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

Fountainhead

OK, bought new Dot 3-4 brake fluid tonight and pulled all the fluid from my reservoir and used a small hose to pull from my line to Master Cylinder. Then, I found fine black silt in the bottom of my reservoir also! I wiped it out carefully like the guy in the video I linked to, and then filled the reservoir back up with new fluid. Next time I get a chance to work on my own car I'll get someone to pump and I'll flush the line with that GTR fluid.
I'm not having any problems at all but I'm a proactive kind of guy and I think it sounds like a good idea anyway. I'm only at 12K miles but my Z is a May 2009 baby, so the fluid in there is 4 years old.

Talimac

I'm most likely the latest victim at 14k! Researching this issue while waiting at my home for a tow truck. I drive a 2012 base/sport and not a hard driver at all. I will fill you all in on details as soon as I get it dropped off at the stealership.

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2012 370z Sport 6MT Brilliant Silver... Mod bug stay away!!!

Fountainhead

Update: So I've pulled and refilled the fluid in my reservoir twice now about 2 days apart, each time the fluid is clear the night I replace it and about a day and half later I notice the fluid is slightly brown again. So 3 times I've pulled all the fluid out of the black hose and the reservoir with a large syringe. This is the third time so maybe it's clean now. I have to wait a couple more days to find out how dirty it gets again. Hopefully it won't take too many more times. I've got plenty of fluid though!
PS: I think I'll stop now, this thread is about failure, not prevention, apologies!

Jsolo

^^What are you trying to do? If you're trying to bleed, that's not how it's done. There's still fluid in the line.

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

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DIGItonium

You'll have to do a full flush if you don't want it to turn brown the next day. I'm running Motul RBF600. So far so good. I wouldn't mind a flush later this year, though.

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Fountainhead

Right.
I realize I'm only replacing/mixing hopefully less old and more new each time. Bleed? I would only do that if I were having issues and had to try the GTR fluid and wanted to replace ALL the fluid in the sytem. Right now I'm just playin, I have a huge new bottle of Vavoline Dot3/4 fluid.

sinceday1

I may be the latest victim of the CSC failure. On my way back from 180mi trip, I realized my clutch felt like stepping on a puddle of wet s#it after passing the bridge toll gate. At that moment, CSC failure immediately came to my mind. So instead of driving to my condo (w/o shfting gears too frequently), I drove directly to the dealer and parked it overnight on their lot.
I noticed empty brake fluid (fluid level was a bit on the low side prior to departure). I didn't get any brake warning lights, or mushy brake pedal feel. Now the car is in the shop for a service.


Is CSC a part of the power train warranty coverage..?

Jsolo

Unless rules are different in canada, csc is not covered under power train. Should be covered under extended.

How many miles on the car? How is it driven?

Why would you check your brake fluid for clutch purposes? Also, why get a brake warning light or mushy brake pedal??? The two systems are completely independent of each other.

Low brake fluid is a function of worn pads, not failed csc.

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

For sale links

sinceday1

1. 37,000km
2. Not abused, but not like a granny
3. Aren't they related?

Sucks they're not covered under the warranty.. But they're looking into the tech. bulletin. They noticed that there's a tech bulletin RE: clutch pedal sticking.

Jsolo

That's pretty low miles for a csc failure, although it seems to happen even on newer cars, so who knows.

The only relationship between the brake fluid and clutch is that it's the same type of hydraulic fluid used in both systems. Other than that, they are independent systems in this driveline. Some mfg's do use the brake reservoir as a source of fluid for the clutch. This isn't one of them.



The clutch one is the smaller of the 2 in the pic above.

If it's the same bulletin i've read before, it involves changing out the fluid to that of the gtr brake fluid (higher wet/dry boiling points). I guess that's a starting point rather than dropping the trans to inspect for a failed csc.

I'm guessing you never flushed/bled the clutch fluid? It is possible there was moisture/an air bubble.

Let us know what they find.

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

For sale links

sinceday1

Ok.. yeah it's the smaller one I checked..

I will update as soon as more information comes along.

**Update**
CSC is gone. Small contamination to the clutch disk.
I decided to replace CSC,Master,clutch/flywheel to aftermarket.

Fountainhead

Keep us posted as to what you get and review it here please! Good luck!

sinceday1

Will do.

Ordered from Zspeed,
South Bend Clutch SS Street Clutch and Aluminum Flywheel with silent disk option
HD CSC
Motul RBF 600 Brake fluid
Motul MT fluid

Should be here monday/tuesday!

jstevenson

so with the bulletin, is the new school of thought to take your care into the dealership to have them replace the fluid regardless now?

sinceday1

I would say that's probably the best you can do at this point. Up here in Canada, however, the bulletin is only in the 'development' stage.