Clutch

[Omathisen]

Hi,
Just hoping for a little advice. Went for some long runs last summer, when on the way home, after an hour or two, I could not get the car in gear. Clutch pedal was turning soft. After some struggling I managed to get into second gear and crept home.
When I bled the clutch, the fluid was black. With a hard pedal, the car was good for another 500 miles before the symptoms started again.
I bled the clutch again, the fluid was only a little discolored, almost clear.
Now, after 300 miles, the pedal is starting to turn soft again.
Is it the slave or master that is going bad? I do not think I am driving hard enough to cook the fluid.
The car (ERA with a 351) is 10 years old with about 9,000 miles on it. (Did a major overhaul last spring, including resealing transmission and rebuilding carb.)
Thanks.

[flipscobra]

could be sucking air at the remote resovoir on the master cyclinder. mine did the same thing, it was missing an oring that goes between ms an resovoir.

[Michael C Henry]

Is the clutch hydraulic line or slave cylinder close to the exhaust or some other heatsource?

[Omathisen]

The fluid line and the slave are not too far from the exhaust, But they have been there for 10 years, so why now? Unless my rides are longer. The car is an ERA so you would think other ERA's would have the same issues??

[bigrob]

My clutch master rescently took a dump. I have a BD & the line & master are close the exhaust. Anyway, something decided to give out in the master at just under 13000 miles, pedal got real soft & I could not put the car in gear. R&R'd it for about $65 with delivery, bled it, & she feels good.

Not too tough a job I thought. I had to go through the side grille opening to access it. Befor I put the grille back on, I am gonna make some sort of heat shield.

Good luck!