Something's up with my stock clutch
 

2010 Sports/Touring
44k miles
Stock clutch

I had my clutch adjusted to grab as low as possible when I first got the car and it felt great with it grabbing about an inch off the floor. Understandably, the clutch would grab higher and higher as it wore down (now grabbing about 2" off the floor).

Very randomly over the course of the last 1-1.5 years the clutch has been acting up. When I cold start it, there'd be a lot of play with the clutch pedal. Sometimes I can still put it in gear, sometimes I have to pump away at the clutch for 10 minutes for me to muscle it into gear. When I can get it into gear, the clutch grabs super low, maybe .5" off the floor, which feels nice and race-y but I know that's not necessarily a good sign either. After about 10 minutes of driving, it always returns back to normal. There is no particular pattern of when this happens. It could be 90F or 20F out, it could happen after not driving for a week or it happens just 6-7 hours later. It could not happen for months or it could happen once every 1-2 weeks or so. The clutch fluid was changed roughly around 2 years ago with ATE blue.

why do u need the clutch to engage so low? :icon08: you probably rode the clutch and wore it out prematurely...
and next your syncro's are probably shot.

the engagement point on the Z is fine. it's just the helper spring you need to remove/replace with a softer one.

$10 says the csc is on its way out.

because it's my personal preference for it to grab low. no i don't ride the clutch. give me more credit than that. syncro's are fine.

is there any way to check for myself, and is it covered by nissan's powertrain warranty? i still have it until june 2015 i think. thanks

check your clutch fluid level...

i mean how can i give you credit if you dont know the basics? :confused: :p

Everyone rides their clutch a bit to launch and hill start... Unless you're takumi from initial d and you don't need a clutch!

but on a more serious note, check your fluids as mentioned by Ken and go from there.

oh but my car is AT? :confused: <= wdkwang











;) :rofl2: hope you find your problem. :tup:

i checked the clutch fluid a few weeks ago and it was still blue and topped off at the appropriate level.

:icon18: GOOD ONE!

Hydraulic clutch systems on cars are a very simple design. If you are having trouble getting into a gear, either the syncro for that particular gear is worn, or you do not have enough pressure in the hydraulic system for the csc to be able to push in on the pressure plate enough to fully disengage from the disk. Like Chuck33079 mentioned, the CSC is probably on its last leg.

That might be one of the most discussed topics on this site. Even the most cursory search will give you hours of reading.

If it's the CSC, then I guess the diagnosis was simple. Just to clear it up, any other time when this doesn't happen or 10 minutes into driving with the problem, everything is back to normal. Clutch engagement is smooth, gear goes right in smooth, like nothing ever happened.

when was the last time you changed tranny fluid?

At ~28k miles with redline. That was roughly 2 years ago as well

Have you tried flushing the clutch hydraulic system? Sounds like there may be a slight obstruction somewhere. But, more than likely, it's the CSC.

I'll try flushing it first. Time to hit up amazon for some more ATE

They say the shelf life of the ATE is a year after opening. It's been 2 years that it's sitting in my garage with a good amount left. Should I use it or chuck it?

.. :icon08:

:rolleyes:

My guess is that he's trying to tell you that it absorbs moisture from the air once it's opened, so after a certain time it should be discarded because it gets waterlogged. He just didn't bother to type all of that because it's funnier to him to be snarky and add as little value as possible to pretty much any conversation while stroking himself about his post count and rep.

At least, that's my guess.

I second that motion haha. I'm quite familiar with his antics.

basically telling you dont ask the obvious... be smart. :D

If the bottle was sealed, it's probably still good - I wouldn't be afraid to use it to top off the MC ... however ... in your present situation, I'd throw it away and use new stuff. Why take the risk?


Edit: Thought about this some more and will suggest that you toss any fluids (oil, brake, antifreeze, &c) that you have any doubts about. Even the most expensive are a lot cheaper than a new engine or xmission.

my jug of milk says it expired a week ago.

should i drink it?

sure you go right ahead.

I don't keep open bottles of brake fluid around for more than a few weeks after opening them because they will absorb moisture. The exception to this is a metal container, like Ate Superblue comes in. Too bad DoT outlawed it because the color blue is apparently toxic :icon14:

ya i have the ate superblue in the metal container.

Well I've never had one sit around for over a year; 6 months was the longest it ever lasted IIRC. In your case, I would probably throw it out and buy some new stuff. I just posted in another thread about how little brake fluid costs are for most people. There's just no point risking moisture in the fluid when new fluid is so inexpensive.

noted

even motor oil i used to top off is tossed after a year since opening.

i just pen in the date i bought and date i opened. brake fluid i usually toss after 3months after opening.

I have a 2010 sport touring with 46k miles and my Z. My CSC went out almost over night in the matter of 12 hours. Was catching at almost 2 inches from the floor then the peddle wouldn't even come all the way out. After that I couldn't put it into gear..

Thanks for replying. So it was completely normal and then it went to sh1t all in the course of 12 hours with no signs of failure beforehand? Also, did you have to get it towed to the dealership? And did they cover all the bills? Thanks

$100.00 on the CSC is fixing to go out . They go out several different ways, all at once, or gradually , since heat usually makes things expand it wouldn't be a stretch to think that once the car is warmed up seals expand as dose metal ! If it was a syncro it wouldn't be intermittent it would be constant !

wdk- so you check your clutch fluid level yet? post wisely.. :icon08:

the latest update:

talked to koeppel nissan. i'm bringing it in this friday for them to first see if changing it out to "GTR fluid" will work. "may or may not work"
i have my doubts about it working but at least that's one less DIY job i have to do

have them check blinker fluid while they're at it. might be low too.

you must have a lot of time on your hands

From what you are describing it is the Clutch Master getting weak, It happens about as often as the slave cylinder dying except when the slave goes you will have no pedal at all.

The master cylinder is your issue right now, GTR fluid may help for a bit but you will be back for a master cylinder replacement soon after.

The GTR fluid is a higher viscosity (like motul RBF660, Pretty sure it's the same fluid) and will help the seals in the master seal better effectively putting a band-aid on the real problem (master cylinder)

so i guess you sell upgraded master cylinders as well? :D

No, not yet.... Stock masters are in stock though.

so does this mean i will need both a master and slave replacement? if so, how will i convince nissan to get it done under warranty? my powertrain warranty runs out 6/2015, and i rather not wait until im stranded and need it towed to a dealership and pay out the @ss on bills. you already know nissan has a tendency to do whatever it takes to get out of work.