Clutch Slippage - Troubleshooting prior to replacing

[dogsridewith]

Interesting.
+1 to posts here noting air in the system would tend to keep the clutch engaged...not make it slip.
And there's no real obvious or common way a worn slipping clutch would somehow fix itself.
But what if water water got into the slave cylinder the way air apparently does with some regularity on these. Causing rust and hanging up the slave piston so it doesn't fully retract and let the clutch disengage? Then the fluid change at your bleeding was just enough to progressively improve things a little in there.

[CoryM]

Originally Posted by dogsridewith

But what if water water got into the slave cylinder the way air apparently does with some regularity on these. Causing rust and hanging up the slave piston so it doesn't fully retract and let the clutch disengage? Then the fluid change at your bleeding was just enough to progressively improve things a little in there.

This is really the only possible (although highly unlikely) scenario for a flush to fix a slipping clutch. Why it is so unlikely is because the springs of the pressure-plate are quite strong, and will force the piston back as you release the pedal. So it would have to be enough rust build-up to pack solid behind the piston. This is pretty unlikely, and a flush probably wouldn't remove the packed in rust if so. If it were a rust lip, it would form past the piston's normal travel.

Cheers.