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

Joelito

I'm at 6,700 miles and had to do it :/

Joe@ZSpeed

Keep this updated, My guess is it will work for awhile then you'll be back for a master cylinder replacement.

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martin82

My 5th gear downshift from 6 is grinding now and then with a fast downshift... regardless or synchrorev or rev matching damn it. I need to take car back to dealer AGAIN

SkipinJupiter

Just an update on my experience with taking my Z in and the service department performing the service tech. Bulletin GTX fluid swap out.... It's been 2 weeks and the moving clutch engagement issue has not re-occurred. I was skeptical and it still might go bad, but it's performing fine right now. Just FYI

Mandingo

Does anyone know if black deposits (almost like a fine black silt) in the bottom of the clutch fluid reservoir is a sign of seals wearing out on my master or slave cylinder? I am running the stock dot 3 fluid. Flushed about 6 months ago.

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Fountainhead

Hi Mandingo,

The silt could either be decay from the black hose connecting the Clutch fluid reservoir to the Master cylinder or as you suspect, pieces of the O rings and/or the seals in the master cylinder or the CSC.
I'm not a mechanic by trade so those are my best guesses. I did watch a video the other day when a guy bled the old fluid out of his G37 clutch line and the mechanic was wiping out the black silt in the reservoir that you described, he didn't make any comment about it's origin. I don't know if it's normal wear and tear, the clutch does get a lot more sloshing around than the brakes so the fluid could theoretically move from top to bottom on a regular basis.

I found the video again: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=1A9fsdoAngI

Joe@ZSpeed

It is normal to get black silt in the reservoir. This is very fine clutch debris that works its way past the seals from the internal slave (CSC). They will all get it sooner or later.

We recommend flushing the system at least twice a year with the stock slave or our HD slave.

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Mandingo

Thank you Joe and Fountainhead. I saw the recent TSB about replacing our dot 3 fluid with the dot 4 brake fluid from the GTR. I've ordered some and will flush this weekend. I'll just keep a closer eye on it now

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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.

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!

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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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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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..?