Clutch pedal flaky, gotta put it to the floor, Sometimes is works, sometimes it doesn't Options

[sh0x]

95 GT convertible (5SFE), 141k miles, 5 spd manual, all factory except SRI. Car runs like a top except for a code 71 (CA emissions, EGR failure.) Not that I think it's related.

I had the clutch replaced last year, about 10k miles ago. Now my clutch has been requiring more and more travel. Pedal height and freeplay are set correctly according to factory specs, but now I have to pull the top carpet back and put the clutch pedal all the way to the floor to change gears. As soon as I take it any distance off the floor, the car starts to roll. Sometimes after it warms up it doesn't want to shift into gear (esp. into 1st) or grinds a bit (esp. into 4th.)

Yesterday I thought I was going to be stranded but after forcing it into gear and getting it home I left it sitting for an hour or two and have had no problems since (other than still needing to put the pedal to the floor.) I'm guessing something is wearing out. Any ideas? I replaced the slave cylinder last year when I had the clutch replaced as well.

Thank you in advance for your input!

--Rick

[Jdog1385]

i was gonna guess slave cylinder as well. could there possibly be a leak?

[sh0x]

Well, I looked at the cylinder itself and saw no evidence of leakage. If it was a leak, why would it get worse and better again? I haven't tried bleeding it yet, but that's one thing I'll try tonight.

i was gonna guess slave cylinder as well. could there possibly be a leak?

[BloodyStupidDave...]

You can't tell by looking and it could be ither master or slave. There is a rubber washer on a plunger - the cylinder is a bit like a syringe. When the rubber washer starts to wear out, fluid can move from one side of the syringe to the other even when the plunger doesn't move.

A good test for this is if you push your clutch to the floor really quickly then the biting point is at a different place than if you keep the clutch dipped for much longer. When it really starts to wear out, you may find that the clutch won't disengale or re-engages when the pedal is depressed.