topley Posted August 9, 2006 Posted August 9, 2006 So I have to inspect this further, but driving through the pits after the race Sunday there was a clunk coming from my drivetrain as I got on and off the gas. At this point I'm assuming that it is the rubber clutch center that has broken. If that is the case, what is the preferred clutch for this class, rubber puck? Spring centered? Aftermarket? Also, my transmission has always made a bit of a racket and I was always going to just run it into the ground then look for a new one. Well I might as well deal with it while I'm having the clutch done. Can someone recommend any combination of: reputable rebuilders? good sources for used or rebuilt boxes? what a trans rebuild costs? or anything else I should do (I don't have a limited slip or short 5th, but I would like to at least get the new 5th gear.) Lastly, Frank I tried calling you on your (310) ***-**58 number but it didn't seem to be your voicemail. You still working on 944's? -jay Quote
Packfill Posted August 9, 2006 Posted August 9, 2006 Rebuilding is really not worth the money on the trans... If you have trouble finding one call me, I am sure I have at least one spare..... and yes, there seems to be some debate over the value of a lsd, although for the life of me I dont know why... but there is NO debate over the short fifth in Socal... It is deemed necessary... my recollection is a good used trans will be about $300.. a short fifth, $400 ish installed, and an LSD? priceless... not really, but the Porsche LSDs have gotten crazy... around $1000 I think.... Quote
Tim Comeau Posted August 9, 2006 Posted August 9, 2006 Jay, If you talk dirty to me , I might push a 924S tranny your way real cheap.......... It already has the short 5th.....It's a plug and play, but you'll have no speedo. The QK (87-88 924S) trannies are tapped for a speedo, but the threaded hole is plugged. You can get it working , but that entails breaking the diff assembly down. And..........I have gatorade.... Here, boy!...... Come to the gatorade! Quote
Spec-944#70 Posted August 9, 2006 Posted August 9, 2006 Watch it Jay your getting one of those reps you'll never live down!! Quote
legoland951 Posted August 9, 2006 Posted August 9, 2006 Jay, I got a partial message but signal faded enough so I couldn't recognize your phone number. Call me and we can chat. I have a 924S tranny from a 86k mile car and a LSD tranny. I am still working on getting everything together though expecting a first kid make things a little slower. Bought a 24 ft. enclosed haulmark trailer and a 27 ft 7.3L diesel e350 van/minibus to tow the car I am building since I want to bring the family to the track when I go instead of leaving them behind. Eventually I will get out there. Quote
944-Spec#94 Posted August 9, 2006 Posted August 9, 2006 Clutch, Get the basic spring centered unit. These cars are NOT very powerfull and the stock sachs spring center units are PERFECT for us. Reasonable cost and if you drive the car right will last you many many many years. In 2003 I put a new clutch in my race motor since I had the motor out and orginal rubber clutch was busted. In sept 2004 after 30+ hard track days and races I pulled it out only find the clutch still had the ink stamp markings on the friction surface and new pressure plate had the machining grooves still on it. I bet I could have sold it on ebay as a "new" clutch and nobody would have been the wiser. Point is virtually no wear over alot of hard racing miles and count less shifts. For the tranny... unless you want to learn to rebuild one, just get a replacement. Anything with a short 5th is perfect. LSD is ideal, but you can survive for many years with an open diff and still have fun. If can get one by all means get the LSD unit, but don't feel like you have too. At this point $1000 spent on track time will give you more speed than $1000 on an LSD. In 2-3 years that maybe different, but even now I prefer to spend that money trying to run at least one event per month in the cool season rather than skipping 1/2 a season and getting the LSD. I think it will be faster and in the end I will have had more fun. Remember this series is all about fun on a low budget so always keep that in mind. Quote
944-Spec#94 Posted August 9, 2006 Posted August 9, 2006 and yes, there seems to be some debate over the value of a lsd, although for the life of me I dont know why... Jim, The LSD is great and there is no doubt that it better for any track car. The debate comes in as to how important it is vs the money spent. At $300 an LSD would be MUST HAVE. At $1000... well it is still valueable on track, but in budget minded series it is hard to say you NEED to speed that kind of dough on the LSD. You can win without one. It WILL be harder however. My feeling is that it is probably one of that last things to spend money on as bang for the buck is not great. If you want to know that your car has EVERYTHING with no expense spared then get one. If you are on budget wait and make sure the rest of the car is top notch before you worry about the LSD. I'd rather have an open diff with well aligned and tuned chassis than an LSD, but worn out dead shocks really old crap tires, wacked out alignment, and 150lbs overweight. Jim I think you would agree with me on that. Of course my car with an LSD would be faster than my car without the LSD, but by how much? Some tracks more than others cleary. Is 0.2 sec worth $1000? Not sure. What about 1 second a lap? Or 2 seconds? This is where it is tough to say HOW much better the LSD really is. Hey maybe in 2 years I will save up enough $$ for the LSD. Lets see $100 a month for Joe's LSD payment plan. Then may by next year? I am starting to like that idea. Quote
spazegun2213 Posted August 9, 2006 Posted August 9, 2006 In a previous life i tracked a subaru Sti. That car has 3 (yes 3) differentials, 2 LSD's and one center electronic diff. All of that put power to the 225/45/17 tires on the four corners very well. Now, going from that to a 944 is a HUGE leap. I just took the car out for its shake down run this weekend and i was pleased with the suspension setup and everything else. However, it became very clear as i began to drive the car harder having no diff made me slower on the track. This is because there were a number of funky off camber turns. However, i discovered if i modified the line a little i could get straight quicker and thus back on the throttle quicker. Either way a diff was quickly put on my "to get" list, but before that I'm going to get the suspension 100% worked out (alighment etc). There is always money to be spent on a race car, and the question does come down to the budget. If i can find a used tranny with a diff around here for 500 or less I'll pick it up, but if not, I'll keep waiting till i can find something that will not break the bank. oh, there is a store on the east coast that might have some used OEM ones http://www.dcauto.com Quote
topley Posted August 9, 2006 Author Posted August 9, 2006 The car that got me started driving on the track was my old 04 STi. Great car but I knew I'd never be happy with it unless I turned it from a street car to a full race car, so I did that to my 944 instead and traded the STi in on a new daily driver/tow vehicle. Damn that was a fast car. I'd be dead if I was still tracking that car.... Quote
spazegun2213 Posted August 9, 2006 Posted August 9, 2006 The car that got me started driving on the track was my old 04 STi. Great car but I knew I'd never be happy with it unless I turned it from a street car to a full race car, so I did that to my 944 instead and traded the STi in on a new daily driver/tow vehicle. Damn that was a fast car. I'd be dead if I was still tracking that car.... yea, STi's are really fast! Mine only got faster with seat time though. But having that car as a first track car give me a lot of respect for a) a sedan b) diffs and c) a chassis that you just cant upset. The car is just SO easy to drive, and it covers up so many mistakes it nuts. but I enjoy tracking the 944 a lot as well, its so different and fun Quote
924sowner Posted August 10, 2006 Posted August 10, 2006 yeah, see cars like that are bad. especially when your learning as ive found out... i was FAST in my 24S... just flat fast... i could drive that thing so hard it wasent funny and it just stuck and forgave me for alot of shit... my focus... whole nother ball game... peaky motor, lots of understeer if you dont hit the corner right.... or oversteer if your really off.... but now im to the point where i could throw that thing into turn 1 at willow in 4th gear and come out damn near as fast something like 75-80 i think? just a quick hard bit of breaking, shift 5th to 4th and dive. that got fun and turn 8 flat out is QUITE fun! but anyway, from what ive heard, a good chassis is better then an ok chassis and LSD.... Quote
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