Just got my car back from BBI Autosport in Huntington Beach, CA. I had a Sachs Stage II racing clutch and light weight flywheel installed. BBI did the job with 9.5 hours of labor (I believe it is rated at 11 hours from Sachs). I always enjoy going over to pick up my car from BBI. They are a great bunch and really know their stuff. Always lots of cool new projects to check out too.

The clutch pedal feels almost exactly like the stock pedal. It is not any more difficult to depress. It is, however, a bit less forgiving in first gear. It engages much more quickly now (I don't mean higher or lower but quicker). I used to be able to let it off slowly in first gear and get the car to nudge forward. Now, when I let the pedal out to where it engages, it just goes. A real on/off feel.

I am not hearing any chatter from the LWFW. Rumor on the street was that the LWFW has a tendancy to rattle at idle with the clutch pedal depressed. I have not experienced this at all. Perhaps my tolerance for such noises is higher than some. But I am usually a real stickler for that kind of thing. So far, it has not been an issue for me. I will shoot some videos of the sound at start up, warm, etc. and post them soon.

The engine is spooling up better than ever and the car seems very strong. I also got an updated ECU flash that seems to be pretty aggressive. Once you get a flash from BBI, they will reflash it as many times as they get updates for a small fee. I am going to run the clutch a couple hundred miles before I start pushing it again. So I won't be running with those nuts on Saturday morning for a bit.

Right now, I am very happy with it and the work that Betim and Joey did for me at BBI. Anyone interested in mods for their 997TT (or any car for that matter) should really check them out.

 

Very good report. Thanks for sharing.

 

Subscribed

 

Barrister = Secret BBI REP Good write up. I have thought about this MOD before the ECU/Exhaust. I know backwards to some but I am building it slowly - laying the foundation if you will.

subscribed as well.

 

Now you are going from FAST to SUPER FAST.

 

robertp - don't encourage him.

 

Here are my updated impressions after about 50 miles worth of driving.

The biggest thing that I notice is that first gear is totally different. The Sachs system is not nearly as forgiving as the stock system. I have not stalled the car for months but I stalled it in first gear several times yesterday and once on my way in to work today. When the pedal is ready to engage, you are IN GEAR and you better be ready. I am not mixing the gas with the clutch engagement much - if at all - right now. I am taking it especially easy in that beautiful second gear where we all love to punch it. I am doing mainly rolling engagement in second. I have given it some nice gas in third gear, however, and the results are very nice indeed. I am going to break in the clutch over the next 250 - 300 miles before pushing it. So, suffice it to say, that the Sachs system has a slight learning curve to it.

Today I paid closer attention to the chatter that the LWFW is making. It is definitely there. You hear it when in neutral while the car is idling and I hear it in first and second gear between 0 - 2500 RPMs. This is definitely something that should be considered before pulling the trigger on this system. For me, the performance boost should be enough to overcome the chatter. I have not been pusing the car very hard yet. But early indications are that the engine is revving up much more quickly in third and fourth gears. I think this bodes well for second gear once I get her broken in. I can't imagine being much faster in second. That really excited me. Stay tuned.

One final thing that I have noticed is that I am not getting any clutch smell at all. With the stock clutch I would get just a whif when I climbed up my steep driveway or the climb up into my parking garage in first gear. Now there is absolutely no smell at all. This is a good thing.

I will do another update when I have driver the system out of the break-in period. So far, however, I am very happy with it.

Thanks to BBI for the fine install.

 

Hey, I want BBI to get the props they deserve. There is also that small matter of the incriminating photos that Betim has of me . . . OOPS! Did I say that out loud?? Not everything stays in Vegas I guess.

I think that getting the clutch system first is a fine idea. If you go to anything around 550 bhp and/or 600 tq the stock clutch is going to struggle. It is more the increased torque than hp though.

 

The chatter you hear is the gears in the transmission.
It is due to the LWFW and not the clutch. The LWFW has less mass than the stock dual mass fly wheel and thus, does not keep the gears in the transmission taut.

 

Yes. It is definitely an issue. But I just turn up the radio and it magically disappers!!

 

How is the new clutch feeling? How many miles are now on her?

 

I had the exact setup SACHS and FLYWHEEL. You will experience chatter going from multi plate to single plate clutch. Give it time to wear... This you will hear loudly outside your car @ idle.

Shifting will be even quicker than before and your right wrist is in for a good exercise when you drive. Parasitic wheel loss has been reduced and you will experience freer revs and faster off line acceleration...Your top speed is hurt though. Even more so if Sport mode is engaged.
1st gear launch requires almost a clutch slip for momentum to launch. You'll find it easier with practice.

I hope you re-enforced the drive train.

The torque rating of the clutch will not allow any slippage and will be a lot more stressful on the connecting rods. Too much torque and twisted metal ..

 

One more thing...If the flywheel is aluminum...it will distort and warp over time...because of the heat...it will distort faster pending on how many Sunday track days you endure.

 

re-enforce the the drive train how does one go about that?

 

I have had this setup now for over 6 months. I drive the car a lot and very spiritedly. I have not had any problems.

One thing to consider, however, it LWFW chatter. You should hear it before you jump in. I am over it. But in the beginning it drove me crazy.