415mm

iTrader: (103)

I had my clutch changed at about 45000 miles. had it done at performance. and it was under 900 installed. 2270 for a clutch is crazy talk.

SuperBlack350z

iTrader: (59)

i posted in another thread that my friend put over 160k miles on his stock 350z clutch before even changing it out. And the only reason he changed it was he didn't want it to fail while he is on his long trips across states. As long as you know how to drive and don't do dumb stuff , it will last a long time. I have also seen a brand new 350z with a failing clutch because the sales man burnt it while going up one of those show ramps that they put in front of the dealerships. IT didn't even have 20 miles on it yet and they had to replace the clutch. Crazy stuff.

cheshirecat79

iTrader: (9)

While I'm sure the vast majority of those miles are highway miles, this still goes to prove that the 350z stock clutch is just as resilient as other, more "efficient" cars that go for *hundreds* of thousands of miles before being changed.

Just don't feather the clutch excessively. IMO, if you're changing out the clutch before 50k miles on a car that's not tracked or taken to the strip, you should have another manual driver ride with you one day to check out the habits you've learned with driving manual.... they may have some tips for you on how to properly work a clutch to get maximum efficiency.

SuperBlack350z

iTrader: (59)

yup. The thing with 350zs, in order to have very smooth clutch engagement , you would have to slip the clutch a bit in every gear and feather it a lot off the line. Most people will do this but fail to realize that it is causing more friction and heat. Having a certain amount of hp/tq will cause excessive wear as well. So it's easier to mess a clutch up on the z then lets say, a civic.

blackfairlady

iTrader: (9)

I have the stock clutch and was wondering about this issue also. Explain what you mean when you say "in order to have smooth clutch engagement, you would have to slip the clutch a but in every gear and feather it off the line." I have had my Z since new in '04 and it took me a good while to smoothly shift between gears with no slight jerk and to accelerate smoothly from a stop. Are you referring to aggressive driving or daily driving?

It doesn't seem right to think that my driving before (slight jerks between gear shifts and all) was better for the car than my smoother shifting method now. It took me a while to master shifting the Z smoothly! The Z clutch has a much higher engagement point than my DD 318is (<--my civic )

I have "dumped" my clutch only a handful of times in the 3 years or so I have had her and very very rarely hold the clutch pedal at that point of engagement. The only times I've done it have been on super steep hills trying to get going. Does it seem like I am on my way to replacing my clutch at a "normal" wear point to you?

Responses from anyone are welcome - sorry for jacking your thread djfujiyama, but maybe my questions can generate some good info!

SuperBlack350z

iTrader: (59)

well in daily driving, people usually slip the clutch, meaning to let out the clutch and let it catch before letting the clutch pedal fully out. This causes more smooth shifts. Even the manual states to let out the clutch slowly inbetween shift. The thing is that you want to to do it fast enough. Don't do it so slow where you are actually riding the clutch while it's in gear.

Usually i can do it fast enough where i'm not even riding the clutch. Only time i need smooth engagement is in first gear. I'll slip the clutch slowly. In between shift, i shift pretty fast and let out the clutch fast.

cheshirecat79

iTrader: (9)

I think by "slipping" he's also talking about "Feathering".

When engaging the clutch from a stop, you should try to "Feather" the clutch the least amount possible if you aren't in a competitive environment. Don't accelerate until the clutch is fully engaged (pedal out). Keep the rpms low, say around 1200, as you start moving until the clutch is engaged, then accelerate.

As you shift while moving, you should learn the shift points in your car to be able to rev-match with the throttle to keep the clutch from feathering during movement. Not everyone does it perfectly but it helps a lot when it comes to extending the life of your clutch.

blackfairlady

iTrader: (9)

Same here. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

Do you find 2nd to 3rd is particularly hard to shift smoothly between with the normal clutch release?

Other performance cars seem easier to shift for me in comparison to the Z: e.g. viper, vette, cts-v, etc......strange.

blackfairlady

iTrader: (9)

I see what you are saying. I should be fine then, because I think some of my friends drive their manuals like this based on your description and I sure don't. Good info though.