After driving my friend's Enthusiast and my Touring, I noticed that the clutch has a TON more takeup on the clutch pedal before the clutch engages. It should be engaging right off the floorboards, then the rest should be freeplay, but it is the direct opposite. My car only has 2000 gently driven miles on it, and this is really perplexing. I brought the car in for service, and the mechanic adjusted the freeplay. It's better, but not as immediate as the other car's clutch. The mechanic asked me if I was baking the clutch, and of course I said a polite "no". Maybe this is a unique problem but I was wondering if anyone else had discovered this with their cars. Mine is only 2 months old, and it was fresh from the factory with 3 miles on it upon delivery. If anyone has any thoughts on this, I'd like to hear them. Thanks.

 

going in tomorow to try to get mine adjusted, mine engages almost at the very top. It's ok on the freeway but going from 1st to 2nd is hard to get the timing right without feathering the clutch. I have driven alot of sticks before and this clutch is alot different than any of them. HOpe it gets fixed, brad

 

Mine is exactly the same way. I made a similar comparison to another Z (his touring, mine enthusiast) ...

I took it to the dealer, and they made a slight adjustment, but its still hard to get the timing in 1st and 2nd gear... especially on hills!

Let me know if you come up with a sollution, or if anyone knows of an adjustment we can make.

 

My guess is the pressure plate or the clutch itself is to blame. I drove my friend's Enthusiast again, after doing the R-tune intake, and it engages right off the floor, in comparison with about 3-4 inches of freeplay. Next week, I'll have the dealer replace both the clutch and pressure plate under warrantee. Hopefully this will cure this issue.

 

Good Luck with that. I brought my into the dealer for the same issue, and got the respose - "Clutch within factory spec"

:-(

 

Anyone else have experiences like this... or is it just a select few of us?

 

The clutch in my Track doesn't engage right off the floor, you gotta let it up a decent amount before it bites. I found it odd at first but I got use to it. Hearing this now makes me wonder if its not 'just the way the clutch is' and maybe I need to get it looked at. I'll take it back to nissan when I have the time and see whats up. Keep me posted on what the real issue is. I havn't drivin another Z to compare since I have 1 of 2 in the area. lol

 

Those of you that have clutch takeup near the floor, when was your car manufactured (date). The reason I ask is because I drove my friends base model a few weeks back. His car was purchased in Aug '02 (so pre-Aug mfr date).
The takeup on my performance model is much higher off the floor. My car was mfr'd in March '03. Not sure if the takeup is different between trims or if it has something to do with the mfr dates.

BTW- I picked my car up w/ 7 miles and my takeup has always been further off the floor.

 

Mine does the same thing. It's my first manual so im kind of ok with it, but it does feel weird.

 

I'm a member of the club too . . . I purchased my Z in June with only 11 miles on it. I've driven manual trans all my life and I was leary of the free play. Instead of getting Nissan to adjust it, I'll just have horsepower house fix it when I have other parts installed. I'm definitely used to a clutch engaging within 2-3 inches, rather than 4-5 . . .

 

Three weeks ago I test drove an Enthusiast with 95 miles. It didn't engage off the floor. I went back to the dealer that next morning to buy it and they had a Silverstone Enthusiast deliverd that morning ( 7miles on the OD) so I bought it instead. Same thing - clutch does not engage from the floor.

I don't drive it every day ( 87 civic is the every day driver) so it takes some getting used to. If I'm driving it moderate to hard the take up isnt really a problem. But when I'm trying to drive normal (gently) finding the engage point can feel somwhat elusive. Especially considering that the Z clutch has longer travel than any other manual I've ever driven. I would like to have it adjusted - is this usually covered under warranty?

 

any of you that have gone to the dealer on this issue, or a performance shop, have any results? Just bumpin this up to the top

 

mine engages almost off the floor. It was maunfactured in 06/03


Christian -

 

Mine arrived in the US in early May... don't see why there is a clutch difference as they were manufactured pretty closely (in relative dates) to each other...

 

My clutch engages about 3 inches off the floor. Car built 06/03. I have gotten somewhat used to it but I would prefer it grabbed closer to the floor. I don't understand why every car is different.

 

I know nothing about clutch mechanics so pardon my ignorance. But aren't clutches cable actuated? which means cable tension could have a lot to do with it?


Christian -

 

i really dont know much about clutches but mine was built 7/03 but is a 2004 s.s. track and feels about it engages about three inches off the floor again though i really dont and feels fine to me

 

Same here. My 04 Z built 7/03. It just waaaaaaay too high compare with my MR2 (it engage right off the floor).

 

I feel a lot better since I hear that I am not the only one that has the high "sweet spot" problem.... I mean, I'm used to it now, I guess, but sometimes shifting gets a little jerky because of the high release...

 

My 04 Z built in July 03 engages almost at the top of the clutch play. I plan on having the dealer adjust for engaging closer to the floor when I take it in for first service.