Clofarabine, Cytarabine, and G-CSF in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Inclusion Criteria:

* ECOG performance status 0-2
* Capable of understanding the investigational nature, potential risks and benefits of the study, and able to provide valid informed consent
* Female patients of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test within 2 weeks prior to enrollment
* Male and female patients must be willing to use an effective contraceptive method during the study and for a minimum of 6 months after study treatment
* Serum Total or Direct bilirubin =\< 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Aspartate transaminase (AST)/alanine transaminase (ALT) =\< 2.5 times ULN
* Diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia by WHO criteria, either relapsed or refractory; acute promyelocytic leukemia \[acute promyelocytic leukemia with t(15;17)(q22;q12) and variants\] would be eligible only after failure of a regimen containing arsenic trioxide
* Serum creatinine =\< 1.0 mg/dL; if serum creatinine \> 1.0 mg/dl, then the estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) must be \>60 mL/min/1.73 m\^2
* Alkaline phosphatase =\< 2.5 times ULN

Exclusion Criteria:

* Use of investigational agents within 30 days or initiation of any other anticancer therapy within 2 weeks before study entry with the exception of hydroxyurea, and intrathecal therapy for leukemic meningitis
* Patients with a systemic fungal, bacterial, viral, or other infection not controlled (defined as exhibiting ongoing signs/symptoms related to the infection and without improvement, despite appropriate antibiotics or other treatment)
* Pregnant or lactating patients
* Any significant concurrent disease, illness, or psychiatric disorder that would compromise patient safety or compliance, interfere with consent, study participation, follow up, or interpretation of study results
* Have any other severe concurrent disease, history of serious organ dysfunction, or disease involving the heart, kidney, liver (including symptomatic hepatitis, veno-occlusive disease, or hepatic graft-versus-host disease \[for acute \>= grade 2\]), or other organ system dysfunction
* No concomitant cytotoxic therapy or investigational therapy is allowed during the study with the exception of intrathecal therapy for leukemic meningitis; intrathecal therapy must not be given during or within 24 hours of any 5 day Clofarabine/Cytarabine treatment period
* To the extent possible, use of nephrotoxic (e.g., vancomycin, amphotericin B, etc) and hepatotoxic (e.g., voriconazole, cyclosporine, etc) agents is to be avoided during clofarabine; use of alternative medications (e.g., herbal or botanical for anticancer purposes) is not permitted during the entire study period
* Current concomitant chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or immunotherapy other than as specified in the protocol
* More than two failed induction attempts for initial diagnosis or current relapse; for patients enrolled under part III of the protocol, patients must be at first salvage after relapse less than one year from complete remission, or salvage after initial induction chemotherapy
* Allogeneic transplant recipients on immunosuppression or on treatment for GVHD