Clutch life

[lookingfora944]

Hello,

I was wondering what the average clutch life (in miles is) I understand that it depends on how you drive it. Mine had a new clutch and fly wheel at 28K miles ago.
I have just been out for a long drive and once or twice, when I was accelerating in second gear, it felt that the power was not being transmitted 100% to the rear wheels. Maybe it was my imagination, maybe not, because when I got it onto a motorway it was flying along as usual does this sound like it could be a slipping clutch or possibly it needs adjusting?

Will take it out again tomorrow and see if I notice anyting

Cheers

 

[zcacogp]

You would need to abuse a 944 clutch MASSIVELY for it to be slipping after 28k miles. And they are hydraulic clutches (at least on the later models - not sure about the earlier ones), so no adjustment possible. Either you're imagining it (always possible!), or you have contaminated the clutch plate with something. How leaky is your rear main seal? Oli.

 

[Lowtimer]

Possibly just loss of traction on salted roads, which would explain why it didn;t do it in a higher gear. Presumably this is a version with no LSD?

 

[lookingfora944]

Hello, Thanks for the replies. Its a 944 S2, I don't see how I could have contaminated it. I have only had the car a couple of months and I had it serviced and checked over 3 weeks ago, so I don't believe there are any oil leaks. Maybe I am just being paranoid. Since I bought the car pretty much everyone has been negative saying how much it will cost me blah de blah and it may be something as simple as loss of traction, as you say. It definitely had no problem on the M-Way earlier. I will see how it feels tomorrow

 

[zcacogp]

S2? Definitely loss of traction then! Really, they are so powerful and smooth, they break away without you even being aware of it. [] (Sorry, bit of an in-joke here. A serious answer would be to see if it happens again and worry about it only if you get some more definite symptoms. Oh, and they don't cost a fortune to run at all; 'pretty much everyone' is pulling your leg.) Oli.

 

[Lowtimer]

In a similar vein to Oli's, obviously if it is a white one (like mine) it will be much more powerful than any other colour, and therefore the loss of traction would be far more likely.

 

[lookingfora944]

Yes it is a white one and yes, I was aware that they are the fastest models

 

[zcacogp]

Well, there you go then - problem solved! White S2, and you simply can't get enough traction on a damp road surface ... (Small note to Simon; while I am sure white turbos may have the occasional problem with traction, it's nowhere near as bad as in a white S2. 'Cos ... well, it's obvious really. [] ) Nice that we got that one cleared up so soon, chaps! [] Oli.

 

[jasonp]

lowtimer and lookingfora944, come on enough with the fantasys! everyone knows guards red is the fastest, without a shadow of a doubt,. white is very nice though[] regards jason

 

[graham.webb]

My S2 has just passed 100k and is still on the original clutch as far as I can see from the history that came with it. It seems this is not unusual...when I had the sills done at Specialised Paintwork, Karl said the 944 he'd had went well past 150k on the original I think. As they've said, depends how the car's been used, lots of town driving and wheelspin starts won't have helped, but that's not to say you can't enjoy it...I've driven at Brands Hatch, Prescott, and Shelsley but always with a thought to the less robust parts of the drivetrain! Anyway, if there's any clutch slip you should be able to hear the revs rise if you, say, put it under load going up a steep hill. If that's the case, then maybe look for some other signs of an oil leak? And so far as the negative comments are concerned, well just enjoy your car...most accept that it can be expensive at times. So...

 

[Lowtimer]

(Small note to Simon; while I am sure white turbos may have the occasional problem with traction, it's nowhere near as bad as in a white S2. 'Cos ... well, it's obvious really. )

It is indeed obvious, Oli : those of us with boooost also have limited slip differentials.

 

[Lowtimer]

As far as I or anyone else who's had a spanner on the car during my ownership can tell, my 250 Turbo is also on the original clutch at 86,000 miles and only about half-worn, though when it comes back from Promax shortly it will be unlikely that the second half lasts as many miles as the first half did... and I shall have to amend my sig line too,

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: Lowtimer It is indeed obvious, Oli : those of us with boooost also have limited slip differentials. 

And I'm sure you chaps need them too - what with that untidy, lumpy power delivery! Give me the greater power with the smooth delivery of an S2 every day of the week - even if that means I need to tame the waywardness of the back end a little! [] .... and on a serious note, I changed the clutch on my S2 at about 140k-or-so miles, and the one that came out was - I think - the original one. It seems that a fair number of original clutches are being changed 'cos the rubber centre breaks up, not because they wear out. (Although the symptoms from the OP are not those of a broken-up rubber centre.) Oli.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Maybe I am just being paranoid. Since I bought the car pretty much everyone has been negative saying how much it will cost me blah de blah

That's forums for you. [&o] To be fair, this forum has been going for nigh on ten years. If you imagine how many times the long-termers here have seen people register with a cheap car picked up on e-bay, then complained about all the things wrong with it, you'll understand why people are a little less than forgiving sometimes! A 944 will cost you, of course. And far more than a modern car if you only count the service costs. Factor in the cheap purchase price and the nominal depreciation and you're laughing. Oh, the clutch? 100K should be fine unless you're racing it. 28K miles is probably still bedding in. [] What were you driving before? I guess you're just being caught out by the wide tyres, slippery roads and lack of modern traction control, causing a bit of wheelspin. Often you won't feel it fishtailing around, as the car is so balanced, but the rears will be struggling to find grip. Every year I include "be careful out there" during the winter months in the Register article, because I deal with so many insurance claims where people are surprised how easy it is to throw a powerful car off the road when you've not got electronics to help you.

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty powerful car

>NodsSagely< As a fellow S2 owner, Paul, you can certainly empathise. It's great to have a responsible register secretary. [] Oli.

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty And far more than a modern car if you only count the service costs.

Another sudden switch to serious mode ... I reckon that with servicing at an indie, buying parts from Bert (or similar), the service costs probably aren't that much (if any) steeper than a new-ish blandmobile at a main dealer. A very good friend with an '08 focus-nothing-special has had well over £400 extracted from his wallet by a ford dealer in the last week, and didn't consider that to be abnormally steep. And I'll never forget the call a couple of years ago from another good friend, in tears, at the service desk of a Renault dealer, having just been given a bill of £1900+VAT for a full service on her Megane Cabrio. What sort of costs does an indie charge for a minor and major service on a 944? Parts will be around £30-£40 (oil, filters, plugs), and a couple of hours labour - maybe 3 for a biggie. I'm sure you'd be home for less than £200 - surely? (This assumes there is nothing that needs changing - belts/bearings/CV's/bushes will put this all up.) Oli.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

It's great to have a responsible register secretary.

Now I feel really old...... Not mention the fact that I've nothing better to do than be on a car forum on a Saturday night. [&o]

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty Not mention the fact that I've nothing better to do than be on a car forum on a Saturday night. [&o]

... and what do you think the rest of us poor sadsacks are doing then? I'd like to say this is being written on my iPhone from some desperately cool bar in Knightsbridge but I don't own an iPhone, and this is being written from my study .... [] (But I am looking forward to a couple of bottles of old git beer later on, and a DVD, in front of a roaring fire. How old does that make me sound? And I bet I'm at least 10 years younger than you McNulters ... [] ) Oli.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

And I bet I'm at least 10 years younger than you McNulters ...

I'm 24.

 

[zcacogp]

Mrs zcacogp tells me I am 12. (Probably on account of my mental age, sense of humour and love of burps and farts.) x10, back atcha! Oli.