Well finally had some free time this weelend so I pulled the tranny this afternoon and I am installing a 5th gen clutch with a fidanza flywheel. I hit a dead end when it came time to install the new flywheel.

The problem is that while the fidanza flywheel does come with the big teeth ring gear for the starter motor, but it does NOT come with the smaller teeth ring gear. It is the signal plate that is used for the POS crank sensor. With out it, I am pretty sure the car wont even start!!

When I got my flywheel a few weeks ago I DID notice this but I thought that the signal plate would be able to come off of the old flywheel and then I would have to put it on the fidanza one... well the signal plate is actually riveted on the back of the larger ring gear... so there is no way of getting it off. I took an gamble and lost!

Did I get the wrong flywheel? It seems many others have installed the fidanza with no mention of this problem! Do I have to return this thing and just go with stillen which actually makes you reuse the both the larger ring gear for the starter and the smaller ring gear for the POS?

Also, what about the smaller disk that sits on front of the old flywheel? The FSM calls it the flywheel reinforcement. The flywheel bolts go through it, then through the flywheel, and into the crank. Do I need to reuse it with the fidanza?

Thanks,

Devin

 

Found my answer.

 

What was the answer?

 

Somebody answered his question in this thread http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=417546.

 

This was my thread I posted in the general forum. Essentially, my problem was that the signal plate on the auto is riveted on the back, where as the signal plate for the manual is bolted on...

The FSM appears to indicate this as well because the auto one shows no bolt heads, but the manual one does. It does not show the bolts removed with a line indicating where it would insert like it does with most of the other bolts in the diagram.

I dont know if nissan will sell just the signal plate with out having to buy an entire flywheel.

 

I'm not sure I understand. What does the flex plate from an auto tranny have to do with what you're doing?

All you need to do is unbolt the signal ring from your current flywheel (after you pull it off the crank) and bolt it onto the Fidanza flywheel.

 

Never mind, I took a look in the other thread and found you're doing an auto to 5 speed conversion. Now it makes sense.

 

Steve, you think this could be related?

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=432157

My car starts VERY hesitantly, but eventually it WILL crank up.

 

the little plate your talkin bout i dint install that afta installi n my fidanza flywheel wit a stage 3 xtd clutch because it wouldnt let the clutch engaged

 

The signal plate is on the back of the flywheel, the clutch goes on the front, not sure how it would stop your clutch engaging

 

not even sure how he got the car to start with out that plate... its critical for the timing on the POS.

There was one guy on the 4th gen forum that did not put it on his flywheel and the car would not even start. Just cranked and cranked. He had to pull the tranny all over again.

 

I bet he's talking about something called the flywheel reinforcing plate, not the signal plate. It's a small diameter plate that goes between the flywheel and the flywheel bolt heads.

 

Oh right... I know what you are talking about. The fidanza doesnt require it.

 

Im still a lil lost

My car came from the factory - 5spd
When I did my motor swap....I wasnt 100% sure if the NEW motor I got was auto or manual FROM THE FACTORY...

And from what youre saying...it sounds like 1 plate/ring will be missing if it IS an auto from the factory..

So, w/ my Fidanza......I need the Reinforcement plate, signal plate, AND timing gear?

Or are the 2nd 2 items the same thing ^

 

The timing gear and the signal plate are the same thing. You will need to transfer it from the backside of your oem flywheel to the Fidanza flywheel. You can also use your oem reinforcing plate. It is a small diameter ring with bolt holes that goes on the outside of the flywheel (clutch side, that is) and the flywheel bolts go through it.