engine and drivetrain Is my clutch slave toast? MC?

[kmoy2002]

Driving the car, I noticed the clutch pedal had very little resistance to it and the car could no longer go into gear while the engine is running. I noticed once I got the car home, there had been a pool of fluid (what I suspect is brake fluid as it has the smell and consistency of) under the car near the transmission/engine area. I lifted the car and gave the rubber boot on the clutch slave a squeeze and a dark, almost black, fluid began dripping from the ends of the boot. 

 

Is this a tell tale sign my clutch slave is toast? I inherited this car from my father and going through the records, it appears both the clutch slave and master cylinder had been replaced June '97. Between then and now, only 7,000 miles have been put on the car. Is it conceivable for these parts to fail with such a low mileage or is age more the issue? The vehicle has been in storage the last five years and I have just started to replacing things and getting this vehicle back on the road. 

 

I have read to replace the clutch master cylinder at the same time? It appears that the last time the clutch slave was replaced on this car, the clutch master cylinder was replaced as well. While shopping for parts, I noticed most clutch slaves do not have the push rod. Do I reuse my old push rod? I looked at tutorials and after I remove the circlips, do I slide the slave towards the rear of the car or towards the front to remove? Do I replace the hoses from the reservoir to the master cylinder, the hose from the master cylinder to the slave or both?

 

Also noticed brake fluid dripping from the front drivers side which I traced up towards where the vacuum line meets the brake booster and what appears to go up further to where the brake master cylinder meets the brake booster.. Is my brake master cylinder gone as well?

 

To recap my questions are as follows:

1. Is my clutch slave done? Fluid drips from the rubber boot when squeezed.
2. Both clutch slave and master cylinder was replaced in '97 and only 7k miles between. Is it normal to fail with such low milage or is age the issue?
3. Do I replace the master cylinder at the same time while doing my clutch slave even though it is working and there is no fluid pooled near the pedal box?
4. Do I reuse my old push rod from the old clutch slave? 
5. How do I remove the slave after I remove the circlips? Do I slide it towards the front or towards the rear of the car?
6. Do I replace both the hoses from the reservoir to the master cylinder and from master cylinder to slave or just the hose from the master cylinder to the slave? The reservoir to the master cylinder is a hardline.
7. Brake fluid leaking where the vacuum line meets the brake booster and perhaps where the brake master cylinder meets the brake booster. Is my brake master cylinder done?

 

Image to the brake booster/brake master cylinder

http://i.imgur.com/yyoy0Pr.jpg

 

Thank you for all the help and sorry for the long post. The resources here have been nothing but exceptional. 

Edited May 30, 2016 by kmoy2002
Added supporting image

[MatthewCervi]

4 hours ago, kmoy2002 said:

• Is my clutch slave done? Fluid drips from the rubber boot when squeezed.
• Both clutch slave and master cylinder was replaced in '97 and only 7k miles between. Is it normal to fail with such low milage or is age the issue?
• Do I replace the master cylinder at the same time while doing my clutch slave even though it is working and there is no fluid pooled near the pedal box?
• Do I reuse my old push rod from the old clutch slave? 
• How do I remove the slave after I remove the circlips? Do I slide it towards the front or towards the rear of the car?
• Do I replace both the hoses from the reservoir to the master cylinder and from master cylinder to slave or just the hose from the master cylinder to the slave? The reservoir to the master cylinder is a hardline.
• Brake fluid leaking where the vacuum line meets the brake booster and perhaps where the brake master cylinder meets the brake booster. Is my brake master cylinder done?

1.  Yes

2.  Was the brake fluid ever changed in those 20 years?  My guess is that the fluid absorbed moisture causing the cylinder bore to rust which then tore the rubber seal. 

3.  Yes, if it isn't already bad it will be shortly.

4.  Yes

5.  I think it comes out towards the back, but it has been a long time since I last changed the slave.

6.  Personally, I'd replace all the rubber while you're in there.

7.  Yep, time to replace that one too before it ruins your booster.

[jgerock]

As Matthew wrote--go ahead and replace everything now. If you piecemeal the hydraulic system, you will end up doing more work and wasting brake fluid. Upgrade the (6) flex hoses for the brakes and (1) for the clutch master to slave with stainless steel.

 

Save the original push rod from the slave cylinder- new cylinders don't include a new rod.

[TobyB]

It's your fluid change interval.

Brake and coolant every 2 in damp environs,

you can get up to 5 out of the brake if you live in the desert.

 

After that, it all rusts and turns to gelatin.

 

We all learn that by (not) doing...

 

t

 

[Mike Self]

22 hours ago, MatthewCervi said:

• How do I remove the slave after I remove the circlips? Do I slide it towards the front or towards the rear of the car?
• Do I replace both the hoses from the reservoir to the master cylinder and from master cylinder to slave or just the hose from the master cylinder to the slave? The reservoir to the master cylinder is a hardline.
• Brake fluid leaking where the vacuum line meets the brake booster and perhaps where the brake master cylinder meets the brake booster. Is my brake master cylinder done?

Be careful when removing the slave cylinder--it's steel and may have corroded itself to the aluminum tranny housing.  Don't force it; if you break off that mounting ear, you'll be finding another tranny.  IIRC the slave will come out from the front or back once you've removed the hose and bleeder screw.  Before installing the new slave, clean the aluminum housing and slather it with anti-seize compound.  

 

I suspect the leak up near the M/C is coming from perished rubber grommets and/or plastic nipples that are pressed into the the M/C to hold the hoses that lead from the fluid reservoir. The nipples have a habit of cracking when old.  I'd check that before replacing the brake  M/C.

 

mike