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

BamBamZ · 06-06-2015, 07:48 AM

I might be SOL, I have "maxcare" from carmax (extended warranty) and I've heard they're a pain in the *** to deal with, Especially towards the mechanic shops (takes a few days to even get anything approved to get done)... So a few shops are willing to deal with them. I'm going to have to ask them which shops do they prefer and choose from there. I'm aiming for my friends shop or the nissan dealership. It's a 60 month 100K mile warranty.

KoolKarmaJoe · 06-06-2015, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BamBamZ

I might be SOL, I have "maxcare" from carmax (extended warranty) and I've heard they're a pain in the *** to deal with, Especially towards the mechanic shops (takes a few days to even get anything approved to get done)... So a few shops are willing to deal with them. I'm going to have to ask them which shops do they prefer and choose from there. I'm aiming for my friends shop or the nissan dealership. It's a 60 month 100K mile warranty.

You are not alone! Dealerships in my area will NOT install aftermarket HD CSC's. OEM CSC's are a 3-5 day wait at Nissan Dealerships here in Maryland area. There is a wait for HD CSC too, because so many Z owners are switching to these. I just could not in good conscious throw money down the "OEM CSC Hole" anymore. I'll bite the bullet, do without my pride & joy "Z", and hold out to wait for the HD CSC to be shipped to me from Z Speed. It's a decision of either "Pay now for OEM and often for that choice, or wait for HD CSC pay more for a quality product and have piece of mind". It's unbelievably frustrating that so many 350Z & 370Z owners have had this same problem and Nissan fails to address it.

JARblue · 06-06-2015, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KoolKarmaJoe

It's unbelievably frustrating that so many 350Z & 370Z owners have had this same problem and Nissan fails to address it.

There were actually later models of the 350Z where they did address it and put an external slave cylinder on the outside of the transmission. My understanding is this was the inspiration and design basis for the Z1 CSC Elimination Kit.

So fuck Nissan even harder for having a solution at one point and then reverting back to the old shitty one

KoolKarmaJoe · 06-06-2015, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JARblue

There were actually later models of the 350Z where they did address it and put an external slave cylinder on the outside of the transmission. My understanding is this was the inspiration and design basis for the Z1 CSC Elimination Kit.

So fuck Nissan even harder for having a solution at one point and then reverting back to the old shitty one

I looked at the Z1 CSC Elimination Kit on their site. I liked what I read but one line from their site gave me caution & I quote their post: "Because of the very narrow window in which this product was designed to function as a bolt on solution, this product may require adjustment through the life of the clutch." - I like to read more feedback from Z owners who converted and how system has operated over time.

JARblue · 06-06-2015, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KoolKarmaJoe

I looked at the Z1 CSC Elimination Kit on their site. I liked what I read but one line from their site gave me caution & I quote their post: "Because of the very narrow window in which this product was designed to function as a bolt on solution, this product may require adjustment through the life of the clutch." - I like to read more feedback from Z owners who converted and how system has operated over time.

I've got one. I did the install myself over a year ago (~17K miles). I've done one adjustment. I check it every time I'm under the car, and at this point expect to do no more than one adjust per 10-20K miles depending on how hard the clutch plate is used during that time. The adjustment is simple, requires minimal tools (jack + stands or ramps needed), and takes very little time if you are already under the car for an oil change or something. I've posted about my experiences with the adjustment in several threads on the matter

KoolKarmaJoe · 06-06-2015, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JARblue

I've got one. I did the install myself over a year ago (~17K miles). I've done one adjustment. I check it every time I'm under the car, and at this point expect to do no more than one adjust per 10-20K miles depending on how hard the clutch plate is used during that time. The adjustment is simple, requires minimal tools (jack + stands or ramps needed), and takes very little time if you are already under the car for an oil change or something. I've posted about my experiences with the adjustment in several threads on the matter

I will search for "threads". I'm open to any product that eliminates the frustration of dealing with OEM CSC's. And the idea of a product that I can adjust myself without dealing with a shop is appealing to me. I enjoy working on my Z, and enjoy doing my own maintenance on my vehicle. I got the jack stands, the low profile race ramps, and as Jeff Spicoli said in movie Fast Times At Ridgemont High - "Dude I can fix this. My dad has a awesome set of tools".

BamBamZ · 06-06-2015, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KoolKarmaJoe

You are not alone! Dealerships in my area will NOT install aftermarket HD CSC's. OEM CSC's are a 3-5 day wait at Nissan Dealerships here in Maryland area. There is a wait for HD CSC too, because so many Z owners are switching to these. I just could not in good conscious throw money down the "OEM CSC Hole" anymore. I'll bite the bullet, do without my pride & joy "Z", and hold out to wait for the HD CSC to be shipped to me from Z Speed. It's a decision of either "Pay now for OEM and often for that choice, or wait for HD CSC pay more for a quality product and have piece of mind". It's unbelievably frustrating that so many 350Z & 370Z owners have had this same problem and Nissan fails to address it.

I have a 2009 BMW 328I that I can ride around in and if I so choose, I can get a rental car and be reimbursed for it... I'm hoping to not be out of the Z for more than a week but you do have me thinking. I talked to the guy at the warranty place and seemed nice enough and after describing that the pedal just went limp, there was fluid on the ground and my reservoir is bone dry that it is either the CSC or master cylinder... He said I can take it to any preferred ASE certified shop, which I can take it to my friends shop (tri-valley autocare in Dublin). But they're not open today... I can get him to install aftermarket and most likely i'll just have to pay the difference from OEM to aftermarket. or I can take it to the nearby Nissan dealership where it'll just sit there until Monday anyways.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JARblue

There were actually later models of the 350Z where they did address it and put an external slave cylinder on the outside of the transmission. My understanding is this was the inspiration and design basis for the Z1 CSC Elimination Kit.

So fuck Nissan even harder for having a solution at one point and then reverting back to the old shitty one

I had no idea this was a common issue until I was sitting there next to my date googling why my Z doesn't want to cooperate, I was expecting the steering lock issues before anything else... and just at 31K miles, I've had Toyota's and Honda's that went way over that and never had a problem. The Tacoma X-Runner I traded in for my Z gave me 5 years and 90K miles (125k total miles) of completely trouble free service, Just brake pads and rotors once, 2 sets of tires, air filter recharges a few times, 2 cabin filters and many oil changes.

If it had over 70K miles or if I beat on it more than 5K miles (i don't beat on it often [never hard launched it though]) then I would understand.

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06-06-2015, 07:48 AM	#1 (permalink)
BamBamZ Base Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Mountain House, CA Posts: 95 Drives: Touring/Sport/6spd Rep Power: 11	I might be SOL, I have "maxcare" from carmax (extended warranty) and I've heard they're a pain in the *** to deal with, Especially towards the mechanic shops (takes a few days to even get anything approved to get done)... So a few shops are willing to deal with them. I'm going to have to ask them which shops do they prefer and choose from there. I'm aiming for my friends shop or the nissan dealership. It's a 60 month 100K mile warranty.