Urgent G50 clutch question...please help.

[Rick Lee]

My clutch pedal felt fine last weekend when I drove. Last night I fired her up and the pedal now goes loosely about half way down before it begins to engage. And there's not much space between that point and floor. It still shifts very well and does not slip at all. I can redline it up a hill on wet pavement and there is absolutely no slippage. As well as it still shifts, it takes a little getting used to, what with the increased pedal play.

All my local Porsche buddies are at the track (Summit Point) this weekend, which is about 80 miles from me. I'm afraid to drive her so far now. Is my clutch shot? Or is there just some adjustment I can tweak?

Background info: car has 80k miles and I believe the original clutch. Others who have driven it have all said the clutch felt fine, with plenty of life left. I flushed the brakes last weekend and checked the fluid level last night, which was fine. As this happened pretty suddenly, I don't think the clutch is ready to replace yet. I have been planning on doing the replacement myself, but really can't afford to buy the kit and tools at the moment. Please tell me there is some cheap and easy fix to this. Thanks.

[Jess]

Richard,

I just had a similar thing happen on my G-50.

My problem turned out to be that air had entered the hydraulic system of the clutch.

There is a rubber flex-line at the slave cylilder on top of the transmission. On my car, this flex-line had some how loosened up a little bit. A small amout of fluid was leaking out where it threads into the slave cylinder and also air was getting in.

I just tightened up the hose and bled the system with a pressure bleeder.

Mine was an easy fix that required no new parts only long thin arms to reach up to the bleeder screw on the slave cylinder.

I hope yours is just as simple!

Jess

[Don Plumley]

80K on the original clutch? I would think this is due for replacement.

However, with the pedal symptom you describe, could it be the brake flush and cluch issue are more than coincidental? Try bleeding the cluch?

Let us know what happens.

Don

Disclaimer: Author has no idea what he is talking about. Suggest when you hear back from reliable source, e.g. John Walker, Warren, et al, you disregard this post.

[don911]

It sounds like you may have gotten air in the clutch system when you did the brake flush. This is just a guess but since the problem started shortly after the brake flush, I would look there first. I would bleed the clutch system and see if it solves the problem.
After that, it could be slave or master cylinder related. Bent rods etc... that doesn't seem logical since it was fine before. If you're not losing fluid, your master and slave cylinders should be ok. Though if it improves by pumping up the pedal, it could be. There is also a clutch pedal servo spring in the pedal cluster. It helps return the pedal but I don't think it does anything to disengage the clutch (as far as I know).
The more I think about, the more it sounds like air in the system. My Bentleys outlines the clutch system bleed if you need it.
Let me know if you need any bleed instructions and I can take some digitals and e-mail them to you.

good luck!

[Rick Lee]

Thanks guys. Since I posted this, I checked my Bentley's. Looks like a bleed could be in order. Though I'm a little stumped as to why this didn't happen immediately after my brake flush last Sat. I drove her plenty and plenty hard later Sat. and Sunday. This problem just popped up last night, though the car had sat since last Sun.

So is it ok to drive to the track tomorrow?

It's about 80 miles away and I'm sure I can borrow a floor jack and some good assistance in the paddock. Of course, I'm not tracking the car - just going to hang out and borrow some tools and help.

[don911]

I would say if it's still shifting ok, you can take it to the event. Especially if you'll be able to do a bleed while you're there. I assume you'll be on the freeway most of the way so you shouldn't have to do a lot of shifting. I'd probably chance it. You can always practice your RPM shifting skills.

[KTL]

Richard,

Your symptoms are just like my pedal felt when trying to bleed the clutch system via the pedal pumping method. Just didn't want to return well and was not able to bleed out all air. Pressure bleed solved problem.

Here's a good example of why it's a good idea to do the clutch "as long as you're in there" with the brakes. Also not a bad idea to replace the line mentioned by Jess. It is very similar to the rubber brake hoses on the cars- can deteriorate over time. Just not under as much pressure.

By the way. Sorry Don P., that "while you're in there" wasn't directed at you. Just pointing out that doing the clutch with the brakes could help to avoid a strange occurrence such as this one!

[avi8torny]

Plan on replacing the slave cylinder in the near future if the hydraulic lines look good. When they go, they introduce air into the system. Ask me how I know.

[kepperly]

I too just completed a major brake job on my 87 carrera
and now when the car has set for any lenght of time, i try
to engage reverse to back out of the garage and i have to start in fifth and down shift until i can get in reverse. after its warm
no problem. i did replace fluid with super blue and rebuild all
calipers and bleed brakes. no sign of clutch slave leaking. from
your group opions i guess its time for a pressure bleed of the
clutch. suggestions on the best power bleeder please.
thanks keith

[Don Plumley]

If I can do it with the Motive Power Bleeder - anyone can. Highly recommended, and make sure you get it at Pelican.

Regarding this shift problem, have you checked the fluid level in your tranny? Just an easy guess.

Don