I drive a 1990 Nissan 300zx (non TT). The difference in the price is like 400 bucks but I don't know how to know which i need. The current problem is that my clutch slips pretty significantly when i suddenly increase rpms in high gears like 4th or 5th.My car needs a new clutch, how do I know whether it needs the whole kit or just a new disc?Replace the whole clutch kit. Disc, pressure plate, throw out brg and pilot brg. ........If you replace just the disc you will be doing again real soon. When it slips the pressure plate gets hot and weak...........Turn the flywheel also..............mdMy car needs a new clutch, how do I know whether it needs the whole kit or just a new disc?You know by looking at what comes out: The Flywheel and pressure plate should not be burned, warped or cracked. All the springs in the pressure plate should be in place and not damaged. The diahpragm should not have significant wear on its surface where the throwout bearing contacts it. The throwout bearing should rotate smoothly and without any grinding noise. The pilot bearing in the center of the flywheel should turn freely just like the throwout bearing. While all that is open carefully observe that the rear main seal does not leak.
Do you want to wonder about any of those parts for the next 2-5 years? If there are failures of anything that wasn't replaced this time before the new clutch disk wears out, you'll have to go back inside and fix it. More $$$.
I changed just a worn out disk instead of all the other stuff a couple of times and was lucky with the cheap aftermarket part. Each time things got worse, though. I finally had to change everything, have the flywheel resurfaced and replace the rear main seal in my old '72 Colt, in 1982 with about 200,000 miles on it to finally retire it at 285,000 in 1993 because there was no more leaded gas which it required. It still ran like a sumbch- some mods were done, incidently.
Here you are with a nice 18 year old car with a lot of life left in it ( I hope), but a bad clutch. It won't be long before that clutch gives up and the more you slip it, the more it wears the pressue plate and flywheel. If you change out for genuine parts, a disk and pressure plate, you could go another 5-10 years without problems, but- who really knows. You don't have a lot of time to decide. Do the best and most you can.My car needs a new clutch, how do I know whether it needs the whole kit or just a new disc?if it is slipping there is a pressure plate issue, also because of the slipping you will need a clutch disc because of wear or glazing. you also might have to replace the flywheel if it is damaged beyond what machining can repair. while you are replacing the clutch you may have clutch hydraulics that need attention. also with the transmission out you should look for any signs of the rear main seal leaking. while it apart fix whatever it needs. always replace the disc and pressure plate it is false economy to think otherwiseMy car needs a new clutch, how do I know whether it needs the whole kit or just a new disc?The car is nearly 20 yrs old, how many miles?
Generally, the amount of labor involved in getting to the clutch assembly makes it worthwhile to consider:bearings-hydraulics mounted inside the trans case-cond of the flywheel %26amp; the pressure plate.
Most shops would want to cut the flywheel %26amp; install a kit to insure thoroughness.My car needs a new clutch, how do I know whether it needs the whole kit or just a new disc?Yep been there done that replaced just the disc and drove it around the block and realized the pressure plate was bad also. I had to take the whole thing back apart to do it right.The lesson I learned that day was do it right the first time and you wont have to do it over again.My car needs a new clutch, how do I know whether it needs the whole kit or just a new disc?I would do the whole kit because if you dont you will be back in there in 6 months doing it again.My car needs a new clutch, how do I know whether it needs the whole kit or just a new disc?do what uncle Jed says. It would have been my answer too.My car needs a new clutch, how do I know whether it needs the whole kit or just a new disc?Yeah, sounds like the clutch plate is getting bad. Trouble is, that since it's very labor intensive (meaning expensive) to work on the clutch, you should also consider changing out other parts, so that everything is brand new all at once. One of items almost ALWAYS changed with the clutch is the throw-out bearing. Small little sucker, but extremely importnat and can go out even tho' new clutch installed.
So consider spending just little bit more and making sure that ALL the stuff in there is good.
I've got a beatup 1991 Geo prizm, that needed right bearings done. Should have had other side done at same time, but wanted to save money. So about 1/2 yr later, the left side needed doing, and just doubled my labor costs on whole front end.
Another time, my timing belt broke. So to get to that, you've got to take out water pump. Garage suggested I get new one, and since I'd had car for 6 years and 100K miles, I know I hadn't had one installed. So it was due, evne tho' it still had some time left on it. Since had engine opened up anyway, I'd rather spend the $$ on new water pump to make sure I don't have to spend the labor bucks to work replace it later on.
But changing out these extra parts in the clutch aren't a scam. They've been done for decades. Used to have a MGB british sportscar, and had the clutch done couple times (they wore out too easily), and it was normal to get the extra parts done at same time.
NOW. . . . I don't know what you call the %26quot;whole kit%26quot;. It might be about those extra pieces I'm speaking of. It sounds little too expensive for the parts I'm thinking of, but I'm also thinking of prices a few decades ago. I'm trying to translate to today's costs, and I think the extra $400 would be worth it, to make sure that EVERYthing is brand new in the tranny. It just saves a lot of worry---even tho' it costs a lot of moola (bucks).
