Hey there, I've been searching the forums without success...

I've got an 02 max 6spd. I recently bought an Exedy Stage 1 clutch kit and had it installed by a local transmission shop (I've had bad luck with the local dealer in the past and the said shop had some good referrals)...

After a week of no car (ImportRP shipped me the throwout bearing for the 350Z, took a week to get the right one), the shop had it installed. When I went to pick up the car, the mechanic (shop owner) warned me that he was unable to resurface my flywheel because the springs that are normally on the clutch are on the flywheel for the 5.5 gens (is this true? I can't find any info on it, please educate me!). Apparently neither he nor any of the places in town that do resurfacing are able to work it. As a result, the car is jumpy as hell when I release the clutch. He said that revving the engine and dropping it into gear a few times should help that out (it didn't... and I should have known better eh?)... I've driven a few hundred miles on it now and the clutch is still incredibly jumpy when I release it. Also, the throwout bearing is shot. It squeels to the point I'm embarassed to drive my Max around...

Anyway, long story short...
1) Is the shop BSing me about being able to resurface it? (I'm in Fargo, ND.. not a whole lot of options up here... Especially for a Nissan)
2) Did he install it wrong?
3) Please educate me on how the 5.5 gen clutch/flywheel works.. I can't find the info anywhere (maybe i'm just searching wrong)
4) Throwout bearing is shot... I know Exedy has had a problem with this in the past... Should I try and get a new one? Do they cover labor when their part breaks down so fast? If not, is there a better brand bearing I should order?


Thanks for your help!

 

I'm not certain, but I think the FSM does not recommend resurfacing the 5.5gen flywheel. I know for a fact the FSM warns against resurfacing the VQ3.0 flywheel. Nissan recommends replacing the entire unit on the 3.0.

The 3.5 engine has the engagment dampening springs in the flywheel, instead of the clutch disc where they normally are found. This could make resurfacing tricky.

If you have only put several hundred miles on this install and now your TO bearing is screaming, well you have big problems. Either it was not replaced or the freeplay in the clutch system was way off.

 

:-S

What action do you recommend I take?

The owner was very obviously stoned retarded when I went to pick up my car... After a rather lengthy "this is how things work" in the back of the shop, some of my worries were put to the side... But now... Well... yeah...

I'm assuming it was replaced because the old one screamed (not this bad!), but it was 60k old and the original owner was a soccer mom (kind of odd she drove a 6spd)... After the clutch replacement the screaming went away... for a while...

When replacing the clutch on the 6spd's is it standard to replace the flywheel then? If so, doesn't that get pretty ridiculously expensive? IF I need to replace it.. Should I go OEM or is there a better aftermarket option?

Again, thanks! :-)

 

When the mechanic has to sell you on the repair because it doesn't seem or feel right, well then it probably isn't. No one should have to put up with that sort of nonsense. We are talking about a 5 year old car here, still should be really close to new.

As for your next move, well that's hard to say. Someone has got to eat the cost of the second attempt at fixing this thing, and it shouldn't be you. I'd raise heck at the shop for this. A new flywheel may be your only chance at a good clutch job, but you are right they are not cheap. That is the factory recommendation, but most people don't need it. Not sure about aftermarket flywheels for the 3.5. The TO bearing screaming issue is not right either. Factory Nissan bearing is more than adequate for this task.

 

Just a thought, since you stated that you supplied the clutch kit for the install. Are you sure you bought the correct one for a 3.5? I don't know if the 3.0 kit will physically bolt on to the 3.5 flywheel, but one thing's for sure, it would be very jumpy when you tried to drive the car. Both the flywheel & clutch disc would have springs in them, a definite no-no.

 

I bought the 02 Max clutch kit from ImportRP. They shipped the 350Z clutch kit, which they claimed was identical short of the TO bearing. If this isn't correct, then it goes all the way back to them and they owe me labor and a new kit and flywheel.

 

Also something I guess I should add... When i was in the shop, the mechanic said that if I bought a new flywheel, he'd do all the labor for free... Didn't try selling me parts or anything... I guess that sort of elevated my confidence in what he was saying.

 

Well that is good but what about the TO bearing and a potentially damaged clutch?!

 

Went in and spoke with my mechanic today. Apparently my Max is the first one he's ever worked on (this area doesn't see a whole lot of them...).

According to him, the Exedy disc has dampening springs on it. Can any other Exedy owners confirm this? This doesn't seem right... Having two sets of them.... The mechanic thinks this is why it is so jumpy. Could this be the case? I just wouldn't think that Exedy would sell such a kit for the Max when it obviously doesn't work properly... If this is the case, should I push Exedy to give me my money back and go another route?

Either way, I plan on getting an OEM TO as they're not too expensive, Exedy has a history of selling crap TOs (apparent from a maxima.org search), and the mechanic's willing to do the work for free.

Thanks! :-)

 

I always thought htat you had to shave a pin of some sort off the 350's pressure plate to make it fit our cars.

Are you sure the flywheel on 350's have springs like the max

When I did my clutch I don't recall seing the springs on the flywheel and not the clutch disc but I may have just not been that observant

 

The stock 3.5 Maxima pressure plate is a dual mass design. The friction surface actually moves to reduce the shock when shifting. It's smooth but heavy. It can be tricky to resurface so most shops won't touch it. It doesn't have springs in it though. It just rotates about an inch or two. The 350Z flywheel is solid.


The disk with the dampening springs is probably what's causing the problems. I ran the stock flywheel with a sprung disk for a while and it had lots of chatter. I put in a solid flywheel and it was smooth as glass after that. The stock flywheel with a sprung disk is a bad combo.

I've had several different clutch/flywheel setups in my car over the last two years and installed them all my self. I would either get a solid flywheel like a Fidanza (expensive). Or, a disk without the dampening springs like the stock piece (cheap). That should smooth things out.

BTW the Exedy stage 1 is nearly the exact same part as a new 350Z clutch. They have the same clamping force and torque rating. The 350Z clutch is around $250 from Dave B. THe 350Z and Maxima had the same clutch till around 04 then they made the 350Z clutch stronger. It still bolts right up.

Are you sure the bearing is shot? The Exedy design actualy takes less pressure to operate. When I installed the 350Z clutch I had to readjust the pedal because I was able to push the clutch in so far that some part of it was rubbing the flywheel. It sounded horrible but wasn't a big deal.

If I were you I'd see if Exedy will take the clutch back. THen I'd get the 350Z clutch and a solid disk. You'll still be in for less than the Exedy. I'd have the mechanic install that for free if he's willing. I don't think he did anything wrong though.

 

Derrick your info is dahhm coherant and concise. there is so much ambiant, mainstream white noise in the forums, so much drama sometimes; its a breath of fresh air to get such valuable information from a person who 'turns their own wrenches' w/o the added drama

Can't wait to get the OEM Clutch package for the 350Z and solid disk, most likely from Dave B. am going to read up in the DIY area, and maybe change it myself. btw, do you know what the weight of the oem solid disk flywheel? how many hours did it take to change out clutch & flywheel? before i ask too much and get and

then i go

but then ill have more time to catch up reading the other stickies

sorry for blah, blah, blahing


thanks for all the dahhhm solid info

 

THe OEM flywheel weighs around 31 pounds. The solid Fidanza Flywheel is around 15 pounds. It is a noticeable difference in acceleration. I took the Fidanza out for a few weeks and couldn't wait to get it back in.

Overall the 350Z clutch plate is a little heavier if I remember correctly. The weight is actually more in the center though. The edges and the plate are lighter so your rotating mass should be the same or even less. There really are no negatives to the 350Z setup. Just remember to get a throwout bearing too since it doesn't come with one. Make sure the TO bearing is for a Maxima.

The install is a lot of work. There's nothing really complicated about it. It's just a lot to do. You'll need a tranny jack to lower and lift the gear box. The 6-speed is a lot heavier and bulkier than a rear drive tranny. Also, make sure you install the TO bearing correctly. It can be installed backwards on the shaft and will bind up. Install it and move the fork back and forth while applying pressure on the bearing with your hand. It should move smoothly, if you flip it it will bind. You'll see what I mean, it's not hard. That's about the only part that can be put in wrong and still fit.

There are some other tricks to speed the install but don't want to write a how too here. Send me a PM if you decide to do the install.

 

Thanks Derrick!

I can only assume the bearing is shot... It's chirping louder than before I had it replaced originally (and it was shot then). Depressing the clutch pedal is also a little 'off'... I have no idea what that accounts for, though.

Which Fidanza flywheel would you recommend? The Max is my daily driver, but I like to drive it hard when I can :-) (lots of open road in ND). Also, will the 350Z clutch have issues with the dual mass flywheel? Do I *need* to swap both out, or will the stock flywheel suffice? If it's not *too* expensive, I may do it anyway... Who's the best dealer to work with?

After some research (before you posted... thanks forums! ) I had already decided to do exactly what you said on my own :-) I ordered the 350Z clutch and a maxima TO bearing from Dave B yesterday afternoon ($275 shipped versus $425 shipped for the Exedy POS).

I'm going to try arguing that they return the Exedy, but it's a nightmare... Exedy won't deal with customers directly and won't sell to resellers (at least in my case), but instead goes through a wholesaler... So I have to talk to the guys who sold it to me (importrp), who will talk to the wholesaler, who will talk to Exedy...


THANKS! :-)

 

I think Fidanza only makes one flywheel for the 3.5 Maxima. It's 15 pounds. If you go with that you can use the sprung disk that comes with the 350Z clutch. That's the exact setup I have now and it's the best I've had yet. I got it from ultrarev.com

You should be OK with the stock flywheel if you get a solid clutch disk. That's basicaly the stock setup with just a little more clamping force. It should be really smooth.