I did a track day today at Carolina Motorsports Park. There were so few people there (since its a weekday) that they combined Solo and Super Solo and we got six 40 minute sessions and most of them actually went longer than that so we were on track for over 4 hours!

The first problem was with the brakes and I think it is a simple one. The Carbotech pads had several track weekends on them and toward the end of the day the brake warning light on the dash started coming on in the corners and then came on and stayed on. It was braking fine. Checked the fluid and it had gone from 'max' to just below 'min'. I'm assuming this was from pad wear and nothing else. Will be getting new pads, rotors and a flush and fill before next event.

The second problem was more worrisome. Towards the end of some of the longer sessions the clutch pedal would not return all the way. I could pull into the pits, sit for a couple of minutes and it would be back. It never failed completely. I'm assuming the clutch fluid was over heating. This happened a couple of years ago and Nissan replaced the slave cylinder (which is inside the freaking bell housing ) for free due to a TSB even thought the car was not under warranty. The thing that worries me is that I ran most of a session in fourth gear (which was kind of fun actually) and the clutch pedal still went floppy. I don't know why that would happen unless the clutch was slipping....and it does have 70k miles on it. I don't feel it slipping though.

Anyway, I hoping two things: 1) That I just need to flush and fill the clutch system with high temp brake fluid and the 2) Bleeding the clutch system doesn't requiring getting in to the bell housing. I'll Google it and check the FSM but does anyone know off hand how easy it is to bleed the clutch fluid?

 

Brake light will come on for low fluid so that is probably the issue there as you already mentioned.

Clutch fluid, what fluid were your running? I definitely recommend a high temp Dot 4, make sure you have a heat wrap on your stock line where it passes close to the catalytic converters, and yes you bleed it externally there is a bleeder valve on the CSC tube that sticks out the bottom driver's side of the transmission bell housing.

 

For eample, clutch line wrapped like this one: https://my350z.com/forum/drivetrain/...-350z-g35.html

 

It has whatever fluid they put in it at the dealership when they did the TSB work, DOT 3 no doubt.

The braided and wrapped tube you linked to looks ideal but I'm assuming you have to remove the bell housing to get it installed. I have not been under the car and I'm wondering if there is enough room to wrap the existing tube in heat tape?

Also, I did a search for bleeding the clutch system and a lot of folks had serious problems doing it and had to adjust the master cylinder push rod which I do not want to do. Some of them had to use bleeder pumps to do it which the FSM says not to do. I've got a Motive pump but I think I'll let a dealership or race shop do this and I'll provide the fluid.

 

High temp fluid and wrap the clutch line.

 

+1 on clutch line wrap and while you are at it get an SS one

This happens even on hot days autocrossing.

 

I can't tell from the FSM but can this be done without removing the bell housing?

 

Check out the link I posted, the wrap has velcro.

 

Yes, you can rewrap the clutch line without pulling the tranny.

 

Perfect. Thanks guys. Hopefully I can get this sorted. It is really the only recurring problem I've had with the car on the track...........other than driver error.

 

George, I did one of those days at CMP couple of years ago.
Its a great opportunity to get very proficient on that track, but its brutal on the car!!!!!!

 

Yes it is. Pulled the Carbotechs off and they were worn down to the pins that hold the pad to the backing plate! Hard on tires too.

 

Also wrap the Cat pipe on that side of the car....

 

With something like this?

http://www.thermotec.com/products/11...ting-wrap.html

 

Yep...that is it. (any bracd will work)

Wrap as much of the driver side pipe as you can

 

Okay, I've ordered this:



It is velcro but I'm not convinced the velcro will be enough to hold it on at speed. What else could I use to hold the heat shroud in place? I'm assuming regular zip ties would melt. What about small metal hose clamps? Maybe just some wire used like a twist tie?

 

Safety wire would work. Pick a small kit from harbor freight.

 

Yup, safety wire works fine

 

I have used this shielding on many cars for many years. It holds. Any metal wire or zip tie will work if your worried.

 

Thanks. Good to know.