The stud comes out real easy with the double nut trick and I prefer that way.

 

This is what I have done, the stud thru the plastic cap stays in place BUT we also put a shorter stud wher the bolt goes to retain the plastic cap/shaft so now you just slide the meatal retainer down both studs and use a nut and deep socket instead of trying to get the bolt back into a hole blind !!!!

 

was never a problem for me. after the bracket is seated on the plastic cap it sort of guides itself into the threaded hole. just needed the tape to keep from dropping the bolt out of the socket. I'm sure theres many tricks to making it easier to do this job. any trick that works is a major plus!!

 

Zip ties are your friend. I didnt open any coolant lines.

 

Woohoo. Just got the tranny and fork setup all back in the car.Kudo's for all the tips in this thread. I only had to mate up the tranny to the motor a single time.

In the spirit of giving back to the hive mind -

Clutch Fork Pin and Retainer Pro Tip

After getting the tranny back on the motor and before trying to put the fork pivot shaft or retainer cap/bracket/screw

Stuff a paper towel in the void of the access hole so things can't drop down into the clutch housing.

While I didn't drop anything, this gave me so much more confidence knowing I wouldn't waste all the time and effort getting the tranny on due to dropping some dumb bracket or screw. The horror that would be. I really didn't want to modify the cap as per suggested above.

 

I wish I had done some paper towel stuffing. Tranny went on nice and smooth on first attempt, but I dropped that dumb cap/retainer assembly bolt down into the bellhousing. Second tranny install didn't go nearly as smoothly as I ran into stupid crap (that has been discussed before on here), and I still struggled to get that cap/retainer thing installed.

I also like johnny.dangerous's idea of the second stud.

 

Hi there, I just managed to have my 2002 GT2 tranny removed for clutch replacement and I want to thank all the above tips and feedback, starting from Talisman013 obviously.

I can't tell if we spent a total of 10 or 12 m/o for this (two experienced mecanics plus a lift), but it is quite a serious job for sure.
Our main concern (and issue !) was the fork alignment and then shaft insertion, but we managed to get everthing done at first attempt with the basic threaded 6mm method and then putting plastic / retainer into place with fingers and some tape !
I won't call this whole a pita, but Porsche could have managed something smarter to re-install the fork and pivot...

Well, my slippy clutch is now a thing of the past and the car is really driving great, even if I went for a ZF Sach 883082999764 cover and a ZF race rigid metallic disc ref. 881864999944.
Pedal effort is maybe 20% stiffer but still ok for street use to my opinion.

 

Second stud means my total shaft install time is under 5 mins

 

Thanks for the post and details. Most Porsche Indy shops in Bellevue want to charge like $4,000 plus to go a clutch, rms, ims replacement. If the OP can do it in 5-7 hours after one time. Why are the indy's that do it day in and day out and probably could do it blind charge so much more hours wise?

 

Because they are in the making $$$$$ game and not the doing favours game!! Thats how shops make money, they quote a book time and if they can do it faster they make more money, just because they can do in half or less than most garages due to experience and money spent on hi cost tools etc why should they drop their price? your not just paying for the time on a ramp you are paying for years of learning and experience that have gone into being able to do it that fast. Its like a dentist, you pay $1000's for dental treatment that takes only a few hours but you dont begrudge it, why? because you know that dentist spent years at medical school etc, no diff to top technician, you pay a mapper $1000's to push a couple of buttons! NO you pay for his knowledge !!!

 

there is also a much larger overhead expense in building, insurance, tools investment, shop employees, electricity, water, taxes, the list goes on forever for a small businessmen vs. myself in my garage with a 2500$ lift

 

But 4000 seems at the highest end.

Find an Indy that does a lot of them and specializes in porsche and can probably get the labor near 1000. I found it as low as 850 in my area. RAC, formerly ruf was 1000.

The guys near 4000 were the ones that said they drop the engine and trans at the same time.

 

I prefer to drop the motor, does not take much longer (I started taking mine out at 5pm and after changing the fuel lines refitted and had it running at 10pm) and saves the torture involved doing the clutch shaft shuffle.

 

having done it both ways now i doubt its any faster to leave the motor in. the only downside i see in dropping the motor is the huge mess of coolant that happens every time you drop the engine out. just no way to escape the flood of coolant that comes out from the 2 front hoses

 

That is a pretty high quote. Is that for OEM clutch replacement? If you look at this DIY clutch tech article here you will see the time it should take you, the price, and some good information about it. Can save a lot if you decide to DIY. Good luck!

-Luccia