Clutch change, additional parts, costings...

[bakerloid]

Quick question if I may...

Looking into getting my clutch changed (Porsche 944 s2 1991) - the garage I normally use charges a flat rate for the clutch itself and labour required, which I feel is reasonable in this instance.

Whilst they're in there, I have asked them to quote for also changing the following items:

rear main seal
clutch guide tube/sleeve
clutch fork/operating shaft
clutch fork bearings/needle sleeve
release lever
spigot bearing
crank sensor

(I thought one or two of the above are included in the Sachs clutch kit, but I'm not 100% sure - if anyone knows, I'd love to know also)

For the above, they are asking £175 +Vat for parts, and £150 +Vat for the additional labour. This feels a little steep to me, but I wondered if any of you guys and gals might also have any ideas, if you've had this stuff done in the past for example?

Very appreciative as always!

Cheers

 

[PSH]

hmmm to be honest this seems a little cheap, is this a Porsche specialist?
reason I ask is I can't see how they can get the parts for £175, to start with the crank sensors alone won't be to far away from that price. As for labour I'd say that's a good price as just getting the flywheel off to do the main seal could prove a little problematic, you may want to add new flywheel bolts to your list as I'd bet some will need replacing once they strip it all down. As you say some of the items will come with the clutch kit but I'm afraid I can't remember exactly what.
To sum up if they can do it for that price then great..

Pete

 

[david924s]

Had the clutch on my S2 replaced about a year ago (although only done 10K previous but installed incorrectly or poor quality parts) from memory I bought the Sachs kit which included the pressure plate, clutch plate and release bearing £400 when I got it now nearly £500 from Frazerpart Porsche. I also replaced the linkage at the gearbox end as this was well worn and not helping the gear change £125 and had the cat convertor welded up as the seam had split. I think in total it came to £825 with around £550/600 in parts rest in labour.

The other parts you mention may need doing but would be worth inspecting prior to buying although the rear crankshaft seal is worth doing if it has not been done before (mine had recently) as you need to take the clutch out to do it anyway.

Worth checking the transmission mount while the transaxle is out and also brake and fuel lines where they cross the axle

Crank sensor I would only change if you suspect it is faulty i.e. bad starting

 

[jmelhuish]

Hi, I had this work done about a year ago and its cost nearly £1000. The parts are about £600 and the labour £400 (10 hours ish). Regards Jason

 

[os951]

and £150 +Vat for the additional labour. This feels a little steep to me,

Cannot be possible. It's a full day job and no one will do that for £15/hour.

 

[PSH]

Guy's I think the 175 parts.150 labour price is just for the extras, not the new clutch itself. My comments were directed at this price being too cheap for just the extra's considering how much crank sensors. I don't believe the OP was stating that this was for the entire job.

Pete

 

[zcacogp]

From my (very brief) reading of this, don't pretty much all those parts need to come out to do the clutch anyway? Charging labour to put different parts in again is pretty cheeky.


Oli.

 

[PSH]

ORIGINAL: zcacogp

From my (very brief) reading of this, don't pretty much all those parts need to come out to do the clutch anyway? Charging labour to put different parts in again is pretty cheeky.


Oli.

well to be fair the main extra is the rear main seal which can be a real pig to do while in the car.

Pete

 

[zcacogp]

Is it that much of a pig of a job? From memory it's a case of getting the flywheel off and then the plate that covers the seal. That can't be more than an extra 15 bolts.

(My memory may be wrong by some margin ... that's the health warning.)


Oli.

 

[sulzeruk]

I can change a rear crank seal in about 15 minutes from start to finish. It takes longer to clean the area than it does to change the seal. 5 minutes to change the 2 needle bearings in the clutch fork (clutch forks are no longer available) I would change the bearings and the pivot shaft as they are always knackered. Worth checking the slave cylinder, the crank sensor has to come out anyway to get the flywheel cover off. The flywheel bolts are reusable and will come off fine, never seen any that have been problematical. Also worth checking your CVs as these need to come off and will be knackered if over 100K miles. Any play and they are best to change as they are not expensive. The top gearbox mount will be knackered (as they all are after 20 years) but are now over £150 for a new one.
Alasdair

 

[PSH]

well mine was problematic as the Porsche specialist who had changed the clutch previously reused the 6 flywheel bolts some of which had damage to the splines. Mind you the history of bad service from this specialist defy's belief but the car was new to me then and I wanted to keep the book stamped by a specialist. As an example of this bad service/ workmanship , after doing the job they advised me that the main rear seal would need doing in the near future, there's no answer to that really????

Pete

 

[sulzeruk]

Pete, there are 8 bolts holding on the flywheel. They are Torx if I remember and not very tight as well, about 60 ft lbs so who knows how you could damage them.
Alasdair

 

[PSH]

ORIGINAL: sulzeruk

Pete, there are 8 bolts holding on the flywheel. They are Torx if I remember and not very tight as well, about 60 ft lbs so who knows how you could damage them.
Alasdair

sorry Alasdair I was going from memory, guess my mind is going..... as for knowing how they can get damaged well that's easy considering the botch up jobs that were done on my car by the specialist concerned, they were in a very bad state and should have been changed.

Pete

 

[bakerloid]

Hi guys,

My apologies for not replying sooner - I've been away for a while, and without access to a computer for any length of time. I did try to reply using my phone, but typing anything more than 'hello' on that small screen is deeply frustrating! []

Thanks all for your detailed responses, I really do appreciate your thoughts and advice.

Pete - the garage is a Porsche specialist, and I think they get their parts from a mixture of the local OE supplier and also Euro Car Parts. I haven't gone ahead with the clutch change just yet (planning to wait a few more weeks to build up some more pennies), but if/when I do I will request they keep all old parts so I have a good idea that whats been asked for has in fact been replaced, and also to be able to physically see the condition of all old parts. Glad to hear that the general consensus is that this isn't a bad price for the additional items mentioned.

David - thanks for the heads up, I will get them to check parts before replacing if not necessary. But, to answer your question, I have been experiencing a little bad starting sometimes, and the thinking behind the crank sensors being 'whilst in there...' sort of thing. Thanks for the brake and fuel lines advice - will definitely get them to check those!

Pete/Oli - thats correct, the extra 175 was for additional parts, and 150 additional to fit them. This would all be on top of the 900 +VAT for clutch itself and labour to change. So, we're talking in the total £1225 +VAT region....

Alasdair - thanks for the advice on CVs. I did actually change all of these on the rear drive shafts recently. As you mention, mine were probably on 100,000 miles plus, and there was about 1 1/2 inch of play in them (at the wheels). Changing them has certainly tightened things up a fair bit!

I will definitely get the rear main seal done when I go ahead with the clutch - this definitely seems to be a sensible job to do whilst the car is in bits.

Once again - thanks for all the advice chaps, really do appreciate it!

James