I've done a ton of reading on this forum since I picked up my car and I remember reading that if your clutch is stiff after the car sits for a couple of days it means a part is on it's way out.

I just searched the forum and couldn't find anything that I remember reading, so I have a couple questions:

What part is it that needs to be replaced?

How much does this run for a dealer to do generally? I realize that hourly rates vary from place to place, but a ball park?

Is this something that could fail catastrophically, or is it something where one day when I go to the start the car the clutch won't disengage, or is this just something that people fix because it isn't "suppose to happen"?

My clutch is doing this now...my dealer was clever, every time we went to look at it they pulled it up to the building so the salesman started the car, thus I didn't find out about it. Once I push it all the way down it feels fine for the rest of the day. I don't know how many days it takes to feel this way, but if I drive it to work it isn't stiff in the afternoon. We drive the car kind of randomly, so it's hard to tell.

Thanks. You guys have been very helpful since I've picked up the car.

 

I just went out to the car and checked the clutch reservoir underneath the plastic next to the battery and it was filled to the max line and everything was dry around it, and there was nothing on the ground, so I'll drive it, but will get it looked at/fixed for sure.

 

There are two tests for the clutch.

One tests the ability of the pump to charge the clutch accumulator and the other tests the storage (?) capacity of the accumulator.

With the wheels straight ahead, start the engine and let it idle 20 seconds.

Turn off the engine. Do not move the wheel while the engine is running or after you shut off the engine.

Fully depress and release the clutch pedal.

Repeat.

Do this until the clutch pedal gets hard -- it will get pretty hard -- to depress.

If you get less than 10 presses (some sources give a higher number like up to 35) then the accumulator is weak. In my case the clutch pedal got hard to depress pretty darn quick.

Next start the engine and let it idle 20 seconds shut off the engine and depress the clutch. The pedal should be easy to depress.

If the clutch pedal gets hard to depress after just a few depresses/releases or is hard to depress after the car has sat say overnight without the engine being run, the accumulator is bad. Another sign is if the clutch is hard to depress even if the engine is running and if you can feel some light pulsing from the clutch when the engine is running as you depress or release the pedal.

If the clutch reservoir fills with fluid to the point it overflows this is a sign the clutch slave cylinder is bad.

A high pitched (but rather faint) squeal when the clutch is out but which goes away when you depress the clutch is a failed high pressure bypass valve in the power steering tank. The tank has to be replaced. Porsche does not sell the valve separately.

 

I've not done the test yet, but will.

That being said I've never noticed any of the sounds or feelings in the pedal once the engine started, and I listen very closely to the car for sounds since I'm so paranoid/OCD.

Thanks for the test though. I'll try it.

 

I got up to 15 cycles before it started feeling slightly stiff and once I got to 21 it was just as stiff as it was before I started it after it had been sitting since Saturday night.

 

Search clutch accumulator. Macster has outlined the by the book method for testing the unit. From my experience, if the pedal is heavy after the vehicle sets for a while the accumulator is on its way out.

I had mine replaced a few years back. The slave was also failing so it was replaced. Parts were around $700 (150 for the accumulator, 550 for the slave), labor was about 8 hours iirc. The job can be done with the tranny in, it's just a pain from what I hear.

Slave cylinder failure is easily detected by pentosin being pushed out of the front clutch reservoir making a very nasty mess.

Mine failed rather suddenly. Was getting the stiff pedal and within 3-4 weeks started getting pentosin pushed out of the front reservoir. Something (accumulator or slave) started leaking pentosin everywhere before the mechanic could make room. Your mileage may vary. It shouldn't leave you stranded, I have never heard of that.

Given the labor and propensity of failure, I recommend replacement of both the slave and accumulator at the same time even if your slave is ok.

Another option that some like is a full conversion to the gt2 parts. I do not have that modification and cannot comment. Search will be your friend here.

 

re macsters post, this *usually* means your accumulator is failing and the clutch slave may not be far behind. it is so common it isn't funny. there might be 1000 threads on "clutch accumulator replacement etc". not expensive ( maybe 150 part ) but theres about 1.5 hours shop labor involved. not a big deal

some folks give up and remove the hydraulics completely with the gt2 slave delete. also a searchable term, multiple threads on it. ( didnt see rich's post! ...redundancy alert! sorry.. lol )

 

My wife drove it to work today and she said the clutch felt fine when she started the car. It sat for about 10 hours last night without it getting super stiff, so I guess that is something.

 

It won't stay dry in there for long then. As a temporary hold-over until you get it fixed, you can get a syringe and suck the excess fluid out of the front reservoir for the clutch accumulator and then put it back into the power steering reservoir in the rear.

 

don't rely upon that as any indication that it isn't still failing. they will hold pressure some times overnight,.. then not. if it stiff at startup ever before pumping up pressure..? it's going.

 

I'm getting it looked at/fixed either way.

 

Looks like it's going in Tuesday. The dealer here has all the parts.

 

hmm my car is exhibiting these same symptoms.. I'm gonna try the test and go from there *subscribed* post findings when you get back from the dealer pls

 

I took it to the dealer today so they can start working it tomorrow. He said I might have it back tomorrow, but probably Wednesday. I'll keep it update as things happen.

 

pfft with the test if it wasn't your accumulator and/or slave combo failing? i'd just say some things are just stiff in the morning.