Clutch install problems
Clutch install problems
Hey guys, just did my first clutch install by myself. Bought a clutch kit from nissan. Weird thing was it said made in korea by Valeo but that's another issue. Replaced the throwout bearing, pilot bearing, and pressure plate with all new components that came in the kit. I decided to get the flywheel resurfaced at a machine shop since it didn't look that bad.
Got everything back together and I have several problems.
1. The engagement point now is literally like an inch off the floor. I adjusted the locknut and rod on the clutch pedal and backed it out as much as I could without the clevis pin binding which helped slightly making it driveable but a real pain in the ***. Is there any other way to adjust the engagement point without buying a mod? I'm not sure why the engagement point is so different on a "nissan" clutch. I was thinking maybe the machine shop cut the flywheel down too much. I couldn't find a minimum thickness anywhere in the service manual and the machine shop didn't seem too worried about it.
2. The car is acting like there's a vacuum leak or something. I will start the car up and it starts for a second then dies. I have to blip the throttle right before it dies to keep it running and then the idle stabilizes. I can drive the car around town ok but everytime I come to a stoplight and push the clutch in the idle will drop below the first tick mark and almost die but then it stabilizes. I checked around for a vacuum leak thinking I may have loosened something with the engine moving around so much during install but I couldn't find anything.
Any ideas or thoughts are appreciated.
Got everything back together and I have several problems.
1. The engagement point now is literally like an inch off the floor. I adjusted the locknut and rod on the clutch pedal and backed it out as much as I could without the clevis pin binding which helped slightly making it driveable but a real pain in the ***. Is there any other way to adjust the engagement point without buying a mod? I'm not sure why the engagement point is so different on a "nissan" clutch. I was thinking maybe the machine shop cut the flywheel down too much. I couldn't find a minimum thickness anywhere in the service manual and the machine shop didn't seem too worried about it.
2. The car is acting like there's a vacuum leak or something. I will start the car up and it starts for a second then dies. I have to blip the throttle right before it dies to keep it running and then the idle stabilizes. I can drive the car around town ok but everytime I come to a stoplight and push the clutch in the idle will drop below the first tick mark and almost die but then it stabilizes. I checked around for a vacuum leak thinking I may have loosened something with the engine moving around so much during install but I couldn't find anything.
Any ideas or thoughts are appreciated.
In regards to #1, if the clutch is engaging early I would think it would be due to a slightly thicker friction disc or the pressure plate being too close to the FW. Removing too much from the FW would only raise the friction point. It would be a massive pain but you could shim the pressure plate to raise the friction point. This is just a guess though but a guess based on my ACT twin disc that uses shims for this very reason.
#2 This is a stretch but I wonder if since your pressure plate may be too close causing the low friction point may also be over extending the throw of the clutch loading the drive train and dragging it down. An easy test would be to watch the idle with the clutch engaged, then slowly depress the clutch and watch the idle to see if it misbehaves.
Good luck man.
#2 This is a stretch but I wonder if since your pressure plate may be too close causing the low friction point may also be over extending the throw of the clutch loading the drive train and dragging it down. An easy test would be to watch the idle with the clutch engaged, then slowly depress the clutch and watch the idle to see if it misbehaves.
Good luck man.
Last edited by QTB; Jun 27, 2013 at 11:04 AM.
Proper engagement should be about 1-2" off the floor. The high engagement on these cars isn't how a normal clutch should be in a vehicle. Usually when it rides up high it's either do to poor design, improper adjustment or a worn clutch.
What else did you take apart when you changed the clutch? Did you take off the plenum to get the upper transmission bolts? If so then you had to unplug your throttle body so it needs to have the relearn procedure performed. You also could have damaged your crank sensor that is in the lower drivers side of the transmission which would cause it to run poorly.
What else did you take apart when you changed the clutch? Did you take off the plenum to get the upper transmission bolts? If so then you had to unplug your throttle body so it needs to have the relearn procedure performed. You also could have damaged your crank sensor that is in the lower drivers side of the transmission which would cause it to run poorly.
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Joined: Apr 2013
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I had the clutch done yesterday, replaced it with a clutch masters stage 1 clutch, now the car shakes violently on 1st and in reverse, as well i have the same problem you have with the low idling as well as it dying on start up... let me know please if you resolve this issue.
Any codes? what all wiring did you take off to have the clutch changed? Crank sensor could have been damaged when it was installed or the flywheel was put 180* out so it would be misfiring.
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 458
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From: New England
Hey guys, just did my first clutch install by myself. Bought a clutch kit from nissan. Weird thing was it said made in korea by Valeo but that's another issue. Replaced the throwout bearing, pilot bearing, and pressure plate with all new components that came in the kit. I decided to get the flywheel resurfaced at a machine shop since it didn't look that bad.
Got everything back together and I have several problems.
1. The engagement point now is literally like an inch off the floor. I adjusted the locknut and rod on the clutch pedal and backed it out as much as I could without the clevis pin binding which helped slightly making it driveable but a real pain in the ***. Is there any other way to adjust the engagement point without buying a mod? I'm not sure why the engagement point is so different on a "nissan" clutch. I was thinking maybe the machine shop cut the flywheel down too much. I couldn't find a minimum thickness anywhere in the service manual and the machine shop didn't seem too worried about it.
2. The car is acting like there's a vacuum leak or something. I will start the car up and it starts for a second then dies. I have to blip the throttle right before it dies to keep it running and then the idle stabilizes. I can drive the car around town ok but everytime I come to a stoplight and push the clutch in the idle will drop below the first tick mark and almost die but then it stabilizes. I checked around for a vacuum leak thinking I may have loosened something with the engine moving around so much during install but I couldn't find anything.
Any ideas or thoughts are appreciated.
Got everything back together and I have several problems.
1. The engagement point now is literally like an inch off the floor. I adjusted the locknut and rod on the clutch pedal and backed it out as much as I could without the clevis pin binding which helped slightly making it driveable but a real pain in the ***. Is there any other way to adjust the engagement point without buying a mod? I'm not sure why the engagement point is so different on a "nissan" clutch. I was thinking maybe the machine shop cut the flywheel down too much. I couldn't find a minimum thickness anywhere in the service manual and the machine shop didn't seem too worried about it.
2. The car is acting like there's a vacuum leak or something. I will start the car up and it starts for a second then dies. I have to blip the throttle right before it dies to keep it running and then the idle stabilizes. I can drive the car around town ok but everytime I come to a stoplight and push the clutch in the idle will drop below the first tick mark and almost die but then it stabilizes. I checked around for a vacuum leak thinking I may have loosened something with the engine moving around so much during install but I couldn't find anything.
Any ideas or thoughts are appreciated.
Replaced mine a few months back with a kit from exedy... and noticed the same exact things... I had forgotten to plug in a sensor on the back of the engine after torquing the top bell housing bolts.. and that fixed the starting issue and the low engagement point went back to normal after about 250 miles... and now i have 1200 miles on the new one so back to spirited driving.
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