Conflicting "expert" opinions?

[ras911]

Dear ABBY
Okay here is the deal
Two very well respected nationally known technicians are telling me different things in regard to the 1983 911SC model
(muhahhhahhha!)

One says ( and I thought) that the clutch is a rubber centered disc and that the chain tensioners were not changed from the other model years!

The other says it is a spring ceter disc on the clutch and that the tensioners received an update to the idler arms for the model year 1983 which would make them less prone to abject failure .


sign me
confused in MD

Roland are you out there ????

Warren?

Superman?

NoStatic?

[RANDY P]

#2 is correct. Esp. if the vehicle in question has over 80K miles, probably had the clutch swapped by now...

rjp

[Superman]

Rubber centered clutch disk, yes. Paperwork suggests the one in my car exploded just a few months after new car delivery.

Pressure-fed tensioners first appeared on the Carrera model (1984), but the SC did receive an improved chain wheel carrier mechanism geometry, around 1980 or 1981 model year. This improvement is considered significant by the experts who insist it should sharply reduce the incidence of tensioner failure. Nevertheless, my car got the pressure fed tensioner upgrade shortly after I bought it.

[Wil Ferch]

Spring centered clutch appeared in later 83 production of SC's....earlier ones were rubber centered as were all previous SC's.

Transition years are tough. My 85 uses the early CV joint diameters and later in the year they were incresed in size.

I don't think ANY 83 came (from the factory) with Carrera chain tensioners.....

Wil

[ras911]

Will
we are talking about 12/82 production

You are right none of the sc line had the carrera tensioner , but at some point the idler arms were improved to my understanding

Welcome Superman

[Early_S_Man]

Bob,

Both are sort of right, but neither should get a cigar for accuracy or specificity!!!

#1 is right, from a historical perspective ... though some of the details may not be right today!

Mid-year production 1980 engines got widened, double-bushing chain wheel carriers [aka idler arms, which the tensioners act directly upon] and the tensioners mounting tab was 10.0 mm thinner to accomodate the new idlers. This single production change is generally regarded as fixing the longtime tensioner 'failure' problem! So, he was right about no changes for '83 tensioners! The OEM clutch disk was rubber-centered.

#2 could be right about the clutch, but you can't be sure [for all 1983 cars] without pulling engine and transaxle to examine the clutch! Technically wrong about the year the idler arm update occured.

[ras911]

BTW
Would you drive a low mileage carefully maintained SC without updates for 17 hours and 1200 miles ??

My mechanic says to do it and not worry and one of the experts above says no problen too . The other says tensioners, my gut tellss me that would be the sensible thing to do !

[ras911]

SoCal
Interesting way to look at it , but I am thinking about a 22 year old running for 9-10hours at highway speeds two days in a row .

Although If I recieve certain news in the next week that could actually free me to cover SkyLine drive from end to end and turn it into a longer trip !

Most likely it willl just be a straight shot home , maybe even in one day 5-12

That would certainly be the longest trip for this car, though shorter and lower revs than LeMans :-)

Warren and Superman - nice to know you are still engaged here!!!

Thanks for all responses
Bob

[charlesbahn]

Where in Chevy Chase? Any where near Hesketh ?
Sorry Didn't mean to hijack.....just interested in my neighbors

[ras911]

Connecticut and Manor near jones bridge and scant miles from the Beach drive test track!

Any other thoughts on this. I figure if I will do it eventually - Bruce andersen says not if but when- maybe I just do it now . I did it with my last SC on purchase and did have peace of mind.

[ras911]

Did some digging around last night . Apparently the idler arms on the tensioners were beefed up in 1980 going forward, then of course with the 94 the oild fed Carrera Tensioners were installed .

I think that the clutch was rubber throught he SC run. One printed source said not an issue if the clutch was used properly ie adult driving. Replacement is definitely in order cause it will fail at some point!

Thanks for any input

[Wil Ferch]

Ras....no..

I have it on very good authority that spring centered clutch appeared sometime within the 83 MY production of SC's....

Wil

[RANDY P]

What are the specifics of the car? Most notably, the mileage?

If you're gonna upgrade the tensioners and you have time to kill, then do it. Might as well do a pop-off valve as well.

rjp

[ras911]

Okay

Petr Morgan in his Original Porsche 911 say 78-80 = rubber
!981-83 = spring center

Thais also what is listed in the Service Manual from Bentley!


The car has been well taken care of , 44k documented through books, records and carfax indications


?????????

[RANDY P]

If you're on a pinch for budget or time I'd at least do the popoff valve - the rest if you're gonna get a good price -

One cold morning fart and your trip is over.....

rjp