My clutch gave out and i'm looking for a new one. I am looking for a stock set up because I don't beat the car.I've been doing a lot of searching and I think i'm going to go with the exedy clutch part no. 06044.Is this the oem replacement every one is talking about for a stock set up? Also my mechanic says I should replace the flywheel for another 100 dollars.From all the searching i've done most people are reusing the existing flywheel. Should I get a new flywheel or not? I do not want to resurface the existing flywheel. It is actually hard to find a new flywheel for under 100 dollars on ebay and amazon.Your thoughts .

 

Make sure whoever does the transmission pull cleans up the mating surface between the bell housing and motor before re-installing or the car will have a hard time to start. Don't need to grind it down but clean it up well so that it creates a good ground. That is a major grounding point on these cars.

 

I appreciate the tip as I have heard this before. Thanks again

 

My thoughts? Buy a clutch kit from nissan for $289 and do it yourself. Well, with a buddy. When you get the flywheel out examine it and see if you think you need to replace it. Sometimes the flywheel is cracked on the inside and it can only be seen on an x-ray. You can get your mechanic to x-ray it. There's a tutorial on YouTube that will get you through it. I successfully did it myself.

 

I have replaced clutch disks in the past. You should look up some info on You-tube regarding what to look for on a flywheel to determine re-use or not.

I look for deep gouges from the rivets on the clutch disk. Also burn marks resulting from running a slipping clutch too long. I have cleaned up flywheels by first cleaning them with brake cleaner, then sanding them with 100 grit emery cloth. Follow up with a green ScotchBrite pad. You want to clean up any glazing or burn marks.

You could run into problems. The clutch might still slip from the glazed flywheel or shudder due to the burn marks. If this happens, you will need to do the work all over again. It is your money verses your time. You might luck out like I have several times. Or you might need to resurface or replace the flywheel when you remove the transmission a SECOND time.

Good luck!

 

Thanks for the replies. I can get the exedy clutch kit for $120 vs 300 for nissan. I was under the impression that the exedy 06044 was the same as the oem with out the dealer mark up.Can anyone shed some light on this or has anyone used the exedy clutch for a lot of miles and how do you like it. I think I will get a new flywheel instead of taking the risk of the issues JvG described above.

 

Get the exedy clutch, don't bother with paying Nissan more money for a clutch that will perform the same. The only thing to consider is getting a 2001 AE clutch, it's one notch up from a stock Nissan and exedy clutch. But if I was you I would order the exedy for 120 and not think about any other clutch. As for the flywheel, the thing to look for is the black swirl marks like mgio said, as they are glazing spots, that's no good. The second is take a look as how much lower the friction spot is lower than the rest of the flywheel (worn). If the friction part is not worn down too bad, and its just a little glazed, you can scuff that, I've done it before with a die grinder cookie in nice uniform neat circles. That's the cheap way to go. The proper thing to do is find a machine shop, give the flywheel and new clutch, have them surface the flywheel and balance the flywheel and clutch combo. The difference in price will be around the same as if you bought a 300 clutch from Nissan vs the exedy.

 

I took IslandMax's advice and ordered the exedy clutch for $120.As for the flywheel I want to get a new one because he said he would have to mail it off to get it machined and I don't have the time to wait for it. Where are you guys getting your replacement flywheels at? Should I get the ring gear also or heat it off the old one? Need to order one fast. Thanks again guys

 

Don't get a gen 5 clutch. Kinda the worst mistake I've done. Just cause the better grasp pressure makes your shifts harder and your motormounts to go faster, that is really about it oh and your pedal is slightly softer and feels more like an evo or sti clutch vs a heavier nice Porsche clutch(for example)

 

I hate a clutch with a hard pedal. Makes me not want to drive the car, I've never had an AE clutch, just heard good things. I have a spec stage 2+ clutch in the max now, was 100% worth it with the 3.5 swap. Now that I got a stock one (motor wise) I'm gonna order myself another stock exedy (with a fidanza). Hard pedal reminds me of the Honda tools, driving a stock civic with a stage 3 clutch. Lolz

 

lol than you will never love a Porsche or a real race car.

 

S1cTech, Thanks for the tips on the 5th gen clutch and harder release. I did order the exedy 06044 clutch kit for $120. I had the mechanic get me a new flywheel from napa. I agree with IslandMax that a stiff clutch pedal is a pain on a daily driver. We will see what happens. The clutch is being installed next week.Thanks for the advice guys it is appreciated.

 

^Just make sure that he sands the bellhousing on the trans and motor, that's very important.

 

The new clutch and flywheel have been installed and the clutch feels fine. There is an issue tho when at idle the car vibrates.The tach does not fluctuate at all and the idle is not set low but I feel a vibration through the seat. When i'm driving there is no issue,only at idle. I am going to check the motor mount bolts and make sure they are tight. Hopefully he torqued everything to spec and the correct sequence.Not sure what else to check.