My clutch is beginning to slip and I know nothing about what to get when I
replace it? Do I go to the dealership, or buy the clutch myself and have
any qualified mechanic do it?

Also, are there drawbacks to upgrading to a higher performance clutch, and
furthermore, does anyone know what brands to look for?

I'm not a mechanic and not all that bright in these areas, but I figure
since I have to replace it, why not spend a little extra and get a little
higher performance? I read there's some higher performance clutches for a
few hundred bucks that are built strong and do not wear all that much at
all?

Any advice?

I'm in the portland oregon area, so if you happen to know a shop you
recommend to do the work or places to look for parts, and what you
recommend, I'm all ears.

My budget is about 1,000 bucks (I need to replace the timing belt soon too).
If I need more money, then by the end of Feb I should have 1,500 to 2,000 to
work with.

If I'm stupid for going with a higher performance clutch, please let me know
why.

Thanks

High performance clutch: I think it has more to do with your driving style.
You will lose a bit of daily driveability. But if you're racing, you'll get
better performance. So unless you race, or drive really hard, forget about
the more expensive performance clutch. A performance clutch will wear just
as much as a regular clutch if you slip it. Your driving style will
determine how long your clutch will last. I am on the original clutch on my
95 Pathfinder. It has over 220,000 kms. My friend burns through clutches
every 2 years in his car. It all depends on how you drive.

Buying yourself: Most mechanics will not install a customer-supplied part.
They do this because of warranty concerns. You're better off going somewhere
that will offer you a good name brand or OEM clutch.

Performance clutch brands: ACT or Centerforce are all I'm familiar with. I
had a Centerforce on an Eagle Talon that was nice. Not nice for driving in
traffic though, but great for 6000 rpm AWD launches.

So my advice, get a genuine Nissan clutch unless you plan on doing some
racing. Save your cash for other upgrades or repairs. A timing belt
replacement will set you back plenty, but is not something to ignore.


"Toad" <toad (AT) mrandmrstoad (DOT) com> wrote

DS wrote:

I'll second that as the most important factor in clutch life.

The clutch should be either in or out. Any time spent in
between should be kept to the absolute minimum.

John

I did some poking around and found out about ACT and Exedy? I think that's
it. Clutches also come in different stages?

A couple shops recommend Stage 1 because they're more durable. They also
claim if you get the aluminum flywheel that they're lighter, car performs
better, can even save a bit on gas?

I take it stages 3-5 are probably what race car drivers use for professional
racing? I don't know.

I commute 50 miles 5 days a week for my job, all but about 4 of those miles
are highway and about the only rush hour traffic I deal with is early rush
hour, so unless there's an accident, it's usually pretty smooth sailing.

I don't plan on racing my car on any race tracks, but I would like to do
some enhancements to the car while I own it for a couple reasons. One would
be for fun; I love driving and have never done any upgrades on a car.
Secondly, I thought putting extra money into stronger, more durable, and
higher performance parts would raise the resale value; or at least not
depreciate it. I do plan on selling when it's paid off; probably a few more
years.

Anyways. I see what you're saying. If I went to a Stage 1 clutch, would I
notice a big difference, and will I be frustrated? I was under the
impression Stage 1 would just give a little more torque so it's quicker
shifting?

I'm a quick study, but far from confident in my knowledge. Of course I
want to do the smart thing, which is why I inquired here, but that little
devil on my shoulder wants to try something new instead of being boring. In
the same token, I don't want to be stupid and cause more problems (or really
not improve the performance) despite spending more for a higher performance
clutch.

I actually haven't even priced out OEM clutches; I've been pretty hellbent
on upgrading, but I need people to put me in perspective, so I appreciate
the feedback.


Thanks



"DS" <davidscott (AT) shaw (DOT) ca> wrote

Stage I more than adequate for a stock car. If you have done a lot of
mods then you need to think about a stronger clutch.

I just put an exedy in my mItsubishi and I'm very happy with it. The
feel and quality of the build are excellent.

DOnt bother with the aluminum flywheel unless you have a real reason. It
will make driveability more difficult in high traffic since you need
more RPM for a launch compared to with that nice heavy steel item full
of kinetic energy!

I have had problems with some pressure plates over the years when they
didnt go "overcenter" The past problem clutch was from LUK and ended up
breaking the pedal box in my Honda while I argued with the salesman!
(sheesh!!)

If you have good toolbox and are comfortable wrenching you can do the
job yourself, but if you have any doubts about your abilities to remove
and replace a transmission, better leave it to someone else.

-SP

Toad wrote:

"Toad" <toad (AT) mrandmrstoad (DOT) com> wrote

If you have a twin turbo, you'll want to go with the RPS segmented flywheel
and the RPS sport street clutch. This is an amazing clutch setup that will
serve you well if you plan to upgrade your car at all. It maintains a stock
feel. Otherwise (if you have an NA) the stock clutch will probably serve
you well.

It sounds like you're interested in learning more about your car though, so
I'd suggest you spend some time at www.twinturbo.net . You'll find it's an
excellent resource for the Z32. The FAQ and search function will answer
almost any question you have about your car.


Dustin

Thanks Speedy Pete.

I'm also curious. I'd heard to stick with OEM if my car is stock and
doesn't have any extra horse power than what it came with. Are there
adverse effects to upgrading to stage 1, I mean, other than the way the
clutch releases or what-have-you... I'm talking about adverse effects on
other parts, the engine, transmission, etc, will other parts wear down, will
the engine take unusual wear, should I upgrade the horse power, and do you
have any tips/advice in that realm?

Lastly, and this is for anyone...

When I first owned my car, I was driving down the highway about 100 mph when
all the lights on the dash came on, as if I'd turned off the car. I
couldn't accelerate and do not even recall the engine running. My first
instinct was what happened to my other Z, blown valve (or piston, whatever
it was... unscrewed a spark plug and a lot of metal). Fortunately, that
didn't happen. In fact, I coasted off the highway, called triple AAA and
before they arrived, my car started again. I was told I may have a tire
sensor, but that it shouldn't shut down the car until about 120-130. Since
that time, it has happened a few other times, but I haven't taken my car
back up to 100 since that day; it happened at 85 and 65. I have to pay more
attention to the circumstances, but when I was going 65, I was simply pacing
traffic, was approaching my exit and pushed in the clutch... while it was
pushed in, all the lights came on, I kept it pushed in till I got to the
exit, let off the clutch, and it engaged fine, all the lights shutoff and
everything was normal. It's weird. It's like the car wants to shutoff or
something. Tire tread isn't low, dealership didn't find anything abnormal
going on when I had them check it out. Nobody seems to know what this
anomaly is.





"Speedy Pete" <speedythetrash.pete (AT) verizon (DOT) net> wrote

Thanks.

It's not twin turbo though, what else do you recommend? I haven't purchased
a clutch yet. I spent money last month getting the timing done. Clutch
will get done next month or month after. I actually haven't been driving
much lately.

Yes, I am interested in possibly doing more upgrades, maybe boosting the
horse power, but it's going to be a work in progress, maybe every few months
I'll get something done. I don't want a race car; this is a pretty car that
probably shouldn't be raced, but it's a performance car and I'm going to own
it at least 2-3 more years, so yea. I think it's fun smoking hondas off the
line. They all seem to look and sound the same, kinda sucks. I wish there
were some originality out there, but anyways. That's a chapter in another
book.



"Me" <me (AT) nowhere (DOT) com> wrote