z32 clutch how to?

Nissan 300ZX technical discussion forum: Maintenance, performance, installations, modifications, how-to's and troubleshooting.
s3xrapt0r
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 1:43 pm

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i searched google for how to install a clutch on a z32 and nothign came up even searched on here a little just wonding if anyone can provide a how to link for me. one with pics would be great ! sucks haynes only makes a manual for the z31 :\
Modified by s3xrapt0r at 6:38 PM 1/5/2010


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Z-owned
Posts: 3487
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 8:56 pm
Car: 93 N/A Z32
90 VW Corrado
01 mr2 spyder
Location: Auburn, WA.

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It's pretty straight foward like any car.

http://www.ttzd.com/tech/clutchtech.html

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BUTTONBOY
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2009 2:06 pm
Car: 1991 300ZX 2+2 NA

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It is not too bad of a job to do. The only bad part about when I did mine was that I also had a broken 3rd-4th gear shift fork in the tranny that I had to replace. But here are the steps I took when I did my clutch:1. put the car on jack stands as high as you can safely get it so it will be easier to get to everything.2. remove the cat back section of the exhaust3. remove the exhaust pipes from the exhaust manifolds back4. remove the starter (make sure you disconnect the battery first)5. remove the clutch slave cylinder. You will need to crack open the bleeder before you try to remove it to let the pressure off. The piston will try to pop out anyway when it gets free from the clutch fork, so have a towel ready. I used some zip ties to hold mine all together while I did the job.6. remove the drive shaft. There is a center bearing that has to be removed also. really easy to get to though.7. put a jack or some blocks under your oil pan on your engine. it will need a little support when the transmission is out8. remove all the bolts that connect the tranny to the engine except 2 on each side. I left the 2 in the middle of the tranny, one on each side. 9. loosen, but do not remove all the bolts that hold the rear support for the tranny. I left one on each side sort of like I did on the transmission. While you are back there, unplug the VSS and the other connectors that are there and don't forget to remove the pivot bolt for the shifter linkage10. drain the gear oil. if you don't it will run everywhere out of the back of the tranny when you are trying to get it out.11. now the fun part.... remove the rest of your bolts so that there is nothing holding the transmission except the jack and the fact that it is still on the locating pins on the engine. gently jack the tranny up until it barely starts to move the engine up. use a heavy duty prybar to gently pry the tranny away from the engine. it will sort of hard to slide for about an inch and then all of a sudden it will come free. (the inch is where the mainshaft slides into the pilot bearing on the flywheel) be ready when it comes loose. It is best to have someone help you with this part, I did mine by myself and it sucked!12. pull that tranny out! 13. now you need to remove the pressure plate from the flywheel. careful, it is heavier than it looks. the clutch disc will just be loose once the pressure plate is removed.14. you really need to get your flywheel resurfaced. this is what mine looked like when I removed the pressure plate and clutch discThis what it looked like after I had it resurfaced. My local NAPA machine shop did it for $30.15. since you are there and you have to remove the flywheel, go ahead and replace your rear main seal. it is only $10 and only takes about 15 minutes to do. If yours isnt leaking, it will be.16. your new clutch kit will come with a new brass pilot bearing that goes in the flywheel, the old one is hard to get out unless you have a slide hammer. Harbor Freight sells slide hammers pretty cheap and you will find a lot of other uses for it if you work on cars much.17. your new clutch kit will come with an alignment tool for the the clutch disc. after you get the flywheel back on, slide your new clutch disc onto the alignment tool and then slide the alignment tool into the pilot bearing in the flywheel. just leave the tool in place and then bolt on your new pressure plate. once you get the pressure plate bolted up solid you can slide the alignment tool out.18. put the rest of it back together in the reverse order that you took it apart and refill the tranny with gear oil! It is easier when you have help mating the tranny back up to the engine because you will have to to some wiggling and jerking on the tranny to make the splines on the input shaft slip through the new clutch disc and then make the tranny line up on the locating pins. don't give up, I did it all by myself and it only took about 10 minutes to get it to bottom out to where it needed to be.19. when you get the clutch slave cylinder bolted back up, it will need to be bled. I used a hand pump vacuum brake bleeder for mine and it worked like a champ. You can bleed it by pumping it, but you will have to go through the process several times (I mean like 10 or15) to get all the air out. 20. enjoy your new non-slipping smooth engaging clutch!!!

I hope this wasnt too long, and that it helped.


s3xrapt0r
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 1:43 pm

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thanks guys both posts weremore then helpful never swapped a clutch before and i got 2 friends to help. definmtially built my confidence up. i heard theres a way to do it with out pulling the tranny is this true ?? or would you reccomend just pulling it for a first timer

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BUTTONBOY
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2009 2:06 pm
Car: 1991 300ZX 2+2 NA

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you could do it without taking the tranny out from under the car i suppose, but it would still have to be completely loose from the engine. i would recommend just pulling it out and getting it out of the way. just take your time with it, you will do fine.

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Z-owned
Posts: 3487
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 8:56 pm
Car: 93 N/A Z32
90 VW Corrado
01 mr2 spyder
Location: Auburn, WA.

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Lol not to be mean, but look at the pics and then think about if it could be done without dropping the tranny. The hardest part of the whole thing will likely be getting the two top bolts off the tranny and putting them back in and torquing them to spec. Remember extenstions are your friend here. The pivot ball is also something to consider replacing well you have the chance.

s3xrapt0r
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 1:43 pm

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lol yea true on my probe you can apparently do it with out dropping the tranny . or so said a guy on the probe forums when i was about to change a clutch on that car LOL. the Z is a hell of alot more complicated then that car so i need ot get out of the lazy way of doing things. how much is the piv ? my cars only got 124k would that still be recomended ?

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Z-owned
Posts: 3487
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 8:56 pm
Car: 93 N/A Z32
90 VW Corrado
01 mr2 spyder
Location: Auburn, WA.

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http://www.conceptzperformance...0&UID=

Mine was fine when I did my clutch, chances are yours is as well, but it's one of those things that for many is worth doing well they have the chance given the job to get to it.

s3xrapt0r
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 1:43 pm

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true ! when does the main oil seal normally blow ? is it really easy to get to or is it a pain in the a**. im kinda trying ot keep this clutch job as simple as possible but if the seal is going to blow soon i might do it. im still kinda scared about doing this lol but its gotta get done and im broke so im gonan go for it !


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