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Hi All,

I'm quite new to the MX5 and am still learning about my NB8B. I've done some searching regarding clutch shudder and wanted to understand if Mazda issued any TSBs for it? In the states they did, but I haven't found anything for Australia. Did anyone have their clutch replaced as part of this campaign? Was it for clutches only in warranty or did it apply to all applicable VIN?

For now, I find that riding the clutch and high RPMs seems to solve it, though I would suspect a replacement clutch is the best way to go about resolving this issue.

Cheers
Kevin

mmxx55 wrote:For now, I find that riding the clutch and high RPMs seems to solve it, though I would suspect a replacement clutch is the best way to go about resolving this issue.

If you want a new clutch, that's a sure way to do it.

Seriously though, riding the clutch at high RPM is a real fast way to ƒü¢k the clutch completely, as well as to get the flywheel really hot and possibly warp it.

Save up money for a new clutch, and in the meantime just live with the shudder.

Much cheaper to change the clutch because you want to, than it is to burn the old one and have to pay a tow truck fee to a workshop.

yea this was a serious ongoing issue in its day.

Mazda must have had countless goes at it. I'm not sure if or how they fixed it. I do recall some members changing/upgrading their clutches. especially the SP owners.

hks_kansei wrote:

mmxx55 wrote:For now, I find that riding the clutch and high RPMs seems to solve it, though I would suspect a replacement clutch is the best way to go about resolving this issue.

If you want a new clutch, that's a sure way to do it.

Seriously though, riding the clutch at high RPM is a real fast way to ƒü¢k the clutch completely, as well as to get the flywheel really hot and possibly warp it.

Save up money for a new clutch, and in the meantime just live with the shudder.

Much cheaper to change the clutch because you want to, than it is to burn the old one and have to pay a tow truck fee to a workshop.

Just to clarify. By higher RPM I didn't mean frying the clutch.
It was in reference to using first gear in a slightly higher RPM than normal (~ 2k rpm) and riding the clutch for slightly longer to achieve full engagement without shuddering it. All other gear changes are as usual.

It generally shudders @ low rpm, trying to take off and requires clutching back in and bringing up the revs slightly to slip it a little more before disengaging.

Ahh, that's ok then.

I just assumed you meant 4000rpm and slipping the clutch until it stank.

There was definitely an alert put out on the P2 for shuddering clutches- it was apparently related to a change of friction material- . The shudder is a pain and makes driving very unpleasant and always waiting to spoil the pleasure of driving the car. The fix is replace the clutch - i.e. a kit / flywheel reface- use Exedy kits which are readily available. The job will prob cost about $700- get a quote.

Mr Morlock wrote:There was definitely an alert put out on the P2 for shuddering clutches- it was apparently related to a change of friction material- . The shudder is a pain and makes driving very unpleasant and always waiting to spoil the pleasure of driving the car. The fix is replace the clutch - i.e. a kit / flywheel reface- use Exedy kits which are readily available. The job will prob cost about $700- get a quote.

And put a lightweight flywheel on to make it really fly.

It hasn't got a super strong clutch has it
I have a puk clutch in mine and it shudders a bit

Changed the clutch in mine about a month and a half ago now because I had the clutch shudder in my nb8b too.

I got the b6 flywheel put in with the exedy clutch and it feels a million times better. Much more free revving at low rpm too like the na6 is.

I highly recommend doing the clutch replacement if you can afford it, it was worth every cent.

sunlightsilver wrote:Changed the clutch in mine about a month and a half ago now because I had the clutch shudder in my nb8b too.

I got the b6 flywheel put in with the exedy clutch and it feels a million times better. Much more free revving at low rpm too like the na6 is.

I highly recommend doing the clutch replacement if you can afford it, it was worth every cent.

x2

I got the B6 HD Exedy clutch kit and a B6 lightened flywheel put in mine too. Was shuddering pretty bad when I got it and after driving for a while the car didnt really like taking off on a hill. Spoiled the fun of driving it so even though it is a bit costly its worth every single cent.
Just make sure when you do end up replacing the clutch do the rear main seal while everything is off.

Do research before entertaining the idea of lightened flywheels which are more suited to racing not the road - I would not do it. The engineers with all the data and experience behind them select flywheel weights to best suit road conditions and there is plenty of evidence based on driving impressions that they got it right. The bigger engine was not put on the first car because it was not available and the P2 has more torque and more CCs and KWs. So what do people think is a good life for a standard clutch - not on a race track - but used on the road and not redlined and abused?

I had the clutch replaced in my car a couple of times under warranty. The last clutch Mazda put in didn't shudder at all, coped with SP power and torque just fine and lasted over 150k km. It would have gone longer but some other work needed to be done and it was a good opportunity to replace it. Mania put in an Exedy sports tuff clutch. It feels exactly the same as the stock one, both in pedal weight and the amount of bite it has.

Mr Morlock wrote:Do research before entertaining the idea of lightened flywheels which are more suited to racing not the road - I would not do it. The engineers with all the data and experience behind them select flywheel weights to best suit road conditions and there is plenty of evidence based on driving impressions that they got it right. The bigger engine was not put on the first car because it was not available and the P2 has more torque and more CCs and KWs. So what do people think is a good life for a standard clutch - not on a race track - but used on the road and not redlined and abused?

We all know you dont like them, you dont need to keep reminding us.

Plus, dont always believe what you read, if you have never dríven a car with a lightened flywheel you cant make an accurate judgement.

If someone wants a stock b6 flywheel I be got one here after I put a hd clutch and 3kg flywheel. Anyone who's dríven it before and after comments how much EASIER it is after the light flywheel. It will stall but it's not easy to do so. Much less than people seem to think. It makes life easy for the gearbox for shifting too.

Another vote for 1.6 flywheel and HD exedy. Fantastic combo on a 1.8L.


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