I’ve been battling this gremlin since 2015 at 65k miles but at 100k miles it’s doing it almost every morning for the first few minutes. I bought this car new in 2004 the year my daughter was born and it’s now the car she uses as a daily.

Hopefully this video link works and someone’s had this issue to point me in the right direction.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/06aTf4oNxt5BPfqlE1Fyn5_Sg

 

That sounds like a really bad Clutch Throw-out bearing. But it could also be the transmission input shaft bearing.

Are you running the original/OEM clutch and flywheel still?
Cheers!
-Icer

 

It’s all original I bought the car back in 2004 and saved it for my kids to learn manual.

it’s been very reliable and I put 4k into it last year to make sure it was solid for my daughter to drive. Hopefully it’s not crazy to fix my wife looks for every excuse for me to get rid of it.

 

That is the saddest thing I've ever read. 🤣

I have the opposite problem. My wife "won't let me" sell my Datsun. Ha!

 

Kudos to you for getting an all original 2004 Z33 6MT clutch to 100k. That's a testament to your driving skills. But I stand by my interwebs - recorded video diagnosis (take with a grain of salt). To properly fix this issue, you will need to drop the transmission. I would wager the throw-out bearing is shot. These bearings are not sealed units and since you live in San Diego, a combination of humidity, salty air, and simply age has killed the bearing. Honestly 20+ years of use is neigh unbelievable for one of these to last.

Follow-up Steps for the fix/solution.
1) New Clutch Kit, which includes a throw-out bearing.
2) Upgrade to the OEM forged iron clutch fork if not already equipped (usually an 03 6MT issue, but some early 04s also had the stamped steel fork).
3) Service gearbox fluid with Redline MT-85 (Drain and Fill).
4) Flush Clutch Hydraulic fluid (recommend using DOT4 fluid, DOT3 is OEM).

My personal recommendations budget permitting.
1) Replace the OEM dual-mass flywheel with a "heavy" single-mass unit (do a FW/Clutch combo while you're in there).
2) Replace both the Clutch Master and Slave cylinders with new OEM parts, I also recommend upgrading the soft clutch line to slave cylinder with a braided SS unit (aftermarket).
3) AFTER clutch work is complete, replace the OEM clutch pedal with an adjustable RJM unit (Well worth the pain to setup, but I must stress that the installation/tuning can be a painful process if instructions are not followed to the letter!).

I recommend items 1 & 2 as preventative maintenance. The vehicle is 20+ years old, I assume all of these components are original. By now the rubber seals on these will be degraded and should be addressed for peace of mind. The OEM dual mass flywheel is a wearable component and cannot be rebuilt or re-surfaced (some machine shops might be able to do it, but hard to find). Purchasing a new OEM flywheel from Nissan is a huge expense, most folks switch to a heavy single mass flywheel to maintain the original feel/experience.

There are many FW/Clutch combo kits on the market. I'm personally running THIS. My experience with it has been excellent, very happy with it's performance.

If you're mechanically inclined, doing a clutch job isn't all that bad on a 350Z, assuming you have the needed tools and space to work on it. If you pay a shop to do the work, make sure you select a reputable place with experience on Nissan/Infiniti. Labor rates vary widely depending on location, but prepare yourself for a hefty labor bill (again being in CA).

If you go through with the maintenance/upgrades, you and your daughter will be happy with the driving experience.
Cheers!
-Icer

 

I was noodling this some more and there is a worst case scenario possibility.

If the transmission input shaft bearing is shot, then replacing the clutch assembly isn't going to resolve the problem. You would need either take the transmission to a gearshop for repairs or purchase a replacement transmission. Unfortunately, the only way to truly find out if your shaft bearing is shot, is to drop the transmission and check for play in the assembly. I'm confident this is not the case based on the recording, but it's better to be prepared. The CD009 is the best 6MT for the 03-06 Z33s and worth the cost if you have long term plans for the car. The earlier year Z33s have known issues with synchro failures which Nissan rectified with the CD009.

Cheers!
-Icer