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Clutch gone at 9,800 miles!


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Some advice please!!

I am based just outside of Colchester in Essex, I have an 07 Roadster and the clutch is riding on acceleration so at 9,800 miles I have spoken to Nissan who call it fair wear & tear :rant:

 

Where does one get a Clutch replaced by people who know what they are doing and are not going to rip you off? and .. what clutch should I fit ? is there a good after market one that will last longer than the OE.

 

I have spoken to Nissan Motor Co and they stand by the dealer (not surprisingly) I think this is one for the Watchdog team.

 

Quote -

 

The clutch on your Nissan 350Z is considered a wear and tear item, therefore would not be covered under the 3 years/60,000 mile, whichever comes first, pan-European warranty. As with all wear and tear components, it is difficult to place a mileage on the longevity of such components, therefore, such items are not covered under the warranty.

 

Hmm right.., so every service involves a new clutch then!!

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Well id say it either a dodgey part or setup incorrectly (maybe clutch plate not realeasing/clamping properly) or you drive like an animal. Hope its the first ;)

 

Easiest way to give you an idea to if its clamping properly, there should be some play in the pedal as you initially depress it

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Clutch should last somewhere between 30-60k depending on how you drive. 10k is going far to early, but as it is a wear and tear item and they dont know how you drive, its perfectly feasible from their point of view that you might ride the clutch and burn it out in 10k miles.

 

PM ZMANALEX, he has a range of aftermarket clutches. You might well fit a lightweight flywheel while you have the clutch off too :thumbs:

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have you had it since new? at least then you know it is a fault with the clutch/set up. If you bought it second hand then i would put it down to the fact the previous owner was female :blush::lol: (it's a joke, women are very good drivers)

:lol::lol: Must we show video's on youtube again??

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Problem is that it could be down to the driver - driving with foot resting on the clutch pedal, excessive slipping, lots of burnouts etc. It's impossible to prove either way, and the dealership will hide behind that.

 

You might get lucky if you can generate enough noise - local news (choose a slow day!), watchdog etc. Make it easier for them to change it 'as a goodwill' gesture...

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Problem is that it could be down to the driver - driving with foot resting on the clutch pedal, excessive slipping, lots of burnouts etc. It's impossible to prove either way, and the dealership will hide behind that.

 

 

That's the unfortunate truth....

As has been said, it is down to driving style. Not matching revs can be a huge wear on a clutch on down shifts for example. As Mike asks, have you had it from new?

 

Welcome to the site btw. :thumbs:

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If you wish to stay close to stock then the Exedy 3 piece clutch kit is the way forward.

 

This marries up perfectly with the Lighweight Aluminium Fidanza Flywheel which is a superb upgrade.

 

I have the clutch kits available for next day despatch but the Fidanza flys are not due until end of next week

 

The probable reason why your clutch has experienced an early end to its life would be due to a faulty fluid return valve in the clutch master cyl.

 

This is a common issue which you should bring to Nissan's attention.

 

Good luck and if you require any further assistance and require the above mentioned parts then just send me over a pm.

 

Alex.

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If you wish to stay close to stock then the Exedy 3 piece clutch kit is the way forward.

 

This marries up perfectly with the Lighweight Aluminium Fidanza Flywheel which is a superb upgrade.

 

I have the clutch kits available for next day despatch but the Fidanza flys are not due until end of next week

 

The probable reason why your clutch has experienced an early end to its life would be due to a faulty fluid return valve in the clutch master cyl.

 

This is a common issue which you should bring to Nissan's attention.

 

Good luck and if you require any further assistance and require the above mentioned parts then just send me over a pm.

 

Alex.

 

would that not be a TSB?

 

The kit you offer does it need anything else? (nuts bolts, shimming etc)

 

What HP is that above kit you speak about approved to? Might be interested in changing to that depending on what HP its good for once I need a replacment ;):cold:

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If you wish to stay close to stock then the Exedy 3 piece clutch kit is the way forward.

 

This marries up perfectly with the Lighweight Aluminium Fidanza Flywheel which is a superb upgrade.

 

I have the clutch kits available for next day despatch but the Fidanza flys are not due until end of next week

 

The probable reason why your clutch has experienced an early end to its life would be due to a faulty fluid return valve in the clutch master cyl.

 

This is a common issue which you should bring to Nissan's attention.

 

Good luck and if you require any further assistance and require the above mentioned parts then just send me over a pm.

 

Alex.

 

would that not be a TSB?

 

The kit you offer does it need anything else? (nuts bolts, shimming etc)

 

What HP is that above kit you speak about approved to? Might be interested in changing to that depending on what HP its good for once I need a replacment ;):cold:

 

Sorry, having a blond moment: What is a TSB?

 

The kit comes complete with Cover, Plate and Bearing and even has a tube of spline grease, so no further parts are required.

 

This is Exedy oem replacement but upgraded Exedy kits are also available but if your car is stock then this is all you will require and no drivability or feel will be lost. They are good for up to 376hp but remember that it is torque that destroys most components and not hp.

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Some advice please!!

I am based just outside of Colchester in Essex, I have an 07 Roadster and the clutch is riding on acceleration so at 9,800 miles I have spoken to Nissan who call it fair wear & tear :rant:

 

Sorry to hear......but i ve heard of a guy who burnt the clutch a few thousand miles after he bought his Z trying to do donuts with the ESP on!!! :scare::lol:

 

Mine has 15600miles and on very hard kick changes from 3rd to 4th it starts slipping non stop but once it bites properly its ok.... :p

 

In any case see the whole thing as a great opportunity for something better and lighter.... i would have happened sooner or later..... :teeth:

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My clutch has done 76k (yes, 76k) miles, although the thrust bearing has a little moan on cold mornings. Earlier this year I booked it in to Marshalls to have it changed. They refused to do it, saying the bit point was still fine. They also refused to charge me for assessing even though they'd lent me a courtsey car for the day.

 

I'd take it to another dealer and pursue the warranty thing before paying out for your own replacement (sorry traders!).

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I'd take it to another dealer and pursue the warranty thing before paying out for your own replacement (sorry traders!).

 

Totally agree, that is why I mentioned in my post advising to revert to Nissan regarding the Clutch Master Cyl. issue. :)

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If you wish to stay close to stock then the Exedy 3 piece clutch kit is the way forward.

 

This marries up perfectly with the Lighweight Aluminium Fidanza Flywheel which is a superb upgrade.

 

I have the clutch kits available for next day despatch but the Fidanza flys are not due until end of next week

 

The probable reason why your clutch has experienced an early end to its life would be due to a faulty fluid return valve in the clutch master cyl.

 

This is a common issue which you should bring to Nissan's attention.

 

Good luck and if you require any further assistance and require the above mentioned parts then just send me over a pm.

 

Alex.

 

would that not be a TSB?

 

USA I think so but not UK when I enquired last month.

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Thank you for all your responses.

 

I bought the car beginning of March this year, it was direct from Nissan as one of their ex Demo's, it had 7900 on the clock when i got it! So no telling what any drivers did to her but she is in prestine condition ,with the clutch exception of course!!

I have kicked off at Nissan UK this afternoon and they have agreed to take up the case but make no promises.

She is going to be stripped down on Wednesday for a diagnosis, so will update from there. If it is not agreed then I will be looking to get my own parts fitted.

 

Once again, thanks for the mass of support.

My last car was a Lotus Elise and the SELOC (lotus club) web site is much the same as this one, always a great place to get a heads up on a problem.

 

Cheers Chaps!

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Hey Alex

Thankyou for your reply to my pm.. Your prices are good in comparison to others that I have sought.

 

If I end up having to pay for this, I will be in touch for pronto delivery as she will be on the Nissan Dealer operating table!.

 

Just a further question though, if the Flywheel does not need replacing, what is the benefit to fitting a Lightweight Aluminium Fidanza Flywheel ?

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Cheers Dan, that makes sense.

My only concern is, I have heard that if you come away from the OE flywheel for a light weight you could open up all sorts of noise and judder problems through incorrect balancing?

Don't know if anyone can shed light on this..

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It is true that a lightened flywheel will make more noise at idle than stock, but it does depend on how light you go. For example, the stock flywheel weighs 24lbs, so the RPS one at 18lbs isn't going to rattle anywhere near as much as the Fidanza one at 13.5lbs (all weights from here).

 

Given the gains possible I feel it's worth doing if the clutch has got to come out anyway, and how long do you actually spend sitting at idle anyway? When moving the engine/exhaust/road noise will drown out any rattles, although you should be aware you'll have to give it a fraction more gas when pulling away to avoid stalling.

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