I got an email from Only944.com about a new product they had for sale that is a firewall brace designed to reinforce the area around the clutch and brake master cylinders. I thought nothing of it until middle of last week when I was preparing for Barber.

After bleeding the clutch slave, I had to readjust the free play at the top of the clutch pedal travel. While doing that, I kept pushing the clutch in and out and realized that I could see light passing through the firewall just below where the clutch master mounts. The crack is about 3 inches long and I imagine will only get bigger with more use.



Now that I am doing more research, I am finding that this is a common enough problem to warrant internet discussion and several different fixes. The plate sold by Only944 requires that you remove both masters and the booster so Im not sure if Im willing to go that far to fix it.

Just a warning to all the races in case your clutch feels mushy but has been bled properly. This may be a cause.

You can also make your own, here's my fix on my 924 Turbo. A bit ugly, but, you fit and finish guys can probably make it look better~! I don't have a stock wiring harness any longer, hence, the hole is covered. The steel 3/16ths rivets worked out well.

Never seen that before. Is the consensus that this is from the clutch pedal pressure fatiguing the metal only or possibly chassis flex? If chassis flex then it could/should happen on the other side too? Also is this both early and late cars?

By the way my interpretation of the rules tells me that the above repair is NOT allowed as it is chassis stiffening. I am not saying it should not be done but that it will need a rule drawn up to be legal.

If it were me I would form a steel panel that could be welded in. Possibly two panels One on the inside and one on the outside sandwiching the original firewall.

I think it's a factory defect. Porsche needs to recall them and fix em' for free!

Sounds good...you spearheading ?

The research I've done has indicated that most believe it's a result of the clutch actuation and thin sheet metal. I've chosen to ignore it for now since I have plenty of other projects to worry about. I don't know if we are more or less prone to this happening in our race cars vs street cars. On one hand we shift less, on the other hand, we shift harder.