tim414

about a month ago I first saw this thread. I heard a funny noise in the rear end. So when I got in I decided to check all the fluids. My clutch fluid was BLACK. My Z06 is NEW. 2010, bought on Memorial Day and it had 5 miles when drove off the dealer lot.... in early July is when I checked it and it had 1200 miles on it. It was BLACK I say....could'nt believe it. I think it gets pretty hot given how it's routed, the line is near some pretty warm parts. Anyway....I have not changed it quiet yet.....I gonna do so today.....'Z has not been driven much since then. I do NOT track my Vette either. Those 1200 miles were VERY EASY miles breaking/running it in. Today it has 1450 miles and it's going to be changed since I now have the supplies and taking a vacation day today. Maybe I have avoided problems down the road. I do not know if "I" could be part of the problem as well. I bought my first Vette in August 2009. It was a new Z51 Roadster and my first manual stick shift car. I kept it till end of May (Memorial Day) when I traded it to get my first Z06. Soooo....as of now I have a total of one year driving experience w/clutch. I do not ride the clutch. Although I was/have driven the car easily, I was reading and watching videos on how to properly shift gears and I did not know that when Z06 is new you really should NOT down shft to slow the car instead of using brakes. Maybe I "helped" cause this????? Any opinions???

P.S. Besides, I LOVE working on MY Vette. I just hope as time moves forward when I do work on it, it's only doing normal maintence items and not broke. It seems like it's a tough car......but I treat it like it's a BABY....(it's name is BluBaby....go figure)

ockie

Just replaced the clutch fluid and I am very happy with the results. I had debris, water, and black fluid... the clutch did feel like it was not as smooth as it should be. Replaced the fluid about 7 times today with 50 pumps on each to cycle through until the fluid was transparent as it should be.... thing is as smooth as butter.

Will make this part of my ritual... with the sucker hand pump I paid $14 total. I would highly recommend a syringe... would be much faster and cheaper.

jt500lp

I did it today and after 3 different sucks and refills it started looking clearer so I went ahead and did it 6 or 7 times. My clutch does feel smoother and I saved money!

Jake D

Thanks Ranger. Just bought my 2009 ZO6 last month w/ 1700 miles and it is black as can be. Maybe this is why I had a little play in my clutch while I was up in Carlisle this past weekend. Will be changing it this weekend.

rixvette

I perfromed this on my 2005 and it worked great. Does anyone know why this would not work on other types of cars.

Regards, Rick

Bud Meyer

I Perform this simple proceedure on all my rides with Hydralic Clutches. I also refresh the brake fluids in the same mannor.

rixvette

Thanks

tjl5709

I don't care what people say, this maintenance technique works. My 08 started acting up this summer. The trans would not take a 1 - 2 shift above 4K. Checked fluid and it was gunky and black. Basically went thru a whole bottle of Prestone DOT4 (drain, fill, pump, drain, fill, pump, ....). It's now clear with some coloring. Will do it again shortly to reduce color.

During the process, I felt the clutch peddle get smoother. Took it for a spin, and no problems with high rpm shifting now. Life is good....

Thanks for posting.

Cloaked323

It works for me

stevette17

i changed my slave. fixed all the problems

angelmanuel

Thanks Ranger. I am new to the Vette and as soon as I saw this thread I checked my clutch fluid and it was nasty. My car is a 2009 with 10,000 miles. I drove my super Ford Focus straight to Autozone and got all I needed for the fluid swap.

I am glad I caught it before problems started.

wjrive

Got my 2010 Z a couple weeks ago. Have 85 miles on it when I got her.

Read the thread today, immediately went to the garage to check.
Sure enough the clutch fuild was dirty.

Now I'll start check that fuild routinely.

Thanks Oh so much Ranger, for being here!

Willie

RoatanMan

JR_VETTE

Wow...8200 miles on my Z06. Bought it used. It was nasty. Went through almost a whole bottle flushing it out. Nice and clean now Thanks for a great video on this.

angelmanuel

question for you guys: i flushed mine at 10500 miles. it was super nasty. my question is, i drove the car about 75 miles and it already looks nasty again.

i went through almost 2 bottles of fluid and it looks bad in only 75 miles. is it supposed to turn nasty that fast? i did everything exactly as the video says.

Ranger

Which brake fluid are you using in the clutch?

Ranger

angelmanuel

i am using prestone dot 4. granted, it is not as bad as it was before, but still it turned black very fast.

Ranger

Prestone DOT4 is a proven fluid for the clutch.

I suspect your issue is caused by the way you are cycling the clutch pedal when you are doing the pedal pumps. So suggest checking that.

You must go full-top (foot off the pedal) to full-bottom and then back to full-top with foot off the pedal. 20 of those between fluid swaps.

If you don't reach full-top, the seal in the master doesn't permit flow from below back into the reservoir. So (rapid?) short strokes of the pedal do not circulate the fluid, and instead leave the nasty stuff still in the master and actuator/slave, from which it reappears in the reservoir during driving.

I'd suggest putting a 12 oz. can through the system applying the revised pedal stroke and then report back.

Update: I should also add, if you're hammering launches and shifts during those 75 miles, you will get a strong uptake of clutch dust that will darken the fluid.

Ranger

angelmanuel

i can't recall if i did pedal full up or not. i will ty again this weekend and let you know. thanks for your time!!!

angelmanuel

Alright I did the procedure as you specified and the fluid is all good now. It must have been doing it wrong like you said. Thanks again for the help!!!