I bought the 350Z clutch from Dave B (30205-CD00B) with the Nissan Maxima TO bearing (30502-41U20) and the Flywheel from UltraRev (Fidanza flywheel).

However, when the tech installed the new clutch, they said they heard pinging and then when they took it back apart, they found the bell housing was scraped up because the pressure plate is rubbing up against it and eating away at it.

DaveB isn't around on the weekends (tried calling) so I'm going to call there on Mon.

However, anyone heard of this or run into this problem in the meantime? Maybe it's the wrong Pressure Plate/cover assm in the box?

 

Any reason why you bought a stock Z33 clutch?

 

It was suggested here I do exactly that for my 2002 Maxima because it's a spring clutch and it's equivalent in feel to the Stage 1 Exedy. So it's an upgrade from the OE clutch for the 2002 Maxima.

See: http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=406666

 

That's weird. Several of us have that exact setup with nothing but great results. I installed mine and it's great.

You could have gotten the wrong part or the shop did something wrong. I'm guessing on the part being wrong just because a clutch job is pretty straight forward. Do you have any pictures?

 

No photos, he said it rubs right against the bell housing and makes a ton of noise though.. He understood the reason why I have the parts I do..

It fit until he took it on road test... It was the local Gemini/Goodyear repair place that did the work. The guy seemed to know what he was doing too. Just said it that unless I had a sledgehammer....

Do you still have your slip from DaveB when you did yours? The part # I mentioned is the same part # that was on the box, but the box tape (for the clutch) was cut open when I got it..

I looked in FAST and the 2004+ disc and cover are my PN, but the 2003 is different (separate disc and cover).

I'll have to call DaveB on Monday, but I'm really not sure what can be done, I guess me eating overnight ship or something so this thing isn't sitting on the lift for a week.. My other one was truly destroyed.. When Nissan did the Used Eval when I first bought the car from ebay, they bought me 30,000 miles by bringing my pedal up all the way he said.. heh.

 

Did he adjust the pedal back down for the new clutch? I had a stiff stage 3 clutch and had to adjust the pedal up to compensate for the extra force needed.
After instaling the 350Z clutch and pressing it the first time it grinded. I think I was pushing it too far since the 350Z actually requires less pedal pressure. I adjusted it back down and could press the pedal without grinding.

Ask them if it was grinding all the time or just when pressing the clutch pedal.

BTW the 03 and older 350Z clutch is the same part as the Maxima. Same part # even.

 

He said the pressure plate rubbing against the bell housing actually made the inside of the bell housing shine.. but he did move the pedal all the way down. Said it made a ton of racket so he took it back apart. I don't know when the racket was made, just that he said he didn't intend to leave it like that.. He said that the pressure plate was 'up higher' than the old one too, if I recall. They actually took it out for a test drive.

In FAST its the 2003 Model Year Z33 is a different PN than everything.

FAST says 30100-VW304 (or alternate VW305 or VW306) for the disc and 30210-8J100 (or 8J101) for the cover for my 2002 Maxima (A33B) made Sept 2001.

30100-CD010 / 30120-CD010 (Alternates 30100-CD020 and 30210-CD020) for the disc and cover on a Z33 made Jul 2002.

I have 30205-CD00B which seems to be the kit for Production 0703 and beyond Z33.

My transmission doesn't have HLSD if that matters too., it's a Trans Code A.

 

Also, if for some reason this doesn't work out (and the rare possibility I can return it to SouthPoint) is there a recommended SA spring clutch that DOES fit this thing that I can get relatively easy?

The only option I see from Exedy is the Class 2 when I put in 2002 Maxima SE, ACT has nothing at all for my car according to their site, etc. I have no idea what the usual replacement clutch is except a Nissan one, but Napa and Parts America have no clutch for my car at all.

This'll be a 2 grand trip at this rate.. They said the front pads and rotors wouldn't pass inspection either so they replaced those..

Thanks for the help.

 

I'd want to figure out why this one isn't fitting before looking at others. There are really only 3 reasons for your problem.
1) Wrong part was sent. Dave B will handle it.
2) Shop messed it up.
3) Your car has a different bellhousing setup for some reason. Maybe something happened in production.

There is another possibility. You could have gotted the wrong flywheel. If the flywheel you have is a different thickness that will put the clutch in a different position where it could rub. Have the shop measure the thickness of both flywheels. I'd bet on the flywheel being the problem.

If the shop doesn't have the stock flywheel let me know. I'll pull my old one out of the attic and measure it.

 

They offered to put the old parts in and send me on my way *laughs* I suspect they still have them (he said my clutch that was in there was trashed). I'll call over to the shop tomorrow since they're not open on Sundays.

I don't think the shop messed up. I do think the possibility is that the flywheel is wrong or the parts from Nissan are wrong. I'm thinking you might be onto something with the flywheel though.

I know Dave B is a stand up guy, I"ll hope that Ultrarev is too if this is wrong, even though I'll have to overnight something in here some way or another to get my car out of hock.

 

the better question is why put a 350z clutch on a max?

 

Maxima OE clutch sucks is the short version. There's plenty of articles on why it's a good mod, when executed properly.

DaBoxSE and Derrick both have it, Dabox's photos sum up the difference between the crappy flimsy Maxima OE clutch and the 350Z one. You'll see the Maxima one on the left in the photos.

https://maxima.org/forums/5th-generation-maxima-2000-2003/394421-350z-clutch-03-tranny-rear-main-seal-pics.html

 

apparently u cant read. post #3 :stfu:

 

I have all the right parts, so the tech is going to dremel where it's rubbing and call it good.

Odds are Dabox basically dremeled his tranny using the clutch cover when he had his noise doing the same install..

Hopefully it works out.. Dave B checked all his parts out and I checked them on this side, so I do have the right stuff. He's the man.

 

Good, that should work. Maybe some of the trannys have different castings inside. I have an 04 tranny in my car but they looked exactly the same as my 02 when I did the swap. See if the mechanic will take a picture of where he needs to grind so we can post it for anyone else who wants to do the 350Z clutch.

 

Unfortunately by the time I get over there (I do overnight ops lately for my job), they'll probably have it together. They really want to get the thing out of there because it's winter tire / winter prep season here and it's been sitting there for going on 4 days. I can appreciate that and don't want to bung up the works any more than I already have.

I hope that it's in a location that can be grinded properly (without punchthrough). Apparently they put it together, it made noise, and then they took it apart again and saw the scour marks, so they should know where to hit. When I brought up the dremel, they didn't say anything to suggest that it was too deep to do that.

Dave B said the bell housings are all the same up through 04. I'm sure there's always the possibility there's some (generally insignificant) bulge or piece of metal or something that affects this. Supposedly it's pretty damned tight in there. I haven't been inside there on a Maxima yet.

I called Carquest just to see if they had any other clutch options. They have the Sachs-branded OEM unsprung clutch that they can get through WorldPac, thats it. ImportPerformanceParts in NH carries the Clutchmasters line, they're a mailing day from me (or a 3 hour car trip).

I think (hope) this should work out ok though. Fingers crossed. Then I can drive it to Boston and back for the break-in period.

On an unrelated note - Fidanza's 2-5pm phone support timeframe has got to be the stupidest thing ever.

 

Got the car back today, all works.. Definitely a different feel but I'll get used to it. I've been used to having a crappy spent clutch for a while..

They replaced a rear engine motor mount, an exhaust gasket and some other stuff while they were in there.

Dremel is the magic tool it seems..

Thanks for all of the help.

 

How does it drive? I've been thinking about doing this conversion when my clutch goes out. Big difference with the light flywheel? Easier to stall?

 

Rides welll so far, but there's no real hot point in the clutch, it's just in or out.

The pedal is incredibly easy too, which coming from my clutch pedal being adjusted all the way up on the Maxima before, as well as coming from a Nissan truck with a clutch, definitely takes some getting used to.

It's definitely more of a sport clutch feel than the OE. It's easier to stall, but once you get the hang of it it definitely hsa a better feel overall. .

I got my Maxima at 65K, so I'm really not sure how the OE is supposed to feel like when new.

 

Hmm, I wonder if the 350z clutch will work with the 3.0 engine. My clutch is starting to slip more and more worse everyday.

 

It's been about a week.. I love the thing now, definitely a worthy mod.

I'm also glad to have my car back.

 

so is it recommended to upgrade to lighter flywheel and clutch at the same time? or could i just get the clutch for now and flywheel later. any effect on that

 

You should NOT machine the dual-mass flywheel. Nissan told me not to, many people here said places won't do it/can't do it. Derrick tried bolting the 350Z clutch up to his dual-mass OE flywheel and according to his post it was a big regret and he ended up replacing the flywheel.

You should definitely do the flywheel at the same time as far as I'm concerned. It cost me 475 for the flywheel (Fidanza one for Maxima), but it was definitely not something I regret.