So I stopped by my Nissan Shop to see how the new trans/clutch/flywheel install was going, and the Service Manager asks me to come back and look at something with him.

He hands this to me:




He said it was stuck between my clutch and flywheel. I looked at the transmission and the inside was really facked up.

What was happening, the bolt was lodging between the clutch, flywheel, and housing at times. So there wouldn't be any noise. But sometimes the bolt would break free and roll around for a few seconds, then it would get stuck again.

THIS EXPLAINS SO MUCH.

I really thought something was loose with the vehicle, like a hose or some piping. When I stopped really hard I would get a popping noise (this was the bolt rolling around), I thought it was something rubbing against a moving part or something.

I took the car into Nissan once and they could not find any problems. After I had the TT installed the noise happened more often, and I asked my TT install shop to look at it. I was fearing that it was some kind of detonation. I am so relieved that it was not detonation.

At first the service guy thought my TT install might have caused it. However, we called the shop that did my TT install and confirmed that they did not touch my tranny (I knew they didn't, but I was just covering all my bases). The Nissan guys also said that the bolt floating around in my trannny was not a Nissan bolt. I'll post some better pics later and hopefully some of you Nissan Guys can confirm or deny this statement.

Anyway, I am getting a new trans and I am picking the car up tomorrow. I'll throw some high def pictures up later today so you can see what this bolt looks like.

 

Here are the High Res Pics:

 

Yeah that doesn't seem to be a nissan bolt.

Where did you get this installed? If I were you, I'd check to see if the dealer who installed the greddy used a similar bolt.

 

Congrats on getting them to even look at your car with a TT on there. Out here they'd laugh at you.

 

One more fact I forgot to mention. The Nissan technician that worked on the car said the trans had never been pulled. I was standing right there when the Service Manager asked and he answered.

 

so the theory is... a bolt that doesnt belong to nissan magicly got placed into a transmission that has been sealed to the engine since it left the nissan assembly facility.

now Im not a nissan tech; but Im not a big beleiver in the paranormal. so nissan bolt or not, nissan put it in there on accident.

 

Question for you guys. Is there an entry point to the transmission where a bolt could be introduced into the transmission? Maybe an entry point that can be accessed pretty easily?

The bolt in the pictures is about an inch and a half long.

That's another possibility that I have not thought about.

Also, Does anyone know if that bolt looks like a bolt from the Greddy TT kit?

Thanks.

 

So wait, you have a Greddy Twin Turbo kit, and a non-Nissan bolt loose in your tranny, and Nissan is picking up the tab on your tranny? That's damn near unbelievable.

 

I think I have found a good spot for you. Thanks to Jeff at Performance, I hope he doesn't mind me stealing his pic.

 

and none of your flywheel bolts were missing?

That is what it looks like.

 

Call me nuts but I can't help but hear Stewie's voice mouth out the words that you typed in this response!

 

Nope, all flywheel bolts were there. Flywheel bolts look a little bit different, my flywheel bolts were black, I believe.

 

Yes
Yes
and Yes

That about sums it up.

 

I have to agree with UsafaRice. The starter is highly suspect as an entry point.

I just took off my starter this weekend to install Crawford headers. I know how little room is up there. I cannot imagine a Greddy kit going in without pulling the starter. Now I have never seen the Greddy install manual, but it only seems logical.

I would not mention this to the dealer. Maybe they have not thought of it. If your tranny has never been pulled and there is a non-Nissan bolt in there, then one, of maybe many explanations is from the Greddy install if the starter was pulled. But many, that bolt would still need to take a magic bounce.

By the way, I had a bolt take a magic bounce. I dropped it and could not find it anywhere. Days after my header install, I found it poking out of my engine cross member.

 

Now that is a dealership worth its weight in gold. Most dealerships (least the ones I have come in contact with) would tell you, "your screwed".

 

I agree, these guys have always bent over backwards and provided great service. Great group of guys.

 

Not likely something that came in during the TT install. From his original post, the noise was there before the TT and got worse after the install.

 

LMFAO ditto ditto

 

Wow. I guess you can say your car eats nuts and bolts for breakfast. All the M3s out there should be scared! Lol

 

Condition of that bolt is almost disturbing.