The Nissan Primera uses a cable operated clutch that relies on having a little free play in the cable to ensure a long life. As the clutch wears through normal use, the fingers on the clutch cover move out removing the free play in the cable, until they make contact with the release bearing. When this happens you will have zero free play in the clutch. As the clutch continues to wear, the fingers press the release bearing harder and harder, which has the same effect as driving with the clutch partly depressed. This will cause the clutch unit to slip, which will get worse and worse until finally the clutch burns out and you lose all drive.
A = Knurled wheel (hidden from view), B = Locking Nut, C = Clutch cable (covered by rubber boot)
You can feel this free play in the clutch as you drive along, and it is an easy task to adjust the free play should it be required. If you look under the bonnet where the clutch cable meets the gearbox, you will notice a knurled wheel and a locknut holding it in place. Simply loosen off the locknut and adjust the wheel to give you the correct amount of free play - Nissan recommend about 10-20mm. If the car you are thinking of purchasing has no free play in the clutch cable, there is a good possibility that the clutch may have been slipping for some time (especially if the car has a patchy service history) and will therefore have a shortened life.
http://www.primera-egt.com/primeratroubleshoot/primeratroubleshoot.htm link to graphic
Steve Denny
April 2009
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