Hydraulic clutch question

[ian at bluemoon.hplx.net]

Good evening.

I have a question regarding the clutch in my '88 5Kq.  Twice in the six
months I've owned it, there's been a very strange, non-repetitive behavior
of the clutch pedal.  The first I had sort-of discounted because I was
teaching a friend to drive stick at the time.  The second, months later
(just yesterday, in fact) was while I was driving; I went to push in the
clutch, and met a slight, normal amount of resistance, then nothing at all
as the pedal sunk to the floor and stayed there.

I was displeased, obviously, since I was in line to get on the freeway
when this happened.  But I hooked under the pedal with my foot, lifted it
back up, and it worked again as though nothing had happened.  I used to
have an '86 CGT, and when its clutch slave went out, I got partial
functionality for a little while before it stopped working forever.  I've
heard that if the master goes, it's catastrophic.  But never "Oh, once
every few months it goes to the floor, then works immediately thereafter
for all eternity."  What gives?

ian Butler / ian at bluemoon.hplx.net
'88 Audi 5000S quattro
'88 VW Scirocco 16v
'77 Mercury Marquis (for sale)