I was at Midnight Mayhem and smoked the clutch on the third pass. The pedal stuck to the floor on the 1-2 shift. Lifted the pedal with the toe of my foot. Finished pass smelling burnt smoke. Parked it for about 1 1/2 hours. Hoped it would get me home. It seemed fine, did some stoplight launchs all the way home on Craig Rd. Pulled it into garage could still smell it. So the stock clutch is a POS. The car has 2700 miles on it. Let the Mods begin. Lets start with a High Performance Clutch, pressure plate, disc etc, Lightweight flywheel and the 3.91 ring/pinion. I was also thinking the clutch linkage is also a POS. Upgrade that also. Any recommedations you may have?

 

I was wondering where you ran off to after a while. And yes the stock clutch is no bueno.

 

For street use, go with the JWT clutch/flywheel. Get a stainless braided clutch line, too. Personally, I don't like the 3.91 rear. Any car that can go 40mph in 6th without bogging doesn't really need a taller final.

 

I have read that simply upgrading your clutch fluid will take care of the sticking prob....

 

I'll do that first thing. The car is not a daily driver, so no extreme urgency yet on replacing the clutch/flywheel. However I do like to race it and don't want it to happen again or leave me standed. I also need a good excuse to dump money into it. Ha Ha. The friend of mine that I turned on to racing, wants to upgrade her intake on her Mustang Gt. I dont want her spanking me at the Drags. The Z and Mustang are pretty evenly matched. Oh, I also have a Mustang GT.

 

I belive stock power with stock clucth do just fine. When i was at MM i ran 3 passed. I drove it like i stole it. I always powershift on my car all the time any where any places till i sold my car at lil over 6,100 miles. I didn't smoke the clucth even once!

When i bought my 350Z. I looked at the one had lowest miles and when sell man told me to drive test i told him "It's ok just do the deal" and i drove it like a grand ma in the local street(stop and go) NEVER over 4,000 rpm and NO freeway drive! I break-in brake, clucth and engine till lil over 1,000 miles since i drove off dealer paking lot and then i drove it more 500rpm every 500miles I would get to red line by almost 1,500 miles. Also i never drove when engine cool. I wait till the engine warm up and i drove it low rpm till reach normal temp. I know most people have no patience like me but when you want the most performance out of it YOU HAVE TOO!

Here when my car got almost 1,500miles i went to the track:

MM 9.15/06<<<<<<< Link


You said Z and Mustang GT evenly matched. I don't think so because Mustang(manual tanny) have better power length and tq curve and especially Mustang got better gear ratio(except stock rear gear) about the weight Z and Mustang GT almost the same. Even more deadly for the Z if you compare with 99'-04' Mustang GT + $3,000 mods(my bang for a buck mods in hi 11s vegas) 05+ Mustang GT won't even come close!


BTW what year of your GT?

 

I have yet to be beaten by an '05+ Mustang on the street. Only one got me on the track, but he had DR's... I had him on mph though, so I was catching up.

As for the clutch, I'm having Dudley's Engine & Transmission install my JWT. Maybe if we go there together, we can get a "group discount" .

BTW, the clutch sticking issue is cause by slipping the clutch on the launch. The disc overheats and sticks to the pressure plate and flywheel.

 

It's an 06. It's an automatic, 3.31 gear ratio has 18 inch shelby wheels on it. It was my wifes car and she could'nt drive a stick. Otherwise I would of got the stick. Anyway, she only drove the car for 2 months before she got sick. She died 6 months later of cancer.

 

I was told there's a problem with the slave cylinders on some of the newer 350Z's. from the other 350Z web site. Anyway, I going to get a stainless steel line, chromemoly clutch linkage pivot, engine dampner and change the fluid to Motul Syn or something comparable. Hopfully the clutch disc/flywheel are ok for awhile

 

Stay away from the Stillen. Get the Ingall's instead.

 

I'm so sorry about your wife. If you need some advice about mustang let me know.

 

I think it's a Z thing, I can hear mine if I have the windows down. Had the same noise on my 300ZX