Problems with clutch--1989 Nissan 240SX

[jazzer]

Oops...meant to post this here instead of the other forum. Any help would be very much appreciated.

----------------------------------1989 Nissan 240SX Coupe140,000 KM

I'm just wondering if anyone else has experience with clutch problems (ie. clutch slipping) on the 240SX. I went to a mechanic to get a basic oil/lube change and it came with an inspection. Afterwards, they told me that my clutch was worn and that I needed to get it replaced immediately to prevent damage to the flywheel! This was a complete surprise to me.

The clutch on the car is less than 2.5 years old and I have owned the car for a year. The previous owner (a good friend) has been driving standard for years, I have only been driving standard for a year. I'm a bit skeptical that the clutch is that worn because I haven't noticed any problems at all. I asked the technician to be more specific and he said that it was slipping when they engaged it.

So, I brought it to another place and they took it for a test drive and said that the clutch definitely is older, but that it has months left on it, at least. The guy there said that I would notice the RPMs increase a lot with the car driving slower and that there would be other signs of wear, but for now, there was nothing to worry about. I also tried parking and switching to 4th gear and releasing the clutch to see if it would stall right away (a sign of little to no clutch slipping) and it did.

Anyone have experience with this? I will replace the clutch at some point, but I'm wondering how urgent it might be and whether there are more signs that show up when I definitely need a replacement.

Thanks so much,J

[sil80drifter]

if you get a chance to look at your engine from the transmission side, make sure your rear main seal is not leaking oil (the crankshaft rear main seal). If by some chance your rear main seal has/is ruptured, you'll have what is called a "leaker" so oil comes out of the rear main seal and onto the clutch/flywheel assembly, making it slip. the solution would be replacing that seal (a pain in the ***, but necessary fi it's the case).

sil80