Turbo clutch wear?

[AMG Merc]

Chaps, is there any way to check for clutch wear (apart from the obvious - does it bite/slip). I'm thinking an inspection hole or electronic means?

I needed, what do they csot to replace?

[Magic919]

For whatever reason, the clutch gets rather stiff when it is on the way out. You might feel some judder in the lower gears otherwise. Never heard of an easy method to inspect.

Indy price is probably a bit short of a grand. OPC will be more like £1500 if it's like the C4S pricing.

[Rockster]

AMG Merc said:

Chaps, is there any way to check for clutch wear (apart from the obvious - does it bite/slip). I'm thinking an inspection hole or electronic means?

I needed, what do they csot to replace?

There may be some slots/gaps -- IIRC they are there to allow some air flow to help keep the clutch cool -- that allow one to look inside the bellhousing and view the clutch plate and get a sense of the remaining friction material left on the clutch disc. I have not even bothered to look at this when I have had my Turbo in the air. (Well, that's not right. I have not *remembered* to do this.)

Anyhow, the usual signs of a clutch problems apply to the Turbo's clutch. Slippage (especially in 3rd or 4th gear under full throttle acceleration), any grabbing/shuddering/juddering when releasing the clutch.

With other Porsches the clutch effort goes up when the clutch wears but the Turbo has a boosted/power assisted clutch so I'm not sure one could notice this increse in effort. It would be masked by the power assist system.

If you get in the car and the clutch pedal is hard to depress this is a sign the accumulator is going out, the accumulator can't retain the pressure to provide clutch assist when the engine has been off a while.

Another 'test' is if with the engine off you fully depress the clutch pedal and release it that the pedal gets hard after too few cycles.

Once the pedal does get hard, start the engine and let it idle 20 seconds then shut off the engine. Try the clutch. It should be easy to press and you should be able to depress it/release it many times (I forget the number, but it is around 20 to 30 times, maybe) before it gets hard to work again. This tests the ability of the clutch booster system to recharge the accumulator in the 20 seconds the engine's running.

Keep an eye on the power steering and clutch power booster reservior fluid levels. When my Turbos' accumulator went out the slave cylinder followed shortly after. I do not think there is any connection to this. One sign though the clutch slave cylinder was bad was there was fluid on the top the plastic panel that covers the brake power system reservior located under the front trunk lid.

Sincerely,

Rockster.

[AMG Merc]

Thanks guys, useful...