944 clutch?

Drove the 944 to work today. The clutch is acting up. Autocross is Sunday. Damn.

The kits look a little expensive, but the local shop wants 10 hours to do the job. How hard can it be? You don't even have to take out the transmission!

Ugh.

You just asked about a 944 clutch! Here we go! Second hardest/most expensive job on the car (second only to timing belt/water pump/etc). 10 hours is a bargain. It actually takes 14! And, yes, you do have to remove the transaxle. And driveshaft. And the torsion bar housing.

http://www.924.org/techsection/ClutchReplacement.htm

And the clutch itself is only $600...

Well I've done a t-belt/water pump before, and that wasn't that bad, but holy crap does this one sound like a time buster. $600 honestly isn't bad for a clutch kit. Rock Auto has the OE Sachs replacement (sprung center) for $526.79.

I'd actually look forward to doing this job if A: I had time (hello 4 month old baby!) and B: the next race wasn't 5 days away

Is the clutch on the 944 problematic from the factory? The number one complaint i've heard from 944 owners is the clutch wearing out quicker than many other cars. I'm kind of curious because i'm looking to get a 944 Turbo for my next car.

In reply to EdenPrime:

The factory ones would break because they were designed with a rubber-centered disc that was to fail first (to save the torque tube, etc). Those have been out of production forever. The new clutches use a standard sprung center and are just like every other clutch. Mine was already a few years and a few thousand miles old when I bought the car, before double-driver autocrossing it for a season plus 2 events. IIRC it was ~40K miles and 5 years when I bought it, but I'll have to check the papers at home to be sure.

$600 for an OEM clutch kit and it's not a turbo?

You just cured me of 944 want, thanks!

In reply to 92CelicaHalfTrac:

Most RWD clutch kits bigger than a teacup saucer are in that range (and note it's really $525). Look up an LS1 kit sometime

Javelin wrote: In reply to 92CelicaHalfTrac: Most RWD clutch kits bigger than a teacup saucer are in that range (and note it's really $525). Look up an LS1 kit sometime

Well, i never wanted an LS1, so that's irrelevant.

But either way... that makes me sad panda.

$175 shipped for the clutch kit for my E36 325i. Yup, glad I didn't buy a Porsche.

$216 to $542 (includes flywheel) for LS1 Camaro.

$513 to $1105 for 2.5 non-turbo 944.

(prices from Rockauto.com, i'm sure better deals could be fine.)

Just sticker shock, that's all. I wouldn't have expected it to be that high for "the affordable Porsche."

It isn't the 10hrs or the money - it is knowing that you will spend the whole time swearing like a motherberkeleyer. It is not a fun or rewarding job. The good news is that if you were going to pay someone else to do it - you can just get another 944 with the same money

10 hours is a bargain. You should get that in writing before he changes his mind and charges you the book time, which is 18 hours...

In reply to 92CelicaHalfTrac:

All Porsche's have expensive clutches from what I've seen. At least i don't have to drop the engine like the 911/914 guys. The rear transaxle is still a shinyhappything.

Try C5/C6 Corvette clutches (rear transaxle) for the equivalent.

Javelin wrote: In reply to 92CelicaHalfTrac: All Porsche's have expensive clutches from what I've seen. At least i don't have to drop the engine like the 911/914 guys. The rear transaxle is still a shinyhappything. Try C5/C6 Corvette clutches (rear transaxle) for the equivalent.

Ohhhhhhhh i forgot they were rear transaxle.

(EDIT)

Well actually... they're the same prices as the camaro, so that doesn't work either.

I really don't know why everyone thinks it's a pain in the ass job. It's really pretty easy. I'll do five of them before I'll do another KA24DE timing chain. Probably in less time too.

In reply to docwyte:

What do you have for a clutch and trans setup in the LS1 swap? A 951 trans and... ??

Might be cheaper to just dump a tree-fiddy in this pig.

This is why people dump 944s with slipping clutches. The replacement cost is often equal to or exceeds the value of the car.

Where's 924guy, Nashco, and fiat22 when you need them? One of you Portland guys want to make some money?

And before it sounds like i'm Porsche bashing...

This is also one of the big reasons i haven't pursued Celica AllTrac ownership very hard in the last couple years. Not because the parts are necessarily expensive, but it's a ridiculous job and you can count on getting nailed for a good $3000 if you have a dealer do it since it books for over 20 hours or something ridiculous.

I tend to stay away from cars that i can't do a clutch job in under 5 hours on. Likely because i HATE wrenching.

Javelin wrote: In reply to docwyte: What do you have for a clutch and trans setup in the LS1 swap? A 951 trans and... ?? Might be cheaper to just dump a tree-fiddy in this pig.

I wonder what you could get for your solid engine - probably at least enough to pay for the conversion hardware. Then find you a cheap Chevy engine. That would be sweet. I love 944s, but if I ever own another one, it will almost certainly have a V8 in it.

Javelin wrote: IThe rear transaxle is still a shinyhappything.

No it's not. I've changed them in gravel on jackstands in an hour, and that's including setting it up on the stands and taking it down.

In reply to 16vCorey:

Good to know!

What is a good Porsche mechanic charging per hour these days anyway?

In reply to Otto Maddox:

That's what I'm starting to think... Just drop a stupid V8 in it and sell the 2.5 (that runs really, really well).

Seems like a decent way into a bargain 944. Owner has a $3000 car - clutch goes out - If he can't do the work it will cost him 1/2 or more of the value...lots of people would bail. Seems to me about any complete/running 944 is worth at least 2k in parts...