Bad experience 3R automotive/racing

[911C4]

I had a bad experience at 3R today, I went there and asked if they resurfaced flywheels and the person sitting at the desk wearing a gray shirt told me that they don't and they use some kind of mobile service that they call and the mobile service comes over to 3R and does the machine work. So ok, I then ask them if they know any machine shop close by and the person with the gray shirt again tells me that they call this mobile service. After he is through advertising this mobile service, the two other guys there with blue shirts told me that they don't know any machine shops close by and directed me to NAPA, Checkers and autozone, any auto parts store. The two guys with the blue shirt were more helpful than the guy with the blue shirt, I just wanted to know if they could or knew a machine shop that could resurface my porsche RS flywheel.

[RickM]

I bet you were wearing a red shirt. You were, weren't you?

(You may want to try some speed shops or http://www.thomasnet.com/ to source machine shop services. - Good luck)

[MotoSook]

Originally posted by RickM
I bet you were wearing a red shirt. You were, weren't you?

Excellent Rick! That's the best laugh so far today!




As for the machining. Nowadays, the FLAPs, like AutoZone or Lee's (might be a reginal outlet), use third party machine shop. They'll take your flywheel and then send it to a machine shop. You probably want to stay away for such arrangement if you can. It's better to find a shop you can deal with directly. Good luck with the search.

[Scott R]

Havana Auto Parts, a NAPA on South Havana just past Missippi did mone for $45, it was ready in a about two hours. They run a machine shop called "Havana Machine" and do all of their work on-site. You can talk to the machineist if you like, they are really nice guys. They have a Volkswagon adapter that fits our flywheels perfectly.

[Grady Clay]

911C4,

You didn’t have a bad experience; you just went to a shop that isn’t in the normal service business. 3R is a top race preparation shop and skilled race team. Steve works on a few street Porsches from time to time but his real skill is building 911 race cars.

I was in there a month or so ago and Steve was working on the #1 964 Cup that went un-converted into a racer by Andial. Someone since had hamburgered the alignment & suspension settings. Within a couple of hours he had it working properly again. Expensive labor but well worth it.

Had you posted here first, we could have directed you to any number of competent machine shops. I agree Havana Machine is a proper automotive machine shop and will give you fast turnaround.

When you go to a machine shop for turning a flywheel, you should know the specs. Asking about their accuracy, runout, surface finish, machining method, etc. tells anyone that you want quality work. Regardless, you should always check the work before you finish the re-installation.

The two critical dimensions are the thickness measured at many places around and across the friction surface. After the flywheel is bolted to the crankshaft, you should check the axial run-out.

Yow need to know how much was removed. The issues become having the clutch release bearing (TOB) linkage at a mechanical disadvantage. The other issue is potential contact between the new disc and the flywheel bolts.

Searching Pelican archives and posting here will get you lots of help.

Did you call the mobile service? Many times they (mobile services) are very good.

I’ll encourage you to have the Moderator change your thread heading to something like “C4 flywheel machining.” I don’t think bashing 3R is useful. You can edit your initial thread-starter post.

Best,
Grady

[Slider79SC]

The mobile outfit that they are talking about is "The Clutch Doctor". They are familiar with Porsche's and will do it for you on-site at your shop or home.

I do have to agree with both 911C4 and Grady.....

They are a top race facility but I can tell you that they need lessons on how to be friendly!

Not Steve, he has always been wonderful and helpful.

Mostly just the "guy" in the gray shirt!!! (I know who you are talking about)