hydrolic clutch????

mikey · 08-24-2004, 02:41 PM

Does anybody know if there is a hydrolic clutch kit is available for the 914? If not, has anybody fabricated one? It would be one less thing to worry about if we could get rid of the clutch cable and replace it with a master and slave cylinder.

Mike

yousaidpoo · 08-24-2004, 03:18 PM

i don't really know the answer to your question, but i would think that a hydraulic setup for a clutch would be more of a problem than a cable setup, especially because of the fact that the engine is in the rear, which means lots of lines...

mikey · 08-24-2004, 03:41 PM

Nope!!! Only 1 line......the oil line. The master cylinder at the pedal will make the pressure to operate the slave at the clutch lever. The only thing that would have to be fabricated would be the plate that mounts the slave cylinder at the tranny, which would have to be mounted on the other side of the lever as a pusher not a puller (like the cable)

Mike

Dave at Pelican Parts · Dave at Pelican Parts's Garage

It's been done. Usually someone adapts an aftermarket setup of some kind to the 914's pedal cluster and transmission housing. A bit of a pain to set up a second reservoir for brake fluid and so forth, but doable.

--DD

SteveStromberg · 08-24-2004, 05:18 PM

Type I & III Hydraulic Clutch Kit

The SACO hydraulic clutch kit is the solution to the troublesome clutch cable, in performance VW applications. The kit comes complete, ready to bolt-in any year Bug or Type III. The Matched components include master cyclinder, reservoir, hose fittings, slave cyclinder, and all the hardware. Harness that horsepower and never worry about that cable again.

32-1000 Hydraulic Clutch Kit

Tidybuoy · 08-24-2004, 08:14 PM

Just curious....how does this work? I thought the 914 clutch "pulls" the transmission lever. Does the hydraulic kit mount in reverse so that it "pushes" the orig lever in the same manner as stock?

Clay Perrine · 08-25-2004, 03:44 AM

This has been done and it's a bolt in for a 914. Contact Rich Johnson for details (a914guy@aol.com). He has the kits available for shipment.

mikey · 08-25-2004, 08:15 AM

The slave cylinder almost looks as though it is a puller instead of a pusher!!!! How cool if it is.

Mike

lapuwali · 08-25-2004, 08:43 AM

The one in the picture is a puller. I believe the Rich Johnson setup is a pusher, and uses Porsche and/or Audi parts from other cars.

The primary reason to switch to hydraulic on the 914 would be to be able to switch clutch types. Porsche themselves flip-flopped on pull v. push type clutches, and some of the push-type clutches are larger and have more torque capacity than the pull types offered for the 901. Some gearbox swaps also work better with a hydraulic setup than trying to adapt a cable setup.

Swapping for reliability seems a bit silly to me. Hydraulic systems are no more reliable than cable systems. Both require periodic maintenance and rebuilding/replacement. The cable type requires infrequent adjustment, but never needs bleeding. I've found replacing a cable to usually be a lot less hassle than rebuilding/replacing slave and/or master cylinders. There are a lot more parts to go wrong in the hydraulic system (which theoretically should make it much less reliable, though in practice they seem to be about the same).

The main reason I see for OEMs favoring hydraulic is that it's easier to adapt hydraulics between a wider variety of chassis/engine combinations (better for mass manufacturing), and it's somewhat easier to get a better leverage ratio for a light pedal with hydraulic.

mikey · 08-25-2004, 01:59 PM

yeah......You have a good point there.

rice_killer · 08-27-2004, 01:30 AM

most of you are forgetting one thing, and that is the feel of a hydro clutch. man its smooth.

well worth the cost for the smoothness factor alone, even if it is less reliable.