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Having Clutch done...replace transmission damper?


piste
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I am thinking about being a bit pro-active with maintenance and have my clutch redone though it has not failed. I am original owner of my 97 SE....original clutch failed in 2003 after <6 years and at about 70K miles....second lasted only about 4.5 years and only 50K miles....and current one has just short of 8 years on it and estimated 70K or so miles (had to extrapolate as odo died at 133K miles). Current one as been "barking" for years now and by my past experience its days must be numbered. I wanna keep the Pathy for another indefinite number of years so figure why not do the clutch now which will likely be the last clutch for it.

 

I know all the usual parts to do...pressure plate...release bearing, disc, pilot bearing...and also rear main seal. Also gonna bite the bullet and replace the flywheel while in there and figure on doing the transmission mount....engine mounts already done recently. My questions are....there is something called a "damper"....part info below...would I prudent to replace this damper as well for about $67?? Same question on the replacing the original release fork for $37? I welcome any and all opinions.

 

FWIW ...have a local garage doing the work....and my philosophy is to try to get the most bang for my labor buck. Last thing I ever wanna do is have to re-open this clutch.

 

 

DAMPER:

 

Fits 1997 Nissan Pathfinder SE

Part Number: 113751W300

Damper TO 1/00, 4WD, manual trans
PARTS: Order by application.

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Ok, the damper is a unit on the firewall that somehow provides a buffer between the master cylinder and the slave cylinder. My guess it that it is supposed to assist with the smoothness/transition of shifting. Some people like to get rid of it, most leave it alone. I doubt you have to replace it, but don't really understand what the failure mode would be either.

Worst case scenario, you could change it later and just bleed the system. You definitely don't have to do it as part of the same clutch job....

The release fork is a hard cast oem part and should not go bad. Check for cracks, bending and such. If it clears the inspection, run it!

 

B

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I think they are serviceable, I've seen seen part break downs of whats inside that little box.

 

I just recently did my clutch (don't blame you for wanting a garage to do, but considering how expensive labor is around me,i did it myself and avoided about $750 in additional labor!)

 

But as Precise1 eloquently put, they are often deleted, and don't really affect performance, just there for pedal feel. I've thought about deleting mine, but i want to put my new master before going and deleting anything. I would just leave it, unless it has obvious signs of failure.

 

And i feel like you are going through clutches rather quickly. i bought my 96 with 100K 5 years ago next month and my clutch disk still had a good amount of life left when i changed it at 150K. AND it had NISSAN/ EXCEDY stamped on the plate. which means it was serviced by a dealer before i bought it, or it had never been changed (doubtful but still possible). I changed mine because i could feel slipping after changes and poor changes (trans would grind and wasn't as smooth when i first got it). Well its been about a month since my change and i'm starting to feel the slipping again, so i'm gonna throw my new Sachs master in and PRAY that fixes it.

 

I would look into servicing some of the main hydraulic components before changing the dampener. Things like the slave, master, and even the soft-line should and will go before the dampener. I've heard from a couple of experienced mechanic friends that the master will start going bad before the clutch. Don't know how true that is, but its a $30 Sachs replacement (Sachs is an OEM provider for BMW, and its been good to me, i replaced everything with either Sachs or OEM parts with my clutch).

 

Another recommendation is getting new flywheel bolts with your new flywheel (really good idea BTW, considering that it would (SHOULD) have been resurfaced with each clutch change). But the bolts are designed to stretch and tension on the part they are holding and are single use item. You can get them from any dealer, you'll need six, should you decide to go that route, i can suggest our own Nissan parts man, Rob, hit up the vendors thread and look for the "Genuine parts" thread, you'll want to call the dealer and ask for him, usually a better way to get a hold of him.

 

But that's all i got, hope it goes well, sounds like you've got a good hold on it though. You're definitely wise to question about replacing certain parts, because with anything they will fail.

 

Let us know if you need anything else.

 

-Kyle

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Thanks guys. Rob's place has been my "go to" for years. Wasn't sure he was still there as last few times I call in for part help I don't end up getting him. Next time I will ask.

 

Sorry for any confusion on the damper. I am not referring to the damper on the firewall which I have much experience with....several years ago I chased clutch hydraulic problems for a long long time..swapping out master and slave several times (see sep thread on here a few years back) stumping several dealers...and I was the one..with help from NPORA who honed in on that hydraulic damper...which I had replaced and ended that issue.

 

 

the part i am inquiring about on this thread is #6 in the diagram I am pasting here...hope the picture shows up. part number is in post above. This part is shown down near the tranny mount.

 

3617125.gif

 

Thanks for the suggestion on the flywheel bolts...and I have a new question on the flywheel...do these flywheels have an integral ring gear? And if not I guess I should get and throw in a new ring gear while I am at it?? As opposed to pay my shop to transfer the old one?? I don't have any starting issues....but not something I want to pull the clutch apart again in the future for.

 

As for going through clutches quickly....the first change after 70K miles I believe I remember it started slipping...was replaced by a dealer....and that second one had a catastrophic failure after 50K miles..very short life IMO...on the freeway with a big "clunk" but I was able to nurse it to the dealer. This third one I have in has been barking for a long time when I let the clutch back in after shifting....doesn't do it always..but fairly loud when it does. AND I believe I am feeling it starting to slip ever so slightly. If it weren't barking I'd probably leave it be...but I am just having a "Spidey sense" that it is getting near time. And figure it probably won't last as long as I want to keep the Pathy...and if that is true...even if I put one in now it will last as long as I ever want to keep it....probably another 6-8 years at the outside.

 

While I am competent with driving with a clutch...I am guilty of downshifting sometimes...which I should perhaps stop being as brakes are cheaper than clutches!!

 

Thanks!!

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LOL

OK, sorry about that as well. Looks to me like a molded rubber piece to support or help reduce vibration. I found this description as well: This Genuine Factory Engine & Trans Mounting fits your 1997 Nissan Pathfinder SE V6 3.3 Liter GAS engine.

 

So that makes more sense now. I'd say that unless it is visually worn, distorted or damaged, it shouldn't matter, and it can always be accessed in the future without removing the tranny anyway. Probably too late by now though...

 

B

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