Sticky: (Official) 370Z Clutch Pressure (CSC) Failures

djrelic

Joe, last question here:

What about this:
ZSpeed Performance South Bend 370Z G37 TZR Clutch Kit

I already have the RJM Performance clutch pedal in my car, it feels better/firmer than the OE one. Would the TZR with the DXD Flywheel be overkill? I just like the idea that the clutch disk surface is Kevlar.

jstevenson

Been a long time since i posted, and wish I had paid more attention to this thread a couple years ago.

2009 370Z touring/sport, just over 25000 miles. In service for 44 months.

Few years ago when it'd get really cold in LA, I'd sometimes get soft clutch issues. I searched here at the time, but obviously there wasn't much info on it. I took it to the dealership a few times and they'd always never find anything and I'd waste a bunch of time. I had the mechanic that does my oil changes look at it but he never saw anything wrong.

Anyways, as it got cold it was doing it again... tonight it fully gave out. I limped to a stop at a light, managed to get in gear to the next light, and then was stuck. Pedal completely limp, to the floor, no rebound at all. I finally was calling my insurance for a tow when I managed to coax a little life out of the clutch and got moving. Ignoring stop signs and rev-matching, I made it to the front of my apartment.

Clutch it totally dead now, there is liquid on the ground that looks fresh and I'm assuming is my clutch fluid.

Having it towed to my mechanic in the morning. I'm assuming there are no service bulletins that'd allow me to get this under the powertrain warranty?

sigh

jstevenson

Towed it to the Nissan dealership. Was going to go to my mechanic, but he's a former Nissan mechanic and recommended that with my low mileage, I take it to the dealership and demand they fix / or pay for part of it via the factory and/or Nissan Consumer Affairs.

The dealership I bought from wasn't helpful on the phone, but got the service director at the dealer closer to my mechanic and he was really helpful. Had the car towed there and everyone was nice and said they'd do whatever they can.

Called back a bit ago and it's the clutch master cylinder. They said they had seen a lot of these failures. Nissan is closed but they are calling monday to get direction and see what they can do.

So we'll see. Worst case scenario I tow to my mechanic and he fixes it for the price. Best case is the dealership does better than that.

Of course, out the car this whole time.

Nice job with the clutch hydraulics, Nissan.

ZForce

Shoud be covered under warranty with only 25k miles.

ZForce

Same happened to mine, read my posts a few pages back. Have the clutch pedal assembly replaced..It probably failed first causing the master clutch assembly to fail. Check for the quacking sound when you press in the clutch pedal when you get the car back.

DIGItonium

The sound of the plunger at the master?

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ZForce

The compressor shock that the helper spring is housed around, just behind the pedal. There is the normal sound, sorta of a whoosh, then the failed -blown seal sound like a quack sound.

jstevenson

Yeah, but I'm past 3 years... in service for 3 years and 8 months. Got the car in May 2009.

They called back yesterday, quoting me parts and labor of $2800 to replace the whole assembly (master cylinder, slave, lines, clutch cover). They also had contacted Nissan, who offered to pay up and brought the cost to me down to $820.

I took it, my mechanic figured it'd be 700-800, and I assume he wasn't going to replace the whole thing (plus re-towing etc).

Should hopefully have her back by tomorrow.

fuct

thats BS. those parts are much less wear and tear items than the clutch or centric slave cylinder.

for the master cylinder to go at 25k miles you either beat the sh1t outa it (which will be evident when they take the clutch off), or its defective. im leaning towards the latter...

ZForce

Cant tell these days buying a used car, never know what the original owner did or did not do. Good thing NNA stepped up and cut the price for you. A tip for when you get the car back is to flush the brake fluid and keep an eye (ear) out for the quack sound. g/l and I am sure the dealer will do a good job, it's pretty much straight forward replacement. Might as well swap out ALL the fluids, its about time. Transmission fluid, gear oil, coolant.

martin82

Someone has a blue one at Miller Nissan in Van nuys for CSC repairs... is that anyone in here?

jstevenson

That was mine that I picked up last night - though they told me they had another 370z in the shop as well for the same issue.

jstevenson

I bought it new, I've owned the car the whole time. I baby it too. About the hardest driving is a canyon run here or then, and fully warmed speed-ups onto the freeway. But no launches etc.

jstevenson

I didn't beat the **** out of it at all (which they noticed the clutch was fine) --- the worst thing I did to the clutch was probably trying to get it the last 8 blocks home when the hydraulics failed (in terms of trying to restart the car with partial clutch / get into gear).

It was definitely defective, and I guess when the CSC goes it can take the rest... and/or they've been burned so many times replacing just one part that they think it's better to redo the whole thing while they are in there.

Anyways, car is back now and it's running fine. Shitty to blow 800 bucks on it, but better than the alternative, and as noted, I was out of warranty by years.

Jsolo

jstevenson, they replaced the clutch friction disk too??

Fly wheel?

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G37S Sedan 6MT, Eibach swaybars, Invidia Exhaust, Weaker Clutch Pedal Spring

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