsche any different? Mine has not gone out yet.

'98 Box, 73k miles in LA traffic and race tracks. Still original clutch so far.

[Nick_USA]

On most cars stiff pedal and difficulty engaging gears usually points to a clutch fluid/hydraulic problem. A failing clutch usually begins to slip in higher gears. Is Porsche any different? Mine has not gone out yet.

'98 Box, 73k miles in LA traffic and race tracks. Still original clutch so far.

...another sign of the clutch going would be the smell, similar to burning rubber.

[perleman]

The clutch starts to bite about 50% of the way through the travel & engages at about 75%. No sign of any slipping whatsoever.

[insite]

The clutch starts to bite about 50% of the way through the travel & engages at about 75%. No sign of any slipping whatsoever.

i think you're fine. mine doesn't engage until less than 1" from the top and it still doesn't slip.