How's your clutch feel?
 

This is NOT, I REPEAT, NOT a "the sky is falling" post about something wrong with the Z. Michael-Dallas and I drove each others cars this evening and there was a marked difference in clutch feel between the two cars. My clutch is slightly heavy with a progressively heavier feel as your travel throughout the range of the pedal. Mine also has a lot of "spring" on the up stroke when you let off. Not bad, but different than Michael's. His clutch on the other hand was lighter and very linear throughout the travel. It didn't "pop" at the end of it's travel when letting off the clutch. I actually liked the feel of his clutch better for rev matching.

So, how would you describe the feel of your clutch?

The clutch is pretty smooth and linear, except right at the top or end of the pedal travel at engagement. It feels like there is too much free play, almost like a clutch in a '60s V-8 4-speed setup. The Z's clutch is not like other japanese car clutches I have experienced over the years. It doesn't have that smooth, hydraulic assist feel. At only 800 miles, maybe it's too early to complain, but I will ask the techs to check it when I take it in for some other fixes -- loose driver's seat, grease smearing driver's window, etc.

My clutch is very smooth and linear. It used to catch very early, like an inch from the floor, but now it is up more. I have no problems with the clutch or shifting. The shifting is much smoother now as well. Very satisfied with my car.

Wow... could it be possible that I got a Friday engine, but a Monday clutch? ;)

I still think your shifter shifts a little easier than mine.

Michael.

The Nissan engineers put a new clevis in my clutch, it's much stiffer now, less free play than before. Resistance right away, complements the short-throw shifter nicely.

Josh

i'm normally used to an ACT HDMM (stage 2) on my maxima, which has a VERY stiff clutch pedal feel

my Z seems like a feather weight. you depress about half way down and its already engaged. very slighty. it doesnt feel hard/springy at all.

is something wrong? hehe.

its difficult for me to get acquainted. since the throw is short, and i'm used to goign all the way down for the clutch. its weird. but definately smooth.

maybe i lucked out?

I just compared my clutch to a clutch on a track Z. They should, of course, be the same. They're not. My clutch is heavier, his seemed very light. I think I liked the lighter feel. But, the heavy clutch does seem solid.

What surprised me whas how different the clutches felt.

I too have the heavy feeling clutch... I have a Touring... I sat in my friends Performance model... and his was sooo much lighter... it was crazy! At first I was thinking... damn... his clutch is GONE!!!...

What are your Vin #'s??? Like coach Z said, once nissan replaced my trans and put in the new cleavis, my clutch felt totally different. It is possibe that the later built cars already have this new cleavis. My vin was 2406 and now has a firmer feeling clutch which I actually like better...

i also have a very stiff/ hard to push in clutch, and have been in 5-6 different Z's of all years from 03-05 and they all hard much lighter clutches. i also had those people push in my clutch and they said it was very hard to push in.

i have told the dealership about this they just say the clutch is old, but it has always felt this way since i have owned it. also the other clutches i have tried out have also felt where around the same mileage so that was a bunch of BS.

I have a 2004 350Z Roadster Touring model. I needed to replace my clutch @ 6800 miles at a cost of over $1000+! Dealer chaimed it was early cluthch wear due to driver error. I have been driving standard transmissions all my life and never had to replace the clutch on any of my other veichles with less than 60000 miles. Has any one else had any early clutch wear out problrms? I also was told by a friend that ABC TV news had a special segement about 350Z's which detailed may problems, but I have been un able to get a copy of this report. Has anyone else seen or heared about this report?

Do I need to replace my clutch?
 

I recently bought a used 2003 350Z with 30000K miles. My clutch pedal release point is about 1"-2" from the top of the pedal extension. Is this bad? Is it possible for me to adjust this or should I have my clutch replaced? I have driven a few other stock 350's at the local dealership and their clutches released about midpoint and seemed to be a little tighter. They also seemed to have more power than mine.

I just drove the 05 touring and base model Z. Both had mid-releasing clutches and it felt pretty light to the touch. The last MT car I drove was a 99 carerra, which had an extremely firm and springy clutch. I think a girl or even a guy with chicken legs would get tired from driving that car. But the Z's I drove seem to be about right... a light but responsive feel to the clutch.

I just had my tranny and clutch replaced the other day. The new clutch takes up about 2 inches later than the previous one, way too late in my opinion. Is this adjustable? Dealer says it is not. Want the feel of my old clutch back :icon27: Can anyone help. :confused:

:)

Thanks for the reply. The car is back at the dealer. They are looking into it as well as fixing many things they messed up and left loose after fixing an oil leak on the right side of the timing chain cover. Scratched up CAI, strut bar, PCV hose left off, Other hose clamps left off, smashed up radiator fins, and more :icon20: Man these guys are idiots.

LOL and you are letting them at it again? what will happen next?

I really don't have alot of options. I could drive an hour and a half to louisville, and possibly still get crappy service. Bottom line is they f'd it up they must fix it. I hope things don't get to messy if you know what I mean. I will not be going back to them for any future warranty claims. Will try adjusting the pedal myself when I get the car back, if they can't figure it out. Thanks again for the tech info.

It has been awhile and I tried to get used to the way the new clutch felt. Still didn't like it, so I tried the clevis adjustment at the pedal 1 full turn in. Then readjusted the ASCD switch so that the clevis pin floats freely when the pedal is released. Over all pedal travel is a little shorter but dosen't seem to affect shifting and, clutch feels much better, like it did before the cluch replacement. :) P.S. The service department fixed all of the things they messed up and left off after showed the sevice manager the damage and gave him a list of things they messed up. Thanks again westpak

Glad you got it fixed the best customer is an informed one so they don't jack you around.