2009 Nissan 370Z: New Clutch Break-in

I sounded very bitter. Is it Monday?

Sorry pat1usmc, it's Tuesday.

That said; I'd also be dissatisfied (and DEAD SERIOUS) having to replace a transmission under 10K miles.

No pat1usmc, not too bitter. It's a $40k "sports" car. You should be able to abuse the clutch for many many thousand miles. I would have pulled out of the service bay, floored it and dropped the damn clutch. That's BS for that guy to say that. I had an old 2000 Trans Am 6 speed manual trans when I was 18 years old and I abused that thing so badly, and the clutch never even slipped once.

Assuming the transmission is still covered under warranty...
The 370Z is first and foremost a Sports Car.
Drive it like you want to drive it. Clutch dumps are hard on equipment, but anybody who buys this car will be doing them anyway.
The Edmunds crew should drive it hard and fast. Otherwise get rid of it and get another subcompact.

Another vote for Edmunds trying to "break" it again. i.e., drive it like what it is - a sports car.

That mechanic was a real wise ass. How about Nissan building a manual transmission that doesn't break for a change?

As for clutch break-in, it's basically the same for disc brakes, since the clutch material is almost the same as disc brake pads, and the flywheel and pressure plates are similar to disc rotors. Which means take it easy on the clutch for 500 miles if you can.

It won't matter with this car, because it's a crappy clutch to start with, so you'll have problems with it again soon regardless of your break-in procedure.

That comment from the service tech would piss me off if it was said with anything but a smile on his face.

Anyway, sounds like Nissan is becoming the Chrysler of Japan.

I'm with Jasond52. If that tech was serious then he might be a cockholster.

Personally, I'd probably baby it for 200-300 miles. It certainly wouldn't hurt to do so.

When I've had clutches replaced, I always asked the shop what they thought. It was always either "You don't need to do anything" or "We've already done what needs to be done to seat the clutch". Meh.

stingray454, why is the Zs clutch crappy?

I'm not trying to be cheeky, by the way.

Just wondering if you know some particulars about the car. Or do you just assume the clutch is of low quality because they've had such horrendous problems from the tranny/clutch already?

I've often wondered how to know what my car's ('09 civic si) clutch can handle and if I'm abusing the clutch without even knowing it. I never dump the clutch or do anything crazy. I do practice heel/toe & rev matching as frequently as possible though.

What a jerk. I hope you guys break the tranny again and make them pay for it!

"stingray454, why is the Zs clutch crappy?

I'm not trying to be cheeky, by the way.

Just wondering if you know some particulars about the car. Or do you just assume the clutch is of low quality because they've had such horrendous problems from the tranny/clutch already?"

I know because I used own an '03 G35 6MT Coupe. Almost the same transmission, almost the same clutch. They replaced the transmission once in my car, and the clutch twice for a chattering problem. It would never slip smoothly - it would always shudder and chatter. Check the forums and previous long term tests with the G35 and 350Z and this transmission, and it's littered with clutch problems, and it doesn't sound like they've fixed it, 6 years later.

It's a poor design - if you look at the diameter of the flywheel and clutch disc, it is relatively small for the torque output of the engine. This is due to packaging issues with the FM platform, which pushed the engine and transmission further back towards the middle of the car, and limited the space for a large bell housing.

To attempt to increase the frictional clamping force with a smaller surface area, the engineers called for a grippier clutch material, and stronger springs. The result is a clutch that doesn't slip smoothly and "grabs", wears very quickly, and has a heavy pedal with abrupt engagement. The proper, but more expensive solution, would have been to use a twin disc clutch, which the aftermarket offers for these cars.

Stingray454,

Thanks for the response. Very informative!

There's something seriously wrong with a performance car that has to be babied.

Let's see, unfunny and uninformative -- was that mechanic The Mechanic?

With GT-R and Z services in abundance, I'd say we have a good working relationship with this dealer. So I didn't take his commentary as wise-ass. More as a joke of frustration. It wasn't the dealer's fault. Come on, the tranny on our track-ready Z locked up in a parking lot. Lame.

Had I bought the car myself it would be another story completely. I'd be fuming.

-- Mike

My input: Baby it for several hundred miles of mixed use; specifically, let it grab quickly and no major slipping events.

Don't know if you've got a new flywheel or not, but the clutch friction material needs to re-mate with the flywheel and get into a nice new groove. It's easier to slip at this time, since the friction surfaces aren't grooving, and because of this it's more prone to glazing.

So break her in nice and then drive it like it was stolen by a 17 year old who just drank 3 red-bulls and was told by a hot girl that the smell of burning clutch turns her on.

They should just put their CVT in it.

"So break her in nice and then drive it like it was stolen by a 17 year old who just drank 3 red-bulls and was told by a hot girl that the smell of burning clutch turns her on."

I want to meet this girl.

Nissan's long history of troubled manuals continues...I remember the Maxima SE having weak clutches, oh, 15 years ago...nothing new...

So is this thing really as uncomfortable as "a couch made of Chuck Norris"?

i find it's quite comfortable. people are just bitches. you want a rough riding car go take a ride in an SC430 with runflat tires. thats a hard ride.

sherief...someones been watching Top Gear lol. and i would agree that it should be babied for a few hundred miles then give it all the WOT you can.

As a potential 370Z owner in the [distant] future, I find all the negative experiences about the VQ transmission in the FM cars troubling. Especially in contrast to the dreamy clutch in my FWD SR20DE. I am still running the ORIGINAL CLUTCH at over 220,000 miles! It certainly gets some abuse, and it is just a joy to drive too, so easy. Can anyone compare them?