Burnt my clutch today

[PHillary]

Well, I burnt my clutch today. Lol! The car is now having problems getting into first gear it will go into every other gear just fine but will not shift easily into 1st for some reason.
this morning after dropping my daughter off at school the car started giving me problems shifting into 1st so I put the car in second gased it and took off in second with a slight smell of the clutch burning? What could this be? Why is this happening now?

Anyways it's a 87 944 S. Thanks in advance for any help given.

[Jfrahm]

Check your brake fluid level. If it's OK, maybe bleed the clutch.

[Fast Freddy 944]

Be careful and mindful of that clutch, It has a hocky puck shaped rubber dampener on the plate, and if its past its useful life time, then the rubber puck will desintergrate and send chunks of molten rubber all over the works, If I was you, id have it looked at, just to be on the safe side..

[walfreyydo]

Its not your clutch, its likely your first gear syncro, or some other mechanical issue (incorrectly adjusted shift linkage for instance). The fact you can engage other gears proves this.

The reason you smelled burning clutch is because you feathered the hell out of it starting in 2nd gear.

[PHillary]

Originally Posted by walfreyydo

Its not your clutch, its likely your first gear syncro, or some other mechanical issue (incorrectly adjusted shift linkage for instance). The fact you can engage other gears proves this.

The reason you smelled burning clutch is because you feathered the hell out of it starting in 2nd gear.

I sure the hell did!!! How did you know that? and most importantly if it happens again how should I get it into second or some other gear that works. LOL! Should I just let of the clutch and mash the gas? because I felt like I should let it get up to speed a little before I fully mashed the gas and all I did was end up burning the clutch so I guess my question is, Is there something I could have done to prevented me from burning the clutch taking off???

[Jfrahm]

Fix the engagement issue. Low brake fluid, hydraulic issue, broken clutch fork...

[jjeffries]

Maybe you’ve already done this but look thru left rear wheel well and make sure the linkage hasn’t fallen off the transaxle case.

Best of luck, John

[walfreyydo]

Originally Posted by PHillary

I sure the hell did!!! How did you know that? and most importantly if it happens again how should I get it into second or some other gear that works. LOL! Should I just let of the clutch and mash the gas? because I felt like I should let it get up to speed a little before I fully mashed the gas and all I did was end up burning the clutch so I guess my question is, Is there something I could have done to prevented me from burning the clutch taking off???

No, you should not be starting out in second. If you continue to drive the car by starting out in 2nd, you will soon be replacing the clutch which is like a $1500-2000 job (unless you do it yourself).

Park the car until you get the car fixed. If you don't have the capability or knowledge to do this yourself, take it to a porsche/vw specialist shop.

A simple google search yielded this clarks garage article, you should start here: Transaxle - Checking, Repairing, and Replacing the Shift Lever and Shift Linkage
As also mentioned, check your brake fluid level and confirm you have no leaks from the clutch slave area (I doubt this is the case if you can engage other gears, but its worth checking).

[PHillary]

Originally Posted by walfreyydo

No, you should not be starting out in second. If you continue to drive the car by starting out in 2nd, you will soon be replacing the clutch which is like a $1500-2000 job (unless you do it yourself).

Park the car until you get the car fixed. If you don't have the capability or knowledge to do this yourself, take it to a porsche/vw specialist shop.

A simple google search yielded this clarks garage article, you should start here: Transaxle - Checking, Repairing, and Replacing the Shift Lever and Shift Linkage
As also mentioned, check your brake fluid level and confirm you have no leaks from the clutch slave area (I doubt this is the case if you can engage other gears, but its worth checking).

Thanks! I haven't driven the car since it started acting funny that day. I wanted to know if it was okay to drive like that because I was going to drive it to my mechanics shop and have him look at it but now I will more than likely tow it there.

I checked the fluid it seems to be about halfway full so I topped it off to the full mark turned on the car nothing different. Haven't had the chance to get under the car yet to look around but will be doing so tonight.

[ERAU944]

When I started having engagement issues on my 944 it came with clunking - the rubber center bit the dust and the limp-home tabs were getting the job done... that is, when bits of rubber center weren't jamming the clutch and causing the engagement issues.

[kdjones2000]

PHillary, what clutch work was during your engine rebuilding saga? I think that you already have a spring-centered disc installed.

One other possibility: The spring on your pressure plate can crack, which will cause clutch disengagement issues.

[PHillary]

Originally Posted by kdjones2000

PHillary, what clutch work was during your engine rebuilding saga? I think that you already have a spring-centered disc installed.

One other possibility: The spring on your pressure plate can crack, which will cause clutch disengagement issues.

Yes I had a new clutch installed a Centerforce dual friction, man! I wish they still sold them. Hopefully its not the spring on clutch but I will check in with them today to see what happened Hopefully its something that came lose that can be re-adjusted. But he did say I burnt it pretty good! Lol! Well if you gone do it do it big!!! Lol!

[Jfrahm]

A stiff clutch can cause the fork to break also, particularly if it was not replaced.

[PHillary]

Welp! Mech said I needed new bushings on the shifter, they were just worn! He said I burnt it (The Clutch) but not too bad were I need another one just yet. So in the end I am kinda lucky I guess, got my hands on a LR Kevlar Belt, hopefully it doesn't need habitual adjusting like the OEM one does but we will see!!!