My car has been sitting for a while with no clutch. I had some personal things that kept me from working on it and now I will have to pay a shop to do the work.

I was wondering two things:

1) exactly what clutch are you using with the Fidanza?

2) did you have the Fidanza resurfaced at some point?

I had an ACT clutch in mine and I won't buy another one. I am thinking about just going back to an OEM exedy clutch with the Fidanza, since I don't plan on racing the car at the track again.

I haven't called any local shops, but I am kind of weary of them resurfacing it.

 

I'm still running the Fidanza. Sad to say I'm just using some $80 eBay clutch on it.

Though, I'm pretty sure you don't "resurface" the Fidanza - don't you just buy a new center section from Fidanza and insert it? I'm pretty sure they just bolt in and are separate from the actual aluminum flywheel part.

Either way, I've never messed with it in the 10 years or however long it's been. When I put the latest clutch in it I did use some really fine grit sandpaper on it, though.

 

Well, I am not going to be able to do any of the work myself on this time around. I had surgery on my hand and it is weak as hell and will be for a couple of months, probably. Plus, I have a lot less dexterity.

I think I am just going to buy the ebay exedy OEM kit for like $125. If the shop can sand the fidanza, great. If not, I might just have them install the stock flywheel.

 

I have the same setup you have already. Fidanza flywheel and ACT stg1 street clutch. My stuff is still new so I can't give much suggestions. I do agree with James on the Fidanza replacement though.

 

Is the clutch slipping or are you doing it as preventative? If the surface is in good shape and you can't easily source a new friction ring for the Fidanza I would just clean it up the best you can. IIRC the lathes won't touch it because of the bolt holes (but at the same time I swear I remember someone did take theirs to a machine shop instead of replacing the ring).

I absolutely loved my Exedy Stage 1 (far less pedal pressure than the ACT but really nice disk characteristics) but if they are still going for $275+ it's not really worth it if you don't need it. I've used OEM Exedy's on other cars and have been very happy with them. Also IIRC the replacement rings for the Fidanza were to the tune of $75ish, which always seemed a little steep to me, but it has been quite a few years since I last looked into it :-/

Sorry to hear about your hand, I hope you have a speedy recovery!

 

My hand is permanently screwed up. Actually, it is just my left middle finger, but it was in a splint tied to my index finger for so long, my hand is really weak (I am left handed). I can barely turn a socket or a wrench worth a damn. I have spent the last month or so learning how to type with nine fingers.

I also owe the doctors about $2k for what my insurance didn't cover. That's why it's going to be a budget thing and I will likely go with the OEM exedy kit from ebay at like $120 shipped.

As for the Maxima, I never got a chance to crack open the trans. Either the clutch grenaded or the throw out bearing did. Actually, it might even be worse than that -- but I am hoping it's just the components that can be replaced. I have a feeling that the flywheel might have been damaged, too. If that's the case, I have an OEM one that can be put in and resurfaced.

It went from working to toast in just a couple of pedal depressions. Burnt clutch smoke billowing out from under the hood. I towed it back to the house and it is a complete mess. It has been sitting for almost a year. I just go start it every month and let it run for 20 minutes. Right now if the trans is in neutral it will run fine. If you push in the clutch, it makes a bunch of racket and sounds/feels really bad. It won't move at all.

 

1. sounds to me like you broke a spring on the clutch disc, or broke a TOB. won't know until you tear it apart.
2. Fidanza friction surface can be resurfaced once, as per Fidanza. new friction surfaces are about $100.
3. you usually don't even need to resurface it. I've replaced 2 or 3 friction discs on my race car and at least 2 on the Maxima and never resurfaced the flywheel. everything still works fine- no clutch chatter.
4. I also never bothered replacing the pressure plate- just a new clutch disc from ACT for about $100. voila.

 

Thanks for the tips. That means almost certainly I will try to keep the fidanza in there.

I have been thinking either the disc or TOB went out, but can't open it up to find out.

I have been wanting a "softer" pressure plate, which is part of the reason I want to go back to the stock clutch. I did like the grip of the ACT, but my days of racing the Maxima are over. It has just been a highway car the last several years and I usually end up in some large town, where I hate driving it in traffic.

 

Heh.. The ACT in my VE is softer than the OEM clutch in my G35. first time I got in that car after having it parked for a while, it surprised me how soft it was.

If you just WANT to spend money, an Exedy OEM replacement is a good choice- they'll last quite a while of street driving.

 

1.Centerforce dual friction rebuilt and converted to a six puck (originally solid faced)

2.No. Friction disc was replaced by me which cost was about 55.00 with new screws. Needs to be torqued correctly.

It would cost about the same price as a Friction Disc. Fidanza just charged (3mnth ago) under 120.00 with return shipping for them to replace the disc on another VE5 flywheel I have. A friend of mine had a free replacement ring gear about 3 mnths ago for his VE5 and only paid shipping.

The best FW/Clutch combo was my Spec stage 2+ which was installed almost 3 years ago. The car chirped 1st,2nd and 3rd gear effortlessly however the clutch was no good after 4k miles.

The current setup I have is ok, however, it's not as performance oriented as the Spec. I am hoping this will change after the system is properly bled and readjusted. This is my first rebuilt clutch/pressure plate and I am pleased with the result.Total cost with return shipping was under 120.00

If youre interested, I should have pictures of the original installation with the Spec and Fidanza (3yrs ago) and also of the recent rebuilt clutch kit and Fidanza FW with the replaced friction disc.

Best of luck with your recovery!

 

what was the reason behind replacing the Centerforce DF with a 6-puck?

Did your fidanza look damaged or really worn?

My fidanza only has about 15k miles on it, so I am wondering if the friction disc needs to be replaced.

 

Only 15k miles? I wouldn't even worry about it if it were me

 

I've never had a rebuilt clutch before, rebuilding wasnt expensive and I was curious about the result. The CFDF wasnt replaced with a 6 puck, it was CONVERTED into a 6 puck. It wasnt my request,since I wasnt aware this was possible, however, the shop explained that most of the guys that rebuild their Nissan clutches usually have it done that way.

I dont think the FW was that toasted to warrant a replacement disc, however, since this is the unluckiest car I've ever had, I wanted to exclude any room for errors. This is also the reason why I sent it to Fidanza, as opposed to replacing the Friction Disc myself. I wanted it perfect.

It's generally recommended to resurface your FW when mated with a new clutch. Whether your Fidanza needs replacement will depend on your driving style and can only really be determined after removal.What if it's warped beyond what the naked eye can detect? I sense youre trying to avoid the additional cost, however,as many would advocate (yourself included), do it once, do it right, or dont do it at all.

 

IMO, if the clutch in there isn't/wasn't chattering when you pulled it out, there's no real need to resurface the flywheel. but that's just me. I've had good luck with going by that train of thought.
If the clutch was chattering, then by all means turn the thing.

But at 15k miles? there shouldn't be a dang thing wrong with the clutch or flywheel other than whatever mechanical failure you had.
tear it apart and go from there.
honestly, I've already spent more time in this thread than it would have taken me to pull the tranny and find the source of the problem. (dropping the tranny w/ air tools is a 40 min job.)

 

Haha, thanks for spending the time. I wish I were 100 percent and I could do this without using a shop. It would still take me all day with my air tools, even when I was healthy.

I am kicking myself for not getting it done in the summer. Now, I have a messed up hand and still can't really use a socket or probably not air tools. Plus, it's about 27 degrees out right now and my garage is unheated and uninsulated. I know it's like 75 in Houston and I am jealous. My wife and I keep thinking about moving somewhere warmer.

 

Come on down to the hell! Lol

 

FWIW, it's in the 40s outside right now.
But yesterday it was 70!

 

Wasn't my fault!

 

haha, that was years ago. You did that work in like 2004. It drove perfectly for a long time.

I just don't drive the car much. I never really have. In fact, I bought the car in March or April of 2003 and I think it had 146k? Now it only has 163k. Thus, when that Fidanza was installed, it was only like 15k miles ago.

 

I hopefully will soon be using MethMax's old ACT clutch and Fidanza flywheel (~5000 miles on both), provided I can get the funds together. After reading this thread I think that this will be a good combo that will last a while.

I bought a used clutch from JagerBlunt, along with a OEM flywheel which was way more important, but it SLIPS under high load (in the rpms the seller probably stayed in trying to go fast). Last time I buy a used clutch from someone who said they had a little fun with their max...

IS IT BAD NEWS TO INSTALL USED CLUTCHES NO MATTER WHAT?

Started up the car the other day for routine maintenance, and I have the chattering coming from the TOB/ISB. I am hoping it's the ISB from sitting dormant for so long, as the TOB is a new Nissan unit from Chris Gregg, and it would suck if it crapped out from 20 miles of test driving.

I haven't driven my car in almost three years, other than test runs, and it has a rebuilt VG and a fresh 5spd swap....... I've been distracted by motorcycles....

 

Where in the hell have you been?

 

I haven't gone too far! Still in good ole Florence, Alabama....

I haven't done much with the Maxima in the past year, at least, and just now have the ambition to finish her up. My slow rebuilding process will pay off eventually!! If I can get a better clutch and clean out my power steering system, I will be on the road again.

I have been distracted too, opened up a bicycle shop, going to college, working in the same restaurant I have been in since I started college 4 years ago, and I got this parasite called a Honda. They multiplied too, as I had a motorcycle, but now there is a old hatchback that won't die!!

The old school Honda forums don't have anything on the old school Maxima forum, and I told them that, which maybe why I'm not getting a lot of advice!

So far I am three years into the rebuild/5spd swap, maybe $1500 into her, and I still don't have my Max rollin. One of these days, I will make you all proud....

 

What old school Honda forums are you on? And what kind of old school Hondas do you have?

My brother and I built this doozy a couple years back ('79 CVCC, d16 swap, 5 lug conversion, etc):



We also have a near mint '83 Civic S (old pic) :



And also my '89 DX I finished restoring recently:



(okay I'm done threadjacking now)

 

I have a 1980 CM400T. It's a touring/cruiser bike that is the best riding bike I've ever ridden. Granted it's the newest bike I have ridden, at a ripe age of 31 too!!!

I participate in the redpepperracing forum a little bit, they seem legit and genuine.

I have a 1986 Civic 1300 that I got from a friend for $400. I'm trying hard not to Drop the guts and rebuild it, but I know it will be like Max where it sits indefinitely until everything is perfect. It would also take time away from my Max.

It needs some carb work at the moment. I'm hoping to devac it, and hopefully someone will sell me a carb which has already been devaccd. I'm trying not to spend an arm and a leg on it. Hopefully I'll get a cheap paint job from a buddy. I'm thinking bass boat purple sparkle racing stripe on top of a gold candied, silver base coat?

This car is fun to drive and parts are sooo cheap, if they are available.



I'm done being a pirate too, sorry guys.....