questions about upgrade flywheel/clutch
11-28-2004, 10:20 PM
#1
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questions about upgrade flywheel/clutch
Christmas is around the corner and im going to have some cash to blow on the Z, unfortunately i dont think ill have quite enough cash to get any form of F/I 
. So im thinking ill do something like body kit/spoiler/flywheel/clutch/short shifter. I know there are tons of flywheels and clutches. Which flywheel shows best gains? i know clutches are more for how driveable you want the car to be and how much power it can hold. If i want to upgrade the clutch so that its not a pain to drive on a regular basis but might give me a little more power or whatever which one should i go with?
. So im thinking ill do something like body kit/spoiler/flywheel/clutch/short shifter. I know there are tons of flywheels and clutches. Which flywheel shows best gains? i know clutches are more for how driveable you want the car to be and how much power it can hold. If i want to upgrade the clutch so that its not a pain to drive on a regular basis but might give me a little more power or whatever which one should i go with?
11-29-2004, 06:55 AM
#4
I have done it 3 times. I don’t think I would DIY, unless you have a lift and a transmission jack. The hardest parts are the top tranny bolts and then getting the tranny (input shaft) back in. I did not have any problems with the latter, lucky me, but I have heard stories.
Here is a rundown of what needs to happen (off the top of my head)
Disconnect battery
Remove driveshaft
Remove under body panels / brace(s) (only those needed)
Unbolt shifter (either from car or from tranny)
Remove harness(s) / clutch hydraulics
Remove starter
Loosen / remove tranny bolts (tops are PITA)
(depending on the cats you have it may be easier to get to top bolts with them removed)
Unbolt tranny mount
Slide tranny out and down with jack
Remove clutch
Remove flywheel
Install in reverse order. You need a friend to hold the crank when torqueing the flywheel.
If I forgot something, feel free to add. If this sounds within your capabilities, go for it. I have been spoiled by the use of lifts and air tools, so I don’t know how one would do it at home.
Here is a rundown of what needs to happen (off the top of my head)
Disconnect battery
Remove driveshaft
Remove under body panels / brace(s) (only those needed)
Unbolt shifter (either from car or from tranny)
Remove harness(s) / clutch hydraulics
Remove starter
Loosen / remove tranny bolts (tops are PITA)
(depending on the cats you have it may be easier to get to top bolts with them removed)
Unbolt tranny mount
Slide tranny out and down with jack
Remove clutch
Remove flywheel
Install in reverse order. You need a friend to hold the crank when torqueing the flywheel.
If I forgot something, feel free to add. If this sounds within your capabilities, go for it. I have been spoiled by the use of lifts and air tools, so I don’t know how one would do it at home.
11-29-2004, 01:50 PM
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I agree with VandyZ. I wouldn't do the install without a lift and some previous experience pulling trannies. I had my buddy at a local auto shop do my install flywheel. He said as far as trannies go the 350Z had one of the easier installs he's done (especially with a 36 inch socket wrench extension!), but it's still a tough job.
As far as the parts to get, I have a JWT flywheel and kept the stock clutch. I have been very happy with it. If you don't plan on doing FI, then you can probably keep the stock clutcn and be fine, especially if you don't have a lot of miles on the car. No need to replace the clutch when it's still got most of its life left on it.
That being said, if I was doing it over I might consider the Nismo clutch package (combined with the JWT flywheel) since the Nismo clutch weighs a couple of pounds less than stock. I don't really need the extra holding power, but the couple extra pounds gone might be nice.
Remember that the primary difference a lightened flywheel offers isn't more power. It can make the car accelerate a bit faster in lower gears, but the main difference is that you can shift so much quicker and rev match so much quicker. It really makes heel-toe action during spirited driving much more enjoyable.
A 14 pound flywheel (like the JWT or Jun) is just about right for a daily driver in my mind. It's really not any more difficult to drive in stop and go traffic than stock. This is how the car should've come from the factory, if you ask me. On the other hand, If you don't mind going really hardcore you can get a Tilton package, but you really should test drive one first. They are very difficult to start from a stop due to being so incredibly light.
As far as the parts to get, I have a JWT flywheel and kept the stock clutch. I have been very happy with it. If you don't plan on doing FI, then you can probably keep the stock clutcn and be fine, especially if you don't have a lot of miles on the car. No need to replace the clutch when it's still got most of its life left on it.
That being said, if I was doing it over I might consider the Nismo clutch package (combined with the JWT flywheel) since the Nismo clutch weighs a couple of pounds less than stock. I don't really need the extra holding power, but the couple extra pounds gone might be nice.
Remember that the primary difference a lightened flywheel offers isn't more power. It can make the car accelerate a bit faster in lower gears, but the main difference is that you can shift so much quicker and rev match so much quicker. It really makes heel-toe action during spirited driving much more enjoyable.
A 14 pound flywheel (like the JWT or Jun) is just about right for a daily driver in my mind. It's really not any more difficult to drive in stop and go traffic than stock. This is how the car should've come from the factory, if you ask me. On the other hand, If you don't mind going really hardcore you can get a Tilton package, but you really should test drive one first. They are very difficult to start from a stop due to being so incredibly light.
11-29-2004, 02:45 PM
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Jun or JWT sounds up my alley then (whichever i can get cheaper). I have 24k miles on the car so im guessing there's plenty of life left in the clutch still BUT i plan on going with some N20 this december so maybe i should upgrade the clutch you think?
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11-29-2004, 06:17 PM
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How long did all of this take you?
Originally posted by VandyZ
I have done it 3 times. I don’t think I would DIY, unless you have a lift and a transmission jack. The hardest parts are the top tranny bolts and then getting the tranny (input shaft) back in. I did not have any problems with the latter, lucky me, but I have heard stories.
Here is a rundown of what needs to happen (off the top of my head)
Disconnect battery
Remove driveshaft
Remove under body panels / brace(s) (only those needed)
Unbolt shifter (either from car or from tranny)
Remove harness(s) / clutch hydraulics
Remove starter
Loosen / remove tranny bolts (tops are PITA)
(depending on the cats you have it may be easier to get to top bolts with them removed)
Unbolt tranny mount
Slide tranny out and down with jack
Remove clutch
Remove flywheel
Install in reverse order. You need a friend to hold the crank when torqueing the flywheel.
If I forgot something, feel free to add. If this sounds within your capabilities, go for it. I have been spoiled by the use of lifts and air tools, so I don’t know how one would do it at home.
I have done it 3 times. I don’t think I would DIY, unless you have a lift and a transmission jack. The hardest parts are the top tranny bolts and then getting the tranny (input shaft) back in. I did not have any problems with the latter, lucky me, but I have heard stories.
Here is a rundown of what needs to happen (off the top of my head)
Disconnect battery
Remove driveshaft
Remove under body panels / brace(s) (only those needed)
Unbolt shifter (either from car or from tranny)
Remove harness(s) / clutch hydraulics
Remove starter
Loosen / remove tranny bolts (tops are PITA)
(depending on the cats you have it may be easier to get to top bolts with them removed)
Unbolt tranny mount
Slide tranny out and down with jack
Remove clutch
Remove flywheel
Install in reverse order. You need a friend to hold the crank when torqueing the flywheel.
If I forgot something, feel free to add. If this sounds within your capabilities, go for it. I have been spoiled by the use of lifts and air tools, so I don’t know how one would do it at home.
11-30-2004, 04:55 AM
#11
Originally posted by done12many2
How long did all of this take you?
How long did all of this take you?
First time (ever) 5 or 6 hours, 5 the second, 4 the third.
All with the help of and extra set of hands. Buy the 3rd time PhoneixINX and I had both a couple under our belt, so it was very easy.
I dont know how much a shop would charge, but somewhere between 4-6 hours I am sure is fair (after all there wont be 2 people on the job the whole time). Might want to ask Performance how much they charge. They are a good source here for what a dealer might charge.
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