Sorry a 350z not a z32 but sometimes when those little jobs go off track it can be so frustrating! so said 350z was in for clutch change today as it was slipping under load at motorway speeds in top gear.

 

So within 5 minutes of it been in the air I could see the exhaust nuts were looking nasty, so plenty of freeing agent and get on with some of the other nuts and bolts.

 

 

 

So even with heat and the best fitting sockets they rounded off, not one, not two but all four!!! eventually after getting some of my Mac tools socket hammered on they moved but then snapped all of then doh!!

 

With the exhaust off the box was soon out and the clutch removed, there was not a lot left of the plate most of the lining been dust fibre in the bell housing.

 

 

 

An interesting point is the clutch size, the spec was a GT but the replacement GT clutch was larger and the surface area on the cover, have seen this a few times now and wondering if the UK spec were fitted with smaller clutches for some reason?? oh well all together now and collected this afternoon by a now happy customer who will be most likely writing a stern letter after she had paid for an AA pre-purchase check done and they said all was ok just 3 weeks ago, clearly it was not!

 

 

Jeff TT

Edited November 8, 201312 yr by JeffTT

Jimmer might know about difference in 350z clutches as he's done a few.

 

I hope you swore at those bolts Jeff! Looks like they needed some 4-letter words hurled at them!

And threw them to the floor and stamped on them and walked away and had a cup of tea.

Jimmer might know about difference in 350z clutches as he's done a few.

 

I hope you swore at those bolts Jeff! Looks like they needed some 4-letter words hurled at them!

 

 

Yes there was a few choice words, to be honest I was surprised as I have done 10+ clutches and gearbox changes on 350`s and this one was the first one I have had to deal with such corroded bolts.

 

Jeff TT

The recent one Jim had in that he did a gearbox swap was pretty hanging underneath. Guess the older more abused ones are starting to show their signs of age. One thing I notice, the quality of material seems superior on the Z32 over the Z33.

At least you got there in the end Jeff.....

 

............. Guess the older more abused ones are starting to show their signs of age. One thing I notice, the quality of material seems superior on the Z32 over the Z33.

 

....And I'd agree with that; especially now that prices have dropped, making a fast and still fairly modern car affordable to those folks who might thrash them...:wink:

It's no surprise that they aren't as well built, the z33 is a slave to its budget. It's not a flagship car, or even a particularly expensive car new. Also bear in mind, Renault have their fingers in the pie, would you buy a Renault? No because their crap....

I rest my case gentlemen, all they are worth is ripping the rays and brembos off IMO :p fat frog.

It's no surprise that they aren't as well built, the z33 is a slave to its budget. It's not a flagship car, or even a particularly expensive car new. Also bear in mind, Renault have their fingers in the pie, would you buy a Renault? No because their crap....

I rest my case gentlemen, all they are worth is ripping the rays and brembos off IMO :p fat frog.

 

:lol::lol::lol: very true....Renault also have there other finger in the last 2 generation Nissan cabstars...complete bags of shite with gearboxes made of flour and water:thumbdown: so much so it has pushed the early to mid 90,s pre-Renault based trucks to silly prices.

Actually, the 350z is quite an accomplished little sports car. I've driven a few of them, one of which I took across 3 states and they're a really nice drive. My only criticism is their lack of power in terms of driver experience, but this is really only on the early models. They have pretty good little chassis; when the rev-up engine replaced the earlier engine, it made the car far more punchy (again, I've driven both). That 3.5 is a decent engine actually and responds very well to turbo charging and super charging and even to lesser modifications such as modified intake, throttles and some head work. For those that like NA units, it's better than a lot of cars in its class IMO. The 3.5 is strong, sounds good and doesn't really go wrong....now the gearbox on the other hand, chocolate.

 

Driving position is good and the interior is quirky, a very different beast to the 300zx and appeals to a slightly different market and is designed and targeted at a different market. It fulfills its brief pretty well.

 

I am a big Z-car fan and ALL have their merits. When the 350z was launched, I didn't think too much of it, but as time has moved on and I've had chance to drive a number of them, I've learned to appreciate them as a drivers' car and their appearance has really grown on me. I would actually quite like one. With a NISMO bodykit and a choice set of wheels, I think they look better than all their direct competition. I would rather have the 350GT (Infiniti G35 coupe) though, but I do like the Z33.

 

I was only joshing, they are as you say very good at being what they were designed to be. Their competition in the marketplace esp price wise on launch, was well suited. I'd certainly pick one over an rx8 or Audi tt. The trouble for me comes when we compare it as a zed car, expecting it to for full the modern equilvent of our own z32, they're just not equal in any way. The similarity ends at the fairlady badge IMO.

 

This isn't actually the z33s fault, it doesn't fall short of the fairlady badge, it isn't a poor shadow. The fault lies squarely at the z32 it's a black sheep. Fairlady's where supposed to be cheap and nimble light weight sports cars. On release the z32 was expensive, heavy and high powered, almost all Fairlady's have been accused of being under powered. Were the black sheep I'm afraid.

The z33 is still a fat frog though hahaha