OK I am going thru it now. 115K on my 86 GT, V6 4speed.

Normal story. Hard to shift. decide to try and bleed. Yea it never works right again. New Master, saw a slight leak in the old. I still need to get a new Slave. While test driving the new Master, the clutch is starting to slip in 4th. I was thinking it as been slipping before, but no I am sure.

SO for my Theory.

Once the clutch starte to wear, the seals in the hydos start to ride in an area they normaly wont. This could have bad parts in it from not machiened deep enough. Or rust. This is what causes our small leak, or air sucking in problem.

So has anyone with these problem have a clutch go out right after?

A valid theory. brake fluid is know for holding moisture, and will pit any unused areas of the cylinder.

in your case I would also carefully check the arm on the pivot shaft. if it is a stamped metal piece, be sure it hasn;t cracked, your;e at the age where it would be a viable possibility.
Follow the pushrod from the slave to the arm. check where the bolt goes thru it and where it flares out to make the tube for the bolt. they often crack in there and shift on the shaft. this will also casue your symptoms.
if it;s a cast piece, thick and rounded, prolly not your problem.

quote Originally posted by pauledude: So has anyone with these problem have a clutch go out right after?

Well---No, I had the same symptoms on a 86GT --years ago --a couple of things no mechanics could figure out where causing mine. For one the clutch pedal it-self was bent (cheap crap) got that fixed --and all was well for another 1000 miles or so, then it started again--did pretty much what you did, still the same, so time to pull apart, the clutch in side( pressure plate) was a made in Twain deal, and was warped along with all the clutch compoments, maybe not the same problem your having--but the same symptoms...hope this helps some...

I replaced the slave, and it works great again.

My technique for bleading it out.

Before mounting
put the line on first.
While holding the slave in your hand tilt so the bleader is at the highest poing, but low in engine bay. Open bleader screw and push the plunger in to expell air. (bench blead)
While holding the pliunger in, tighten bleader. Let it sit for a min. and go check the fluid level. Make sure the lid is off the master cylider.
Repeat this one more time. lossen push tighten. then leave it be. It take a little while for the spring in the slave to pull the fluid from the line.
Then I put the slave as low as posible in the engine bay. With the bleader pointed up I removed it. Let it sit for about 10 min. Made lunch.
Go out, put the bleader in, and mounted it on the car. Works Great.

And yes my clutch is starting to slip. I figure I can baby it for a few more weeks till it gets warm. It holds as long as I don't gear up, and hit the acelerator in to high a gear.

While I had the slave off I did check for cracks in the arm. I got the cast piece, no problem there. Hardest part was to get the line to start. Then I realized I forgot to pull the plastic plug out of the hole.

And for a side note to anyone who may be reading. To take the line off loosen at the body, not the nut by the braided part of the line. I almost did that. That may be why some people break them.