> My clutch master cylinder died this morning. It's been ill, needed to
> be pumped once or twice when the car sat in the sun. I think the m/c
> was relatively new, within the last 5 years and under 30,000 miles.
> There's a layer of black goo at the bottom of the reservoir. I have a
> new m/c on the way to install this weekend.
>
> 1. I've read there were some bad seals a while ago; is the goo probably
> from disintegrated seals?
Could be, especially if you didn't use either Castrol or DOT 5 fluid. The
original seals would not stand up to the additives in American brake fluid
and would dissolve into black goo in fairly short order. Glycol-based
fluids (DOT 3 or DOT 4) also absorb moisture and deteriorate over time,
which turns them dark (whether you drive the car or not).
> 2. If the m/c was fairly new, and bad seals rather than 40 years of wear
> are at fault, would it make sense for me to snag a rebuild kit too and
> carry that m/c as a spare?
Just learn to drive without using the clutch ... I drove my Stag home just a
few days ago with no clutch, through SoCA rush-hour traffic. Didn't leave
me in the best of moods, but I got here !
Randall
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