My daughter purchased this 2008 Altima June 2019 at 88,500mi and the car currently has a little over 93,000mi.
My daughter was driving her Altima 2.5 6spd manual and a grinding noise started and car began slowing down. Car would not move in any gear. Towed to mechanic who took it apart and realized clutch pad had SPUN against splines of transmission input shaft (TIS). The splines on the clutch pad are almost non-existent, while the splines on the TIS are ground down to the point where they are definitely compromised and cannot be relied on. Wow-That's insane. Mechanic also believes that clutch has been replaced before and believes the clutch has been abused as the flywheel has a little discoloration. I am not sure what lead him to the conclusion that clutch may have been replaced before as the pressure plate housing says "NISSAN" on it. The flywheel says both "NISSAN" as well as "LUK". Maybe the "LUK" implies aftermarket. I do not see a brand on the clutch disk but I only have a pic of 1 side of it - the wheel side. The old clutchdisk seems to look just like the new LUK clutchdisk.
Replacement used transmission with confirmed good input shaft splines has been received. The mechanic is insistent to replace the flyweel "bearing" and claims it is "seized". He is currently waiting on a used flywheel. He says "it is supposed to spin freely". I don't see how it is seized nor should it spin freely as I studied videos of the dual-mass flywheel and it moves back and fourth just a little bit like shown in the videos, and maybe there is something I am not comprehending or am overlooking, but I am not worrying about that over $75.
At shop I took the new clutchpad and put it onto the perfect-looking splines of replacement TIS, and checked for rotary play: There is some very slight rotary play which seems conceivably "normal" though I am not experienced with how much play is normal. It seems like there would need to be just a bit of play to slide the TIS back onto the assembled clutch for mounting.
The big question is this: Have any of you ever had this happen or seen this happen - the clutchpad outspins and chews off the splines of the transmission input shaft? That is crazy. I mean shouldn't it be designed that even with high RPMs and you pop the clutch that it can withstand such force & torque? Not that my daughter drives it like that, at least I would hope not (she's kind of a tom-boy when it comes to vehicles lol). The previous owner made mention that his son use to drive it. That along with the suggestion that this may not be the original clutch leads me to believe for sure the drivetrain has been abused.
What about LUK - is it conceivable they designed a subpar clutchpad spline (if indeed the old clutchpad is a LUK)?
Also since the day of purchase of the car in June when we test drove it, I gave it gas and drove it hard and it popped in the front. Since, my daughter also complained of a pop once in a while. I wrote it off as a loose motor mount but now I wonder if the pop could have been the clutchdisk jumping splines one at a time (with the splines possibly being already compromised at time of purchase of vehicle because there is no way I drove it THAT hard IMHO that it should have jumped splines).
We are $1875 into the repair at this point.
All tips, suggestions, experiences, and thoughts welcome. Thank you!!!
PICTURES
Old Clutch Splines
http://TheAldensOrg.dyndns.org/Vehicle/ ... G_2768.jpg
New Clutch Splines
http://TheAldensOrg.dyndns.org/Vehicle/ ... G_2769.jpg
Transmission Input Shaft Splines Worn
http://TheAldensOrg.dyndns.org/Vehicle/ ... 075924.jpg
Transmission Input Shaft Splines Worn - better angle
http://TheAldensOrg.dyndns.org/Vehicle/ ... G_2770.jpg
Flywheel
http://TheAldensOrg.dyndns.org/Vehicle/ ... 080042.jpg
Pressureplate & Clutchdisk
http://TheAldensOrg.dyndns.org/Vehicle/ ... 080225.jpg
Pressureplate Surface
http://TheAldensOrg.dyndns.org/Vehicle/ ... 080231.jpg