Clutch Slave Cylinders keep dying!?

[nismo101]

Note, this is on a Datsun 510, not a 240sx, but its an SR, so I thought I would ask you guys.

When I installed my S13 SR20DET w/5 speed tranny, I put on a brand new clutch clave cylinder with m brand new ACT "street" clutch. The slave cylinder is for an S14 USDM 240sx. I went on perfectly and worked great for a while.
When all of the sudden on day, a guy was pulling my car off the dyno and the clutch slave cylinder just erupts. The car has only maybe 700 miles on the clutch/cylinder. SO we put the car on the lift and pull it off. I remove the dust boot and disassemble it, I notice that the rubber seal(the part that is inside the cylinder) is torn.
So I get a new one from Autozone for a 1995 240sx and install it, bleed it with new fluid, and I am back on the road.
Yesterday, I was under the car for something, and I notice a fluid drip from the dust cover of the clutch slave. Note, the car has only been driven about 500 miles (and about 9 months has passed) since the last clutch slave blew.
So I drain all the fluid from the clutch line and it comes out a brownish/red color, thats weird....
So it looks like this cylinder is getting ready to die too, since it is leaking.
Why am I having so many troubles with clutch slaves?
And why has my fluid gone from clear to brown/red?
Does it have something to do with the stroke of the piston not being long enough to disengage the clutch?
Any input?
In the meantime I will do some more searching and see what I can find.
thanks for the help.

[cheez80]

hi, i was talking to alex pfeiffer

and i have a problem with my clutch pedal (it gets spongy sometimes after hard/freeway driving) and the first question he asked was, "is your slave cylinder oem?"

i said i had the $11 autozone spl, and he told me that only oem ones will work correctly.

i would try getting a fresh, new oem one from superior, or somewhere, and seeing how long that lasts.

and my autozone one has only lasted me about 600 miles, too since it started going spongy.

[ace240sx]

Get a oem slave cylinder, or even better yet the 89 n/a 300zx slave cylinder(same as nismo sr20det slave).

[ni5mo240]

I have went through 4 kragen slave cylinders in the past 2 months, same as the 510 guy, I pull it apart and the seal is always torn, took the dust boot off the clutch fork to see inside and realize that my clutch fork pivot is broken. You should look into that, I just placed an order at courtesyparts.com for a Nismo clutch pivot, it should fix the problem, and I ordered an oem slave and master cylinder. Quick question, Do you guys know if the shift forks are the same for Sr's and Ka's? I want to replace mine just to be on the safe side. Thanks!

[Realchaos1]

I'm glad i read this thread. Go through Nissan and order one. If that fails, atleast you will be dealing with the corperation/dealership. They might just hand you another one. If OEM fails... maybe there's to much pressure being pushed to the slave...

[koukidough]

Dont get OEM, get OE slave cylinder from a dealership. Stuff at kragens, autozone, pepboys are usually "OEM badged" those companies may be original equipment manufacturers but for what company? Not Nissan I can bet on that. OE is original.

[BlackSunshine42]

Go with a Nismo CSC. it will hold up better. theres a reason the good ones are 80 where the kragen/shucks ones are 15.

[CHARLIE2020]

A stock OE Nissan unit only cost $34~...

[chibo]

I have the same clutch and I found that the slave cylinders would die within weeks of getting a new one if I held the clutch in at lights or longer than needed during shifts.
Either that or the clutch slave line would blow up.

I threw in a SS line/OEM slave and modified my driving habits a bit and have yet to have a problem in almost 5 months.

[krustindumm]

check the lines and master, give the whole system a good flush before installing the new one. HTere could be debris in the line that is causing seal failure.

[projectRDM]

Dont get OEM, get OE slave cylinder from a dealership. Stuff at kragens, autozone, pepboys are usually "OEM badged" those companies may be original equipment manufacturers but for what company? Not Nissan I can bet on that. OE is original.

I can't believe I just read that. "Don't buy OEM, buy OE", that's the stupidest fucking thing yet.

OEM = original equipment manafacture. The only OEM parts you can buy are from the dealer, period, unless they're used. Anything else is aftermarket, no matter where it comes from or what is says.

[g6civcx]

Some products will try to pass themselves off by saying "OEM replacement". All that means is it will replace an OEM part, but it's not actually an OEM part. Usually you can only get OEM parts from an authorised dealer.

Or if you're smart, you can figure out who the supplier is for Nissan and buy it directly from them.


But for these cylinders, don't buy remanufactured ones for reasons stated above. Just get one from the dealer.

[NIK90s13]

As far as the fluid turning brown, you have old or rusted parts ie. master cylinder, or lines. The master cylinder, if it is going out it could keep boosting pressure and not release it, or recirculating it. Causing to much pressure on the lines and seals. And ''POP"
good luck!

[ni5mo240]

so hoe about the clutch fork? are they the same? SR & KA?

[koukidough]

I can't believe I just read that. "Don't buy OEM, buy OE", that's the stupidest fucking thing yet.

OEM = original equipment manafacture. The only OEM parts you can buy are from the dealer, period, unless they're used. Anything else is aftermarket, no matter where it comes from or what is says.


You are incorrect. Lets put it this way... company xx makes specific OE parts for Dodge. Therefore automatically makes them an OEM company. But if company xx decides to make items for other cars like honda or bmw for extra cash and not have any contract with them because they are contracted with Dodge exclusively, they can still put an OEM sticker on that product even though it is not approved or tested by Honda and BMW.

Why? because technically they are a OEM company, they make OE parts for Dodge. Yes you are right, it is also technically aftermarket, but OEM is OEM doesnt matter what products they make. Have you bought NGK spark plugs? They all say OEM even though many stock cars originally does not come with NGK spark plugs off the lot.

[Gnnr]

I can't believe I just read that. "Don't buy OEM, buy OE", that's the stupidest fucking thing yet.

OEM = original equipment manafacture. The only OEM parts you can buy are from the dealer, period, unless they're used. Anything else is aftermarket, no matter where it comes from or what is says.

I agree with R240NA. Stop tryin to invent terms. Geesh!

So stop your fuzzy logic. If 3M made products that Nissan used in their cars straight from factory line, then fine. If you can get the exact part number Nissan uses and 'skip the middle man' so to speak and order it from 3M, fine. But if 3M dosent have a contract with Honda but they also make parts for Honda, IT DOES NOT MEAN THEY MAKE OEM Honda parts because that means Honda is using another company, so 3M is not thier OEM. If your car is Nissan, you go the Nissan dealer to get OEM parts! Geesh! WTF! I can't believe I had to explain that! :rolleyes:


OEM=NISSAN DEALER
OEM is OEM is OEM.

[CHARLIE2020]

Its true there is a company that goes by the name OEM atleast over here in Cali and you can find there parts in Pep Boys, Autozone and Kragen etc etc.....I think that is why he said by OE (he could have said OEM) parts from the dealership.....

Obviously I like to think that no one on this forum is that retarded to say dont buy from the dealership, but i think he meant to say is do not buy parts from a company called "OEM".

[g6civcx]

The industry standard is to use the term Original Equipment (OE) or Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to mean a producer who provides Nissan, an automobile manufacturer, with products. Nissan then bundles those products and/or modify it for sale with their vehicles.

OEM's could be another company (like NGK), or an in-house division (like Nismo and its subsidiaries).

More broadly though, the term OEM means a set of specifications for those products described above. You can get NGK plugs anywhere you like, and you'll still be using OE.

The problem is when these aftermarket manufacturers try to pass off parts as OEM. The correct terminology to use for these parts are "OEM-equivalent" or "OEM-replacement". They may mimic some of the physical dimensions and functionality of the OEM parts, but the aftermarket parts generally are inferior because they are cheaper.

Some places will sell you remanufactured OEM clutch cylinders, but they are not in fact OEM. When they rebuild the seals, they do not spend as much time with quality assurance and inspect their work like a real OEM would. Some will sell you OEM-replacement or OEM-equivalent cylinders, but these also don't adhere to Nissan's OEM specs. So by definition, they are not OEM.

That's not to say that all OEM parts are great. It's just saying that these are the specifications Nissan chose to use. Sometimes aftermarket parts are much better than OEM, but in this case the clutch cylinder is best had from the dealer. No one has been able to confirm where you can buy an OEM cylinder anywhere else (unlike NGK).

Now, can we please stop the fighting? It's just a matter of terminology. We can all say goo goo gah gah, but I'm talking about the industry standards. If you want to make up your own words, that's fine. Just don't expect everybody to understand or agree with you :)

Its true there is a company that goes by the name OEM atleast over here in Cali and you can find there parts in Pep Boys, Autozone and Kragen etc etc.....I think that is why he said by OE (he could have said OEM) parts from the dealership.....

Obviously I like to think that no one on this forum is that retarded to say dont buy from the dealership, but i think he meant to say is do not buy parts from a company called "OEM".

I've seen the stamp on the box that says "OEM" on parts sold at the stores you mentioned. I think it's just a gimmick to confuse people even more. In the end it really doesn't matter what the box says. What counts is how well the part performs and how much it costs.

[krustindumm]

What you really gotta look at is part quality. You can get higher quality parts from the aftermarket in some cases, though usually not on imports.

Go to GM and get a lower intake gasket and some dexcool for your 30k mile V6, and expect another 30k. Go to the aftermarket and they have improved gaskets and standard coolant which will last longer.

If you keep getting autozone slave cylinders, and they keep failing, try someone else. I have a Z32 slave from o'rielly's and it is working fine now for 8 months (13,000 miles ;) edit: almost 16k )