NEED HELP! 3rd gear engagement crunch sometimes

[rapapple]

I have a 2003 coupe 6MT with 19,500 miles on it. For the past 100 miles or so I have been having difficulty engagin third gear under hard acceleration. Anything above 3500 RPMs or so will give me an unpleasant soundign and feeling "crunch" - enough to make you want to lose your lunch. It doesn't happen everytime either. So I avoid 3rd gear virtually completely from that moment on...bring it to the dealer yesterday and they tell me i need a new clutch. ($880 for new clutch and if flywheel needs to be done to that's an extra $959). I do not race my car...ride the clutch or any other shit -never even smelt the burn. I accelarate hard but never badly. Anyway....anyone have some advice. Its not covered under warranty - CLutch warranty is 1 yr or 12,000miles. The service manager said to call infiniti and see if theyd pay for it - i calll and they say...why are u calling us...dealers make decisions on warranty issues, repairs, questons...so noi help there.

I just can't believe that the clutch is gone. Engaging 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th are fine at any RPM and speed and 3rd is fine at moderate to low speed and RPMs. When i brought it in i told them exactly the above. The manager said a tech drove it and said that it needs a new clutch. All he did was drive it and did not look at anything. I know virutally zero about clutches and synchro mesh and stuff. Anyone have an idea for this problem? Think the trannny just needs a good greasin or the gear box? I really don't think that the car was diagnosed properly. Any input was be awesome. Thanks....

I had 3 prelude VTEC's all brand new that i put over 55,000 miles on each of them and never had a transmission or clutch problem - i say to assutre its not my driving and i drove those hard as well.

-adam

[struan87]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by rapapple
Think the trannny just needs a good greasin
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Yes. I think the tranny needs a good greasin', if you know what I mean []

Actually, I have no useful advice, but that line tickled my funny bone. In fact, I laugh to myself a little bit whenever someone calls a transmission a "tranny".

"struan87 you are way better than Google!" --BCole
Pictures.

[Memphis]

It doesn't sound like the clutch to me, especially if it is shifting fine in all of the other gears. What is sounds like to me is the 3rd gear synchronizers are shot in your transmission. (I almost said tranny to make straun giggle). They can throw clutches at it all day long and turn the flywheel too and that won't fix your problem. Tell them to explain their diagnosis better as to why they think it is a clutch when it is obviously not synchronizing at higher rpms in 3rd gear only.

[Kalmairn]

Ya'll bettah grease yer tranny now, aight?

'04 G35 Coupe 6MT, Black/Black, Premium Package, Aero Package w/Spoiler

[struan87]

Lo, God spake, "grease not your tranny; it is an abomination".

"struan87 you are way better than Google!" --BCole
Pictures.

[rlipps]

2003 6MT Coupes have been known to have problems. Supposedly NNA released an updated 6MT tranny for the 350Z/G35. Bring the car in, they should replace the tranny with very few questions asked. Just explain your problem. I say they supposedly released an updated tranny because I have no proof other than hearsay. Of course, I know people who are already on their 3rd tranny, unfortunately, I am one of those people. It isn't driver error, just poor planning by NNA.

[rapapple]

Thanks....i went back to the dealer. Now they think it may be the tranny synchros...and will take out transmission to check it - if syncros, then under warranty - if not i have to do the clutch then and there. We'll see...

Anyone else had problems with clutch at 20,000 miles or less.