Pressure plate wear., Causes. Options

[914Toy]

To the brain trust: re slight shudder when engaging the clutch in first gear to begin moving forward.

The clutch assembly is a Sachs brand 228 mm and was installed new about two years ago onto a new flywheel on my 2.7 911 engine, and now has some 5,000 street miles on it. Also new was the throw out bearing (Sachs) and nylon bush under the clutch fork.

I expected to see some clutch disk "burn" deposit on the fly wheel and/or pressure plate. To my surprise, while there were some small deposits on the flywheel and pressure plate, these parts and the clutch disk appear to be in near new condition - little measurable or obvious wear. However, the tips of the pressure plate "fingers (see pic) were worn down where the throw out bearing (TOB) contacts them. This suggests the TOB is slipping on the finger tips causing friction and wear. The TOB feels solid and spins freely like new.

I don't believe this is normal wear. Any thoughts/advice?

[TravisNeff]

I did a little digging.

https://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=79304

Some suggest abnormal wear on fingers if the PP wasn't torqued evenly.

By any chance are you using ARP flywheel bolts and not using the 4mil spacing washer? ARP states not using any washers but I found out that you did indeed need it as the bolts will bottom out on the crank and the flywheel will be a little floppy. BTW there is a 3 mil and a 4 mil washer, from what I read you need the 4mm. That is assuming you are using a 901 flywheel, if using a 915 flywheel i think the 3mm is appropriate.

I did not use the spacer and read about it last week. I get to tear it apart and add it in, was able to find one on fleabay for $30

[914Toy]

I did a little digging.

https://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=79304

Some suggest abnormal wear on fingers if the PP wasn't torqued evenly.

By any chance are you using ARP flywheel bolts and not using the 4mil spacing washer? ARP states not using any washers but I found out that you did indeed need it as the bolts will bottom out on the crank and the flywheel will be a little floppy. BTW there is a 3 mil and a 4 mil washer, from what I read you need the 4mm. That is assuming you are using a 901 flywheel, if using a 915 flywheel i think the 3mm is appropriate.

I did not use the spacer and read about it last week. I get to tear it apart and add it in, was able to find one on fleabay for $30

Pic below shows the cleaned up fly wheel after using some fine emery cloth to rub off the small "hot spot" deposits on the fly wheel - now very close to new condition. The 6 flywheel bolts have: NBUS-XZN 140 stamped on them, and they have in-the-hole length of 26mm versus the total hole depth (flywheel plus crank) of 32mm, so they are not "bottoming out". To repeat this is a 2.7 911engine.