Last Lemming

I'm a decent dyi guy when it comes to working on cars. I've always done the work myself, but this monster of a job has me a bit concerned because I'm doing it on jack stands and ramp and most of the work will be done myself.

I've purchased a trany jack to act as my helping hand.

I'm I pushing a rope here trying to do this without a lift?

mikey_audiogeek

I did it how you're doing it. Take your time and get some help for the heavy maneuvering, but it can be done safely.

Good luck!

Mike

Paulyy

Take your time and you'll be fine.

Dougs951S

about to finish up installing (after pulling) an engine in an apartment parking lot on jack stands. It can be done. Just be patient and follow the procedure. Tranny jack was a wise investment, it's easy enough to get the tranny down yourself but putting it back up can be difficult with limited room to work.

JWebber

I did it on stands with just a regular floor jack . Make sure you get it up high enough so you can work comfortable .

elgy

I also did it on jack stands and alone except for one operation (replacing the torque tube if I remember right). Here is the thread I did...
https://rennlist.com/forums/924-931-...ew-clutch.html
If all goes well it is not all that difficult. My biggest problem was getting the reference sensors out. I took the gas tank out and had it patched while the tranny was out, worth doing it you have a pre-85 944 or a 924S.

John_AZ

....the rear main engine seal ----choose your poison.

The rest is nuts and bolts...(and blood , sweat and fears...)

J_AZ

Dash01

I had my clutch done some years back. The mechanic simply unbolted the rear subframe with tranny, driveshaft, and rear suspension, and rolled it as a unit out of the way. Then he had plenty of room to do the rear seal, clutch, fork, etc. This took about 9 hours of shop time, whereas the "book" rate is something like 22 hours, so it saved a lot on labor costs.

If I had it to do again, I'd do the same roll-away trick by myself in my garage. While in there, I'd check/change/clean the tranny fluid and cooler, use Redline or Royal Purple synthetic in the tranny, and install new bushings and mounts. The labor savings would more than offset the cost of such new fluids and bushings, etc.

You need to have the car high enough off the floor to roll the works out of the way.

dmjames

This is the first time I've heard this option mentioned- anyone else gone this route? Any caveats or downsides vs. the 'traditional' approach?

Dash01

FWIW, before I bit the bullet and had my clutch changed by a local mechanic, I went through the same slew of questions. I kept reading of how difficult some folks found removing or telescoping the driveshaft, with the transaxle still on the car. Reportedly, such issues are behind the shop or "book" rate of 22 hours to do the job, at ~$80/hour.

My mechanic raised the car on a lift to eye level, loosened the bellhousing and rear end subframe bolts, disconnected and hung the brake calipers, lowered the car so the rear tires were on the floor, removed said bolts, rolled the whole shebang outta the way, raised the car again to eye level, and swapped in the new clutch stuff. Sitting there in the parking lot, the whole assy. was readily accessible to clean, re-lube, etc. Perfect time to replace the little green O rings in the tranny cooler, change fluid, install new bushings, etc. I dropped the car off at the mechanic about 8am, picked it up around 5 pm the same day. Slower than the professional mechanic, I figure I could have done this myself in my garage over a weekend. But find a good local machine shop to resurface the flywheel, and good local sources of parts, should you find you need a new fork or whatever.

I've been on Rennlist for about 20 years now, and seem to recall discussion and posts of this procedure early on, so you may have to go back some time to find info about it.

odonnell

My only concern for that procedure (me doing it, not a mechanic, because obviously it worked well for you) would be aligning the torque tube shaft with the clutch center. It would need to be dead straight and I would think that extensive lifting gear would be needed to get the rear end assembly up to just the right position.

Dash01

Pretty sure somebody makes and inexpensive plastic alignment tool you can use for this. I've heard about some using a short length of broomstick or wood dowel rod. Others make a wood crib out of 2X4 lumber that fits onto a floor jack, to raise and hold things in place.

Doing the roll-away trick with the rear end, if setting the height of the car on jackstands and some fine tuning with a floor jack, you could adjust the height of the car to mate with the rolling gear as you put it back on.

I've also used strong nylon ratchet tie down straps suspended from a 2X6 laid across the upper rear of the engine bay, i.e., a sling to secure a transmission bell housing from above. Use long phillips screwdriver in bell housing to guide it onto the engine geometry. Or just use old bellhousing bolts, with heads cut off and rounded, as guide pins to mount other bolts, then remove guide pins and install normal bolts.

Last Lemming

Ok - now I'm ready:

PeteL

I've done the clutch on a lift, and on jack stands.
The tricky part on the lift was going up and down several times to get at bolts on the top of the engine, and then getting the car up in the air to work on the bottom.
The jack-stands actually went more smoothly, of course it was also my second time so that helped. Alignment of torque tube is done with a floor jack.
It really is not that bad of a job, just takes a bit of time.

John_AZ

Remove the reference sensors NOW.

Do not cut out the bell housing reference sensor holes-----if you do it may cause electrostatic interference with the starter if using the small turbo starter rather than the bulky OEM starter.
Porsche issued a tech update.

If the ref sensors do not come out, the bracket has to be removed from the back of the bell housing ----these bolts are awkward to remove but can be done with flex head tools.

J_AZ