Clutch issues

[mikejbry]

Just got back from my first track day (for a car at least) at Castle Combe, there was another HR silver Zed there, who said he was part of the owners forum so I would assume he meant here. I was driving an 07 HR.

 

Anyway, I had a few issues on track, the most significant being that I seemed to constantly boil my clutch. It would literally lose all pedal travel and I would struggle to change gear. Worst was when I was half way through a tuition session, it completely baked and I had to drive almost an entire lap in first gear to get back to the paddock.

 

After letting it cool down I was able to go back out again, but this shouldn't be normal surely? The other chap didn't have any clutch issues, my guess is shite/old clutch fluid, I should have given the brakes and clutch fresh dot 5 fluid before I went. Upon googling while sat like a bell end waiting for my car to cool itself down, i googled and it came back with the HR 350z having a Clutch slave cylinder recall? Also mentioned that the clutch lines ran really close to the exhaust.

 

So, does anyone else have this issue? Or is it just me and lack of preperation with fresh fluids all round?

 

I also managed to bake 3 out of 4 tyres, Toyo Proxes, they have been on the car a while I think and the rears were not far from the wear marker anyway, after my first session after lunch which went really well, the next few sessions saw the car squirming all over the place, dropping pressures helped a little but its quite clear they are ****ed!

 

Oh and OEM pads suck, pretty sure they have glazed over.

 

So, I would quite like to do another track day.... I am going to give it a p3 service soon, including gearbox and diff oil, brake fluid and the following;

 

New set of tyres

clutch fluid change

Some decent pads

 

Any other suggestions? Anything that will help the clutch fluid not boil other than fresh fluid?

 

Cheers

 

Mike

[Ewen@Clark Motorsport]

The HR can suffer from a weak concentric slave cylinder as you've read, there are uprated options out they but they are pricey. You could try an uprated braided line with new fluid and see how you go.

 

You have the right idea with a full fluid service, might want to consider something better than the Toyo's if you are planning a few track days.

 

For road and track use the Ferodo DS2500 is a good compromise, there are other more track focused pads but you may get a bit of noise in day to day driving

[david85williams]

Hi Mike, I'm David the guy with the silver HR! You got the right website! It's really helpful on here...

 

Anyway it was my first trackday in my Z. Normally I drive a Radical. I was very impressed with car on the circuit. Castle Combe has always been one of my favourites to drive.

 

So I was running EBC YellowStuff pads all around. I wasn't very impressed with them to be honest.... They seemed to lack the bit that I normally felt during road driving.

 

I've not heard great things about the Toyos for trackdays. I was running Goodyear eagle F1's. Very impressed with these on and off the track. Once I got the pressures balanced they performed perfectly.

 

I had to turn the traction control off because it was so restrictive coming out of corners and the ESP would apply the front brakes when drifting into the chicanes!

 

Anyway it was good to see another Z, normally I see a couple at different circuits. I've not heard anymore about your clutch issue. Like I said mine was perfectly fine and I was giving the car a good hammering.

[Commander]

Small world - my brother was there too in his e36 m3 - think he's got some videos so if I spot any Zeds in them I'll let you know!

[mikejbry]

I have gone and looked through the service history, its been serviced every year and it appears that changing the clutch fluid isn't in the service schedule, only checking the level etc. It would appear it is likely to be the original clutch fluid.

 

So new clutch fluid should hopefully solve that one!

 

Hey David, I left my traction control on, being my first car track day and it squirming everywhere I didn't really fancy my luck haha. Your car sounded great though, my brother reckoned he couldn't even hear mine when he was standing on the hill while I had my tutor session. Quietest car at the track day was his exact words, there was me worrying about sound levels, should have just had my cobra fitted before hand afterall. My car needs a bloody good clean too, its hanging right now!

 

Thanks for the advice, ill look into some new lines and pads also. Going to be an expensive month coming up, its due a p3 as well in November. Need to find a decent specialist near Bristol.