"Damaged Driveshaft?'
 

Hello everyone, I've been on the forums for quit awhile now browsing but this is my first post. so to start off my story/question I have a '16 370z base model with a six speed and 5900 miles on it I've had it since February. The only mods I've done so far are a Invidia CBE, Berk HFC and a TWM short throw shifter. A few weeks ago I started to notice a buzzing/vibration coming from what sounded like the inside towards the hatch on the passenger side but couldn't pin point it. So I decided to take it into the dealership today to get it checked out and ended up with them telling me that the dust boot from the shifter had come loose and melted onto the driveshaft causing damage to it and that it needs to be replaced along with the boot and its going to cost me 1300 with labor and parts. So my question is, would that be something that should be covered under warranty, should I go get another opinion on it? Are they just trying to get money out of me or what? any help is much appreciated and if anyone knows of any good shops they'd recommend, I'm in the phoenix, AZ area. Thanks again

I don't think I'm following correctly, but you're saying (that they're saying) the shift boot somehow made its way to the driveshaft?

Not near the car right now, but when I lifted the ring+boot I don't remember the driveshaft because so close or exposed. Wouldn't that be pretty noisy?

I mean you changed the shifter but I don't see how this can be happening as a consequence. At the same time, that's the only thing that could void warranty.

The drive shaft.... the giant carbon tube that spins your rear wheels?

There is no way in hell that melted bits of plastic damaged your drive shaft. Dealership doing dealership ****, in my opinion. Go to a respectable shop and get a second opinion.

I don't think the driveshaft is that hot and how the dust boot stay long enough on it as it spins quite fast?

Perhaps the heat from your aftermarket exhaust caused the damage? If that is the case, then the warranty wouldn't cover it.

These dealers need to be fined... Fúcking morons man...

Get the diagnosis in writing

Sounds fishy to me. Like others have pointed out, the driveshaft doesn't get that hot and is a very unlikely candidate to melt the dust boot for the shift assembly. Ask to look at it for yourself and take a photo.

Regardless of what happened, if you or another shop installed the short shifter and did not secure the dust boot properly, then it and whatever it damaged will not be covered by the Nissan warranty.

I'm not familiar with the dust boot on the Z but, if it's anything like others I've seen, I can imagine the boot coming loose and falling against the driveshaft. Friction would cause the boot to heat up and melt. I'm also imagining that when the vehicle was parked, the boot would glue itself to the driveshaft.
My guess is that a wire brush and some elbow grease will solve the problem.

+1. Even if the boot glued itself to the driveshaft and got ripped off, I doubt if it would do any damage to the driveshaft. Get a second opinion from another shop.

Yep. :(

The boot sits directly above the drive shaft with room on either side and nothing really to catch on. It seems to me that the most likely scenario if the boot were to fall onto the spinning drive shaft is that it would just slip off to one side and fall on the ground. Even if the boot fell after the car had stopped, I do not believe the drive shaft would be hot enough to melt the boot to it. But if it did, there's no doubt you would hear the boot smacking the aluminum shielding around the driveshaft until it was slung off by the centrifugal force.

Plus the fact that it was a dealer$hit diagnosis it leads me to believe they are blowing smoke. OP should look at it for themselves or get a second opinion from a reputable shop as already suggested.

Not trying to argue with you; just offering a different theory. :tiphat:

In any case, it doesn't sound like anyone thinks the boot would damage the driveshaft.

:tup:

Of course :tiphat:

I was just trying to give some perspective as someone that has removed the dust boot and the drive shaft multiple times :tup:

I guess technically, the boot sits above the transmission linkage. But the linkage extends back from the transmission and the drive shaft is immediately below it. There is room on either side of the driveshaft to reach up and access the linkage, which is where the boot would most likely fall it seems.

Looking at the pic below, the exhaust y-pipe is immediately under the driveshaft just back from the linkage, so I guess in theory the boot could have somehow found its way in between the exhaust pipe and the driveshaft, which ultimately could have both melted the boot and adhered it to the driveshaft. Of course, OP has Invidia CBE, so I'm not sure if that same scenario would be possible on his car.

Your buzzing vibration sound could just be the plastic panels vibrating against each other from the exhaust. Does the buzzing come and go depending on rpm?

I'll be taking it to another dealership on Tuesday and see if they give me the same answer and if so ill definitely get some pictures and post back to you guys before making any final decisions. thank you

I thought the same thing but just wanted to get another opinion on it. and yes its always between 2800 and 3200 rpms

coming from someone who works at a dealership, don't trust the dealership.

Even if it was screwed up you could get a new custom carbon driveshaft with aluminum flanges and lighter weight than factory and replace the boot for less than 1300.00 . And you can install both yourself in your driveway or garage. It's pretty easy.