Stainless clutch is going to change how the clutch responds/feels not it "going away".

First thing is as others have mentioned to flush your fluid. I'm assuming you know how hygroscopic clutch fluid is and the difference between wet/dry boiling points, etc.

I think the Castrol LMA is one of the best clutch/brake fluid for a performance DD type of car. There are a few slightly better fluids but they are very hygroscopic and should be changed after a day at the track....

http://www.castrol.com/liveassets/bp...BrakeFluid.pdf

Good point on the stainless/heat wrap. Stainless will hold heat and transfer it down the line from the metal couplings though. ....but it will also radiate heat from inside the line as well. I think you would have to experiment with both to see which had the greater effect. I personally would go with a heat wrap on the stock rubber line if the intention is to keep heat out.... heat wrap and rubber is going to be the best insulation from heat.....

Another thing that would help a lot is a heat shield and some heat screen matting... I really like the DEI matting as it has both fiberglass insualation and a reflective mylar layer.

I used the DEI matting on the bottom of the heat sheild for my 240Z with tripple Mikuni 44's. Use to boil the fuel out of the floats all the time. Drove to Canby on a 700km drive in one day with the new heat sheild with the DEI and didn't have a single problem with heat! As you can see the heat shield is almost touching the unwrapped headers below.
http://www.the370z.com/attachment.ph...1&d=1297539944

Are you guys sure it's fuel starvation issue based on tank? Hard to believe people are seeing fuel starvation with nearly a full tank. That sounds like something else? Is it lack of fuel pressure from fuel pump maybe?

Man I have run nearly empty and pitched the car with no issues yet? Is this a 2009 issue only?

Guess I pohang to get on track to figure this out. Can't believe no one has tackled this if it is truly an issue. I'd love to see video of it with video on fuel gauge.

The fuel starvation is definitely tank related. Very reproducible depending on track layout. You probably won't see it on short tight track autocross as you need 2 things to make it happen. Sustained full throttle (or close to it) and a long sweeping right hand turn (up hill right handers are the worst).

I thought I remember reading a while back that some folks were working on a fix for this issue.

Any idea if there's been any progress (short of dumping the oem fuel tank and moving to an aftermarket fuel cell etc).

What about running a secondary resevoir after the tank or is that allowed?

Once you get on the track, you are going to feel it if you do a right hand sweeper. I am going off memory here, but I recall 6 gallons from full is the least amount I could do without fuel starve. I basically have to fill up after each session. It's annoying, especially when there is no gas at the track! You have to reset your odometer, remember the car gets 6-7mpg.

Sucks for me cause the closest track to me has a very long dirt road from the main road to the track and no gas at the track and nearest gas station is 12 miles from the track. I would end up driving over 100 miles just to fill up before/after every session. Screw that.

yup, bring 2-3 5 gallon jugs as your backup. I honestly don't recall if my car got the hick up after 1 or 2 20 minute session, I think it was 2 sessions.

Travis had someone make a mostly fix. It let him get down to about 1/4 tank on track which is a big improvement. The tank has to be sent out and modified. PM him for his contact.

Just weird that factory, Nismo team on Nismo developed car and all magazines who drove this car on the track never reported this?

So all the cars we see with in car videos on the track never having any fuel starve issues are all running with more than 3/4 of a tank?

Wonder why so few people have dealt with this issue? Baffled tank certainly would help.

There are less than a handful of people that have tracked their cars. Most people buy their Z to look cool, they are missing out half the fun.

Ya, look cool ripping into turns! :wtf2:
I believe that people get the Z because it is a true sports car at an affordable price.
To each his own, but it's badass that you guys track.
Love reading and checking those videos out.

It takes more than just putting the Z on the track. You have to be driving near the limit. I'm sure plenty of people drive at 7/10ths on tracks without long sweeping right-handers and don't ever get fuel starvation.

You should give it a shot. Just be smart and you will be fine. You don't want to wait till you are too old and not be able to do it

It's hard to tell people to drive balls to the wall everytime you are at the track, especially when we are not backed by sponsors or trustfunds. As long as the driver is driving at a reasonable rate (107% rule?), I don't see what is wrong driving at a pace that you are comfortable with. One thing I do hate is that people get cocky and think they are better than what they are because they compare themselves to other schmoes at some track day. If a 911 is driven by a good driver, can someone in a Miata really keep up? Come on

Huh? I wasn't being pretentious or telling people how to drive. Nor was I commenting on my own abilities. I merely stated that fuel starvation occurs under specific, rather extreme conditions.

Oh yeah. There is one thing that is consistent, it is all on sweeping right hand turns.

Autox is not the same as track days!

Last turn at Sebring, I hit some fuel starvation a little under 3/4 of a tank, and this was my first track day. Luckily when this happened it was towards the end of my 2nd session, so hopefully I won't have an issue if I fuel up after each session, once I am driving it more aggressively. Still a huge PITA though, and I wish there was an easy solution (e.g. not having to ship my tank out to get modified).

I'm sure at Sebring that would be the only turn I would have a problem with though, so if I could just tell my brain to take that turn slower than normal, I'd probably be able to avoid it completely. But what is the fun in that?

Once again, hard steady right hand corner is the culprit

yep, and the carousel at Road America is the absolute worst! Its such a fun corner to exit all out, and the car wouldn't let me

At least when I go to Summit Point this year the Karussel is a left hander.

Looks like the two big sweeping turns at Atlanta Motorsports Park are both left, so that's good. I was especially worried about that track because of the elevation changes and the banking on some of the turns.

Any issues at Road Atlanta or Miami-Homestead?

OK so guess rather than fixing it I will just drive tracks with Left hand turns.

Let me see. ...Laguna Seca is good! Only 3 real right handers.

Infineon is bad. Lots of right handers some with elevation changes.

Or maybe I can figure out a fix. LOL! I still cant believe people have been tracking these cars for nearly 3 years without looking at this seriously if its truly an issue.

Well, we know what the issue is (U shaped gas tank), but there just doesn't seem to be an "easy" solution.

It wouldn't surprise me if you get the cut out in T1. That type of long right hand corner will get you fuel starve. Now that I think about it, maybe the two turns after hte caroussel. If I recall correctly, Summit Point has gas station. If not, you are screwed as the nearest gas station if a few miles away. Bring 2 5 gallon jugs and fill it after each sessions

Yes, I always bring 2 fuel jugs with me. I don't like driving off to get fuel every session. Plus this will be an open track event, will be able to run for any length of time at any time.

Road Atlanta turns 1 and 7. I actually stalled coming out of 7 and had to get the car towed off. that is how I discovered it.

That sucks. Wish there was an easy fix for this.

easiest is to just fill up between sessions. The only place where it has really been a problem is Road America, and I probably won't be there again. There I was getting it at one dot from full, but the Carousel exits at over 100mph and really pulls some right hand g's.

Im a long term Porsche guy and I will go after this. When my carbs were fuel starved on the track I had them custom baffled, when I got vapor lock I changed lines and put different pump in place, etc.

I'm sure there is a simple elegant solution. I just need to see diagrams etc. We cant have our Z's choking for fuel on the track. Thats just unacceptable in my book. Running a full tank isnt a solution.

If you can come up with a CHEAP fix, we would appreciate it.

Here is another tip. Bring multiple credit cards with you, the machines usually don't like you swiping at the gas station every 30 minutes!

I think I'm going to just do what Mike does (for now) and bring some 5 gallon jugs with me when I go to Sebring.

I think with 2 5 Gallon jugs, that should be just enough for 4 track sessions, give or take.

edit: Actually, since I have the Zenclosures sub box, I'm not sure I can fit 2 5 gallon jugs in my trunk. :(

So how much more weight are you willing to haul around? Gas weighs 6.1 lbs per gallon. I guess only positive is that weight is being added to rear of the car. But if I can run with say 12 gallons less that means I'd be running 73 lbs less than someone who hasn't fixed this issue.

Lol! Cheap? Probably not. But what's 50lbs plus of weight reduction worth to you?

I don't race for money, so there is no way i am going to pay a couple hundred bucks to modify my tank for a few tenths of a second. Plus in the time trials I run with, any mods to the tank will kick me out of the class. It's just not worth it to me. Plus you are talking to someone who is 200lbs, so not sure weight savings help me at all.

On a separate note, anyone know what the pickup tube looks like. Is it possible to either extend it or tee it to the other side of the tank?

Speaking of fuel starvation, my 350 never had that problem when I got it new. When I took it in for a fuel recall first, I ended up getting the hesitation at 1/2 tank. I guess I am just used to $hit like that from Nissan.

The problem with weight reduction in the Z is that it's much easier to remove it from the rear than the front. The fuel tank is under the parcel trays behind the seats...prime weight position. Someone needs to invent a radiator mounted, fascia shaped helium reservoir to provide some buoyancy in the front.

I dont know stock battery can be relocated to rear, lightweight flywheel and clutch, lightweight front brakes, Lightweight radiator, few more bits.

The solution I am using will set you back $800 or so. It allows me to get down to about 5-7 gallons on race slicks in moderate right hand turns... I'm not sure if / how it would hold up in a long turn like the final turn at Sebring, but clearly better than stock... the modification involves placing two pickup pumps in the tank, one rear center and one drivers side - both feed the pax side OE pump... this arrangement has no penalty in NASA scoring etc b/c it uses the stock primary pump... benefit is 50+ lbs of weight and lower chance of fuel cut out... the guy who sold it to me is a racer and small business owner (alarm installations) and he would like to do more of these mods... he's not a sponsor here so PM me for more info... I owe him feedback and photos - the goal is to optimize the setup so we can get down to 1-2 gallons... more R&D required

track season is too soon upon me to do that this year. Maybe next fall or winter.