Baker Tuning: 2009 370Z with GTM Stage 2 TT Turn Key

Originally Posted by RCZ

...Another update on my clutch disaster:
Looks like the issue was caused by Southbend in the first place. Apparently the stock hydraulic system in our cars is absolute garbage. Its extremely weak. Some of the older 370z Southbend clutches have whats called a "marcel" which is a wave spring that gets sandwiched in between the pressure plate and disc...this was fine for the 350Z clutch (which is what Southbend uses on the 370Z) because it had a longer throw and therefore there would be enough gap for the marcel not to drag. Our cars have a shorter throw and that causes this clutch marcel to stay in contact even with the clutch fully pressed in/disengaged.

I bought my clutch from Concept Z Performance, who had NO IDEA about what I'm talking about. I tried explaining but they didnt get it. All the new 370z southbend clutches have had this marcel removed so they assume I got one of the early ones (about 10 months ago) which still had the marcel in it.



As you can imagine, my shifter is super notchy and has trouble going into first gear from a stand still. So because neither of these two companies wants to own up to their mistake, I will be pulling my transmission off for the 4th time and the car will have to be at the shop while we send southbend my clutch so they can test it out and remove the marcel. ...

Also thanks to JOE from Z Speed for helping us with the CORRECT information about this, he was the one that found the problem some 10 months ago and the reason why it hasn't happened to anyone else.