I am the first to advocate searches but I am too wound up for that and remembering your noise descriptions they weren't like this, maybe.

First I haven't noticed any noises during driving or shifting and I usually don't sit at idle very long but today I was waiting on my son and I started to hear noises that just did not sound like they should be happening:

First I was sitting at idle and I started to hear a thumping or clunking noise, not on a regular basis though, I thought I was hit by a golf ball. It was noisy with other cars so when I got home I sat in the garage and left it in neutral without depressing the clutch pedal and I started to hear the noise it didn't have a regular interval and you could feel something if you lightly touched the stick shift not a lot though.

When I depressed the clutch pedal it seem to still happen but not as pronounced but when you let the clutch out you would eventually hear it again and you also hear the sound like that of a bearing not too smooth though, I don't know if that is normal. I hear everything now and don't know what to think is normal anymore in fear that mine might have a problem.

Any comments appreciated.

 

I'd take it to the dealer and have a tech listen to it...

 

sounds like standard throw-out bearing noise... but go to the dealer if it makes you feel better.

m

 

Yeah, I have a cll in to the dealer and the rough earing like noise wasn;t bothering too much as I had heard it before and in other MT I have had, but that thumping noise was a little wierd.

 

It's a rough idle, it's been discussed before and many have it. Don't think it's a big problem, at least not yet! It's like little backfires and only happens at Idle and only if you are at idle for awhile. Something happens that makes it sound that way, but nissan service said no problem.

 

Thanks, like I said I am the first to advocate searches but did not have the patience to do it. I'll pay close attention next time but I guess it could be backfires, it just took me off guard as I had not heard it in almost 2 months and it sounded like it was coming from the engine or transmission area not the back as I would have expected a backfire, but like I said I will listen again, thanks.

 

To see if you have the tranny problem everyone's talking about - accelerate as fast as you can from 1-2, shifting at near redline. If you get grinding in the gears, or it won't engage at all, then you have the potential tranny problem.

I've had it happen in almost every gear up to 5th. Same situation every time, with a near-redline firm shift either not engaging, or grinding.

If you haven't done this type of acceleration, be careful. Find enough clear space to be comfortable, and give it a few tries to see if it comes up.

 

I noticed that after I changed out my air filter and replaced it with the K & N that I started to have a rough idle, but not all the time. I could actually see the RPM needle move up and down will sitting at idle.
I un-hooked the negative side of the battery and left it off for about three minutes. This reset the ECU . I have not had the rough idle since.
This maybe your problem. Hope it helps.

 

Thanks for the comments.

I have tried the fast accels and shifting as described and have not had the grinding noise so far.

I do have the K&N but have had the battery disconnected since then to install the grounding system.

I called the service director at the dealer and he said it is common to have the rough idle and backfire not just on the Z but in general. I don't think I had noticed it before as it has been so hot here in South Florida that I always run with the AC on and that seems to raise the idle and steady it, today is the first day I had the windows down and no AC plus sitting for a while so I think I am OK. The service director will talk to the Nissan rep that came out for my front end problem and check to make sure all is OK.