Clutch hydraulics ?, '95 Passat.

I'm continuing to have problems with the clutch hydraulics in my '95
VR6. The friction point of the clutch and the free play change, to
where somedays teh friction point is about midway up, other days, it
is almost at the bottom, causing clashing gears, particularly shifting
into 2nd. Repeated bleeding did not help.

Both hte clutch master and slave are rather pricey, especially the
master, and something like $350. I found a used master on eBay for
about $25, and tried it. No change in action. So I purchased a new
slave from German Auto. Still no change. It's remained this way for
about a year, and I learned to really shift slow into second to avoid
clashing the gears.

Yesterday, I was getting off the interstate, and pushed the clutch in.
About 3/4 of the peday was freeplay, and I had an awful time geetting
it back into gear. I checked the fluid level, and it has not dropped.
Funny thing is, aftr a few more pumps of hte pedal, it came back up,
and stayed there. I continued my drive and occasionally, the pedal
would be very low again, but always come back up. I checked behind the
carpet for leaks from the master, and saw no leaks from teh slave
either.

Any ideas wht's going on? I am suspecting air is geting past a cup in
either the master or the salve, but which one is more likely? The
newer, but less than OEM quality slave, or the used master? I'd hate
to put $500 into just the clutch hydraulics, if I can help it.

Any ideas?

If you are not loosing fluid, then the piston(s) are passing it. Were I
to suspect anything specific, I would suspect the master rather than
the slave as you have already replaced the slave.

Question, and it will require a certain amount of patience on your
part. Can you (when the clutch is behaving) press all the way down on
the clutch, shift into first, then hold it down... see if in a few
minutes the clutch does not begin to grab some.

Grasping as straws... is the return spring on the clutch lever(s)
strong? And is the linkage intact? Just a vagrant thought without much
merit, but something I would investigate before investing the big
bucks.

However, what you do not want is to be off someplace far from home and
SOL. That could cost you a bunch more than the $500 you may invest now
when you still have choices.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA