2001 Pathfinder 5 speed, possible bad clutch...no idea. need help.

[cytech]

New Member here.

2001 SE 5 speed.

I bought this pathfinder about 3 months with 103k miles on it. Totally babied, practically flawless, except for the cluctch...i think.

I am able to drive it fine for about 15-20 min. in traffic, then the clutch slips horribly out of nowhere and it's close to impossible to drive it in traffic after it starts. The clutch then becomes springy and feels very weird when I try to shift. I can let it rest for an hour or so, hop in crank it up and it will drive fine for 10-20 min before it starts slipping again.

I know when your clutch slips, it starts right off the bat and should be able to tell when you first start your car that its bad.

Is this normal of the hydrolic clutch in these trucks or is this maybe something else?

[keelhaul]

I would say your clutch disk is either worn out or maybe oil is leaking onto it from either rear main engine seal or front transmission seal. either way I think you have to drop the transmission.

[cytech]

I would say your clutch disk is either worn out or maybe oil is leaking onto it from either rear main engine seal or front transmission seal. either way I think you have to drop the transmission.

drop the transmission? s***, i just bought this thing.

[keelhaul]

when I did the clutch in my 02 parts cost me $400 for new clutch disc and pressure plate. It took me 6 hours to drop transmission and about 3 to put it back in. pain in the a** but good for another 100k

[cytech]

The labor is something that I can't do though do to work. I basically work 7 days a week. I took it to a mechanic my family goes to and he said "your clutch is fine". However, he's not a nissan certified mechanic. I think i'll take it to the local nissan dealership and see what they gotta say about it.

BTW, in the past 2 days or so ive started to notice the clutch burn smell after about 20-25 min of driving and the clutch is much worse. Im guessing this is a sign that clutch is about over.

[02pathy]

1) how is your driving?2) do u have a loud squaling noise at any piont?3) take it to a transmission shop not the dealer or u might be leaving there with a brand new to u rebuild trans4) how is the hydralic fluid( i am not sure if its cable or or)

be very careful because u might start damaging the trans if it is not it, what would act up when it get hot?

[cytech]

1

1) how is your driving?2) do u have a loud squaling noise at any piont?3) take it to a transmission shop not the dealer or u might be leaving there with a brand new to u rebuild trans4) how is the hydralic fluid( i am not sure if its cable or or)

be very careful because u might start damaging the trans if it is not it, what would act up when it get hot?

1) Fine. I have to drive 45min to work down a highway, then 45min back home. Roughly 15min in real busy red light traffic.2)No noises. The truck is mechanically sound and is incredibly smooth.3)I'll call around for trans shops.4) Havent checked the stuff. I will this weekend when I have time.

[Chuck Tribolet]

Low clutch fluid level won't cause the clutch to slip, it will cause it to notdisengage when you push the pedal.

[02pathy]

before all check ur transmission fluid too i completely forgot that, what else could be causing a problem like this when it heats up, if it was something mechanical i would expect it to do it when cold or all the time

as for hydraclic fluid being low i meant more along the line of the condition of the fluid i am not really sure the full extend of how the hydralic fluid will afffect the trans but if it is no good, low or has air in it, i know it won't function the way it should.

[Axelpkt]

I thought my clutch in my 02 was toast at about 75k, it would slip pretty bad. So I bought a nissan clutch kit online and went to a local dealer, and they said that my clutch was most likely ok, my clutch master wasn't in straight. The only thing that didnt make sense with that is that I had replaced it about 2 years before I thought the clutch was bad. But I have not had problems with the trans since then, knock on wood

[cytech]

I thought my clutch in my 02 was toast at about 75k, it would slip pretty bad. So I bought a nissan clutch kit online and went to a local dealer, and they said that my clutch was most likely ok, my clutch master wasn't in straight. The only thing that didnt make sense with that is that I had replaced it about 2 years before I thought the clutch was bad. But I have not had problems with the trans since then, knock on wood

Did it slip right off the bat, or did you have to drive it for a few minutes and get it warmed up before it started to slip?