Clutch Replacement at 32,000 miles

[reckelman]

I have a 02 Carrera cabriolet with 32K and a manual transmission. The car is currently in my local dealers shop for repair of the rear main seal and water pump. My service adviser “highly” suggested that my clutch needed to be replaced. The adviser stated the clutch is going to fail in the near future and we should change it out while the transmission is out of the car.

I’m not an aggressive driver, but it seems premature to change out a clutch at 32K. Information I’ve found indicatea clutch life is typical “between” 50K-70K?

I’m going to closely inspect the old clutch when it is removed, what clutch disk characteristic should I be looking for or disk dimensions measured to determine excessive wear or impending failure?

Thanks

Rick

[AgeRebel]

I also encountered this when my RMS needed replacement under warranty with my C4S at 38K miles. Apparently, changing the clutch is pretty normal at the 45K service interval and the only reason for doing this sooner was to save on the cost labor. In my case the cost of replacing RMS was paid under warranty, so I only paid for parts and minimal incremental labor for the clutch replacement. I figured this was the better way to go. Clutch wear is however very dependent on how the car is driven.

[Tool Pants]

You look at the clutch disc to see how much friction material is left before the rivets are exposed. If you can, compare your disc next to a new one.

This is pressure plate side of my 1997 Boxster clutch disc with 67,000 miles and you can see some of the rivets were rubbing against the pressure plate.

[KevinMac]

Even though the clutch may still have some life in it , since the transaxle is off and everything past the flywheel needs to come off to get at the RMS, might as well do it. The labor should be absorbed by th RMS change.

[1999Porsche911]

If they will do it for a total cost of $600 (parts and labor) or less, then it would be worth it. Otherwise, they are just trying to make a quick buck.

[fpb111]

Rick,

I have a 2003 cab wi 32K miles. It had an ISS leak. This was changed as was the (dry ?!?! could it be?!?) RMS under warranty. I paid for a complete clutch pack ~$800 with tax. The clutch probably was about ~60% worn. I intend to keep the car for many miles or until the engine blows up at 35k miles, so for free labor why not?

Frank

Edited June 11, 2008 by fpb111

[zoomsan]

I have a 02 Carrera cabriolet with 32K and a manual transmission. The car is currently in my local dealers shop for repair of the rear main seal and water pump. My service adviser “highly” suggested that my clutch needed to be replaced. The adviser stated the clutch is going to fail in the near future and we should change it out while the transmission is out of the car.

I’m not an aggressive driver, but it seems premature to change out a clutch at 32K. Information I’ve found indicatea clutch life is typical “between” 50K-70K?

I’m going to closely inspect the old clutch when it is removed, what clutch disk characteristic should I be looking for or disk dimensions measured to determine excessive wear or impending failure?

Thanks

Rick

If you plan to keep the car for a while, better to pay for the $500-600 now to have this replaced, rather than the $2200-2500 to have it done in the future. Most of the labor is already taken care of during the RMS change.

[Orient Express]

A complete clutch/pressure plate, throw-out bearing replacement is worth about $1200-1500 with labor. (it is a 2-4 hour job, in fact most good Porsche techs can do an entire RMS/IMS update in 4 hours or less. wheels up/wheels down.)

Under normal use, a clutch plate will last between 75-150,000 miles. Your miles may vary. Generally the younger and cockier you are, the shorter the life of your clutch plate will be......

The best way to determine if it is worth changing the clutch plate while the transmission is out of the car for the RMS is to measure the thickness of a new clutch plate, and then your clutch plate. If you plate is 50% or lessof the new plate then it could make sense to change out the clutch plate.

In your case, if you are the original and only driver of the car, do not drive aggressively, or abuse the car, then you probably have 70% or more of the clutch plate left. I would leave it in.

If you do decide to replace the clutch plate, then do not pay 1¢ of labor to have it installed. They have to do exactly the same procedure to put the clutch plate back in the car for a RMS job regardless if the clutch is new or used.

[reckelman]

A complete clutch/pressure plate, throw-out bearing replacement is worth about $1200-1500 with labor. (it is a 2-4 hour job, in fact most good Porsche techs can do an entire RMS/IMS update in 4 hours or less. wheels up/wheels down.)

Under normal use, a clutch plate will last between 75-150,000 miles. Your miles may vary. Generally the younger and cockier you are, the shorter the life of your clutch plate will be......

The best way to determine if it is worth changing the clutch plate while the transmission is out of the car for the RMS is to measure the thickness of a new clutch plate, and then your clutch plate. If you plate is 50% or lessof the new plate then it could make sense to change out the clutch plate.

In your case, if you are the original and only driver of the car, do not drive aggressively, or abuse the car, then you probably have 70% or more of the clutch plate left. I would leave it in.

If you do decide to replace the clutch plate, then do not pay 1¢ of labor to have it installed. They have to do exactly the same procedure to put the clutch plate back in the car for a RMS job regardless if the clutch is new or used.

the good news is the clutch replacement cost were for the parts only since my extended warrenty covered my RMS.

[deckman]

What's the retail price of the clutch? I'm seeing in this thread people throwingout $5-600. I'm having the RMS replaced now and the dealer said I'm down to 3mm on the plate. They're quoting me $785 for the parts.

Edited December 4, 2008 by deckman

[deanslist.us]

What's the retail price of the clutch? I'm seeing in this thread people throwingout $5-600. I'm having the RMS replaced now and the dealer said I'm down to 3mm on the plate. They're quoting me $785 for the parts.

I just got parts quotes totaling 505.91 for a clutch job (from sunset, :renntech: ), not including the flywheel...is it necessary to change the flywheel out, by the way?

that cost is including all bolts, rms, spring, guide tube, etc.

local Porsche wrench quoted 500 for labor total.

Edited December 4, 2008 by deanslist.us

[deckman]

Well what am I gonna do? They have the car there with the transmission removed. I'm sure the price is 100% full retail for the clutch parts. At least there won't be any labor. They said my flywheel is fine.

Dust, $500 labor is low.

[deanslist.us]

it is indeed low, but the wrench and I have become friends after a long history of running the local chapter of the porsche club. special rates i presume.