Issue with my 987 neighbor

[MNBoxster]

Originally Posted by bmussatti

Hey Jim, you have had a very busy week here!

Just a couple comments and 2 questions:

First, I never had a Big Wheel. I always wanted one, but my parents just could not afford to buy me one when I was a little kid. Come to think about it, we did not have a patio or patio furniture either!

Does a manuel trans really cost more in maintenance?

And why are there less RMS failures with the Tip?

Thanks for helping me learn more here on the forum.

Hi,

I'm sorry you were Big Wheel Deprived - so was I - not from circumstance, but because I pre-date them...

Anyway, the Tip S is cheaper to maintain because there is no Clutch, Flywheel, Pressure Plate, T/O Bearing, Master Cylinder, Slave Cylinder or Pilot Bearing to replace. The first scheduled maintenance on the Tip S is at 60k mi. and this is just a Fluid and Filter change - couple Hundred Bucks.

The Tip S experiences fewer RMS Failures because it has no direct Mechanical connection to the Engine. It uses a Torque Converter which is attached to the Flywheel. This is essentially a Viscous or Fluid Coupling, which spins pressurising and moving the Transmission Fluid inside it. This Fluid, now spinning and placed under pressure, spins an Internal Impeller which is connected to the Primary Shaft in the Tranny, transmitting the engine Torque/HP to the rest of the Drivetrain and ultimately the Rear Wheels.

In accord with Newton's 3rd Law of Motion, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. In the case of a Manual Transmission, this means that whatever Force (Energy) the Crank is imparting to the Clutch through the Flywheel, this same force is being exerted back to the Crank. This causes it to stress, move, and exert lateral force on the RMS leading to faster, perhaps premature wear.

But, with the Tip S, it is the compressibility of the Transmission Fluid which absorbs most of this opposing Force (Energy), which it then dissipates as Heat. This is why most Autos, incl. the Tip S, have Transmission Coolers. Consequently there is less Force being fed back to the Crank.

Also, because there is this dissapation of the Force through Heat, there is less Impact, Shudder, etc. through the rest of the Driveline and I suspect that this increases the Service Life of other components such as the CV Joints, etc. as well... Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99