Porsche 996TT Clutch/RMS Oil Leak Part 2 RennsportKC

Parts arrived this morning! With the new clutch kit (what I call our stage 2.5/gt2 kit), I was able to start putting this puppy back together 🙂

New main shaft seal installed. Note. In the picture can see where the clutch shaft inserts and runs across to the driver side where it sits in a needle bearing assembly. Make sure to dab just a touch of grease in there, and make sure ALL the needle bearings are sitting where they should be. On occasion, when you pull the shaft out, one or two of the needle bearings will dislodge themselves.

Clutch fork cleaned up and ready for install.

Now comes the hard part. Keeping that bugger in that position while to try and wiggle the transmission on. The release bearing will want to rotate, which will cause the fork to drop into the bellhousing as you slide the transmission on.

So I use blue painters tape to tape it in place. Use a long piece and leave a lot hang up top so you can easily grab it later. Don’t use duct tape or something too strong as you have to be able to pull it out later.

Sliding the tranny back in place. Again, angle of the dangle must be proportional to the heat of the meat. If she isn’t perfectly lined up, it won’t spline up. You must go slow and carefully wiggle to keep the fork from dislodging. If you look at the picture, the spacing between the bellhousing and engine isn’t exactly perfect top vs. bottom vs. side to side. Get it straight and it will go on. You will need a little muscle to wiggle it in place.

Almost there. Keep watching to make sure that fork doesn’t move. You can see it through the rectangular window on the passenger side. Once you get the transmission splined and almost on, peel the tape off the clutch fork with a screwdriver then pull the tape out the top, and guide the clutch fork toward the front of the car and into the bellhousing ears. If you have the transmission inserted just far enough, it should already be between the ears, and at that point can’t fall into the bellhousing.

And in place.

Now for the hard part. I keep saying that, because each subsequent step is more difficult than the previous step. Same thing on the other end of the clutch fork shaft. Remove the needle bearing, a little grease, and put it back on the shaft.

And our insertion tool. I use a lock nut to keep the end cap attached to the clutch shaft so that when you push it on, you don’t dislodge the cap. Next, insert the shaft into the hole it came out of. You will have to reach under and around the transmission with your left arm and grab the tip of the clutch fork with your fingers to lift it up slightly so the holes line up and the clutch shaft can easily insert.

Harder part. These steps are critical. If you drop any of these pieces inside the hole, you will have to pull the transmission completely off and start over. Since I have already done that many times before years ago, I have come up with the solutions to keep this from happening. If you follow this closely, you shouldn’t have to pull the trans back off. Since you have already splined the tranny, you know how much of a PITA it is! Next insert the black cap you removed with the pliers. Put it on the end of a 1/4″ 13mm socket and tape it so the tape just catches the edge of the cap. wrap the socket securely to your extension as you don’t want that to come apart when you pull the tool out. You want the tape to just barely hold the cap in place so it will come off the tool once it is in place. Insert it up in the hole, get it seated, pivot the tool a few times to break the tap loose, and move on to the next step.

And this is how it should come back of the hole.

Now that you have the cap inserted, it will really suck if you drop these parts in the bellhousing. Same thing with the 6mm bolt and retaining bracket. I swap this bolt out for a 6mm with a shoulder so it sits flush with my socket. Again, tape it up so the bolt is secure in the socket, slide on the retaining bracket, and install.

Next up is the hardest part of the dang job. The G&$*#!!!##$~~~@@@!$#!! slave cylinder. I am lucky here, as I am replacing the slave, and have the pressure removed. If you just hung the slave out of the way and had a good cylinder, you get to fight all the fluid pressure while inserting this on top of the transmission. The picture shows where the bolts will go. I usually remove the zinc L bracket as it gives you more room to work. Insert the tip so it sits in your clutch fork arm, and start shoving the slave into place. It takes a LOT of upper body strength. Best thing I can tell you is to have a punch or screwdriver ready, and once you have the cylinder shoved in far enough, slide the punch into the rear most hole (towards the engine) and get it pinned. This way you can start the front most bolt without fighting the pressure of the slave. Don’t crossthread it. You’ll understand the pain involved once you do this.

And up in place. Since I forgot to bring my special tool for the accumulator today, I’ll have to wait until Sunday or monday to finish it up. Tighten that, bleed the slave, put on 2 crossmembers and done.

When going back together (and really you could do it coming apart as well), I leave the engine/trans lowered and do as much of the stuff up top like starters and slaves, lines, etc. Once all that stuff is done, then raise the trans/motor up into the transmission mount and finish the job. Crossmembers and such go on pretty quickly.