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Reply to "Black stuff in clutch master reservoir"

My new clutch master failed. The fluid seemed to be turning black so I flushed it a couple of times. Then I took it on a fairly big outing to Full Throttle Panteras open house. The fluid was perfectly clear when I started the trip. About halfway through the trip during some spirited driving the clutch master begin to fail.  When I held the clutch down, it would gradually release itself.  I was able to complete the trip and make it back home but maneuvering in parking lots was very difficult.

After arriving at Full Throttle, I inspected the fluid and it was very black. The next week I removed the failed master and showed it to Wilkinson and explain what happened. He asked which brake fluid I used and I said it was DOT3. He said it has to be DOT4 and set me up with a new one. I have that in the car now. So far so good, but time will tell.

I just installed a new clutch master cylinder and within a few days, the fluid began to turn dark and there is black grit in the fluid. I suspect that this could be caused by the brake fluid attacking the rubber seals. I am holding my breath and waiting for this master cylinder to fail. I have also limited my trips with the Pantera because I don't need a clutch master cylinder failure several hundred miles from home. I found a company in New York that can rebuild the original master cylinder and use modern seals. I am going to be shipping off my old master cylinder to them.

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