I have a '94 Nissan Pickup XE, the base model with a 5-speed manual. As i was getting onto the freeway the other day, I shifted into either 3rd or 4th gear and dropped the clutch. as soon as i did this, i heard and felt a large clunk. After that i try to speed up, but nothing happens other than the engine revving up. So i pull over to the side of the road, and i put it in first gear. I starty to let out on the clutch and it connects very shakey for a matter of about a second, then abruptly does the clunk again. So then i put it in 2nd gear and do the smae thing. same thing happens. so i put it in 3rd, same thing again.
As a result, i figured that the clutch either straight up broke, or, a couple of the bolts holding the pressure plate to the flywheel possibly broke. So i pull the tranny. and everything looks good, other than a little wear on the clutch. So then i bench shift the tranny, works great like it had before. so then i pulled the rear end, brought it to a very reputable drivetrain specailist along with the tranny. They pull it all apart, everything in the rear-end looks great, and the tranny had a little wear, but nothing major and nothing broken.
Has anybody had this same problem? I have been looking in nissan newsgroups, and there are no other similar problems. Both I, and the drivetrain specialists are at a complete loss.
Thank you, James San Diego, CA