Dan H.

Hey all
My 02 Z is all stock. Only 17k miles and it's safe to say the clutch fluid has never been changed. I've read it's brake fluid, not sure dot 3 or 4. Also, I'm using motul 600 for the brakes, but this is very hygroscopic so I don't know if it's suitable for the clutch or not. Or is a lesser brake fluid what people use for the clutch? Something like the valvoline or castrol product with a 480 dry boiling point. My car is used on the track and street. I intend to use the ranger method, so the fluid will be mixing, not sure if that matters

Thank you!

Racingswh

I use Castrol SRF. Seems to work very well.

k24556

Dot 3 is fine in the clutch it gets dirty not hot so boiling is not an isue

71corv

For track and street I use Prestone Dot 4 synthetic.

Coach62

Any DOT 4 is fine, I use Valvoline Dot 3-4. Readily available at any auto zone

froggy47

wilwood 570 or 600

Dan H.

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help

Froggy, I've watched several of your YouTube diy's, thanks for taking the time to create those

RDnomorecobra

froggy47

My Pleasure, pass the word.

63Corvette

I concur.....if you can afford it. I use SRF for my brakes and Motul RBF600 for my clutch.

REVHARD

i use RBF600 for brakes so I use that to flush my clutch also as its laying around the garage

Coach62

Castrol SRF is way overkill for a clutch, total waste of money. Unless you're Trump. Use any synthetic DOT 4 for the clutch and change very regularly, I change the res every month or so.

Save the SRF for your brakes.

Racingswh

I understand about the cost. We run three cars, share the costs and they all use SRF for clutch and brakes. The $$ side of SRF wasn't ever really a consideration for us especially when compared to the overall spend required to participate in the sport.

I like it because it doesn't absorb water as fast as some of the other fluids mentioned. The OP mentioned the concern about Hygroscopic properties of one of the fluids they were considering and SRF addresses that. Cost may be prohibitive to some.

I have experienced issues while driving other cars with cheaper or old fluid. I have never had those issues with SRF hence why I mentioned I use it.

redtopz

Yes, SRF for the brakes and clutch. Clutch doesn't use much fluid anyway and SRF lasts a long time without having to bleed.

Coach62

We'll agree to disagree there. With the clutch, the primary concern isn't water, it's the massive amounts of clutch dust the fluid accumulates.

It should be changed so often that water accumulation is NOT a concern at all. Clutch failure due to fluid issues are typically NOT due to moisture, it's due to dust / dirt / debris in the fluid.

SRF is extremely expensive and arguably the best brake fluid. It is recommended for brakes because if it's high temperature stability, both dry and wet. This characteristic is simply not needed for clutches.

I personally use the expensive stuff for the brakes, the affordable, but still quality stuff for the clutch. The Valvoline is a synthetic DOT 4 and will perform perfectly in the clutch as long as it's changed frequently. For that matter I have no doubt that the Pennzoil is also just fine. Any quality DOT 4 fluid is fine for the clutch.

Coach62

PS - While the clutch does not use much fluid as stated, it does take a lot of fluid to fully change it using the standard Ranger method. If you have a remote bleeder, sure. Most of us do not have a remote bleeder so it actually does take a large amount of fluid to fully flush the system.

redtopz

Yeah, for a street/track car I would just use whatever brake fluid you are using. When I raced T1 with the old rules we had to run stock clutches and hydraulics and they would turn the fluid dark pretty quickly. With the quartermaster clutch/throwout bearing I have now, the fluid stays looking good as new for basically the whole season.

PS, everyone who track their car should install a remote bleeder.

autoxer6

If you have sticky clutch issues, i like Motul. It is the most lubricious of the mid and low cost fluids.

SRF is supposed to be the most lubricious fluid. I never spent the money to try it.

kmagvette

I suck the reservoir dry with a giant syringe then refill with whatever DOT4 I have at the time before every event. Sometimes after each day if there is any cloudiness (dust) in the fluid. Typically Valvoline or CarQuest. Save the Motul for brakes.

JeremyGSU

This.