Clutch Master and Slave Cylinders

[clarko74]

I have recently got my e30 back on the road after over three years of it sitting in my garage. I noticed that the clutch can sometimes be a bit dodgy with the pedal occasionally going to the floor. This would suggest that either the master or slave cylinder has gone and is leaking. The drops of liquid under the gearbox in my garage would suggest it is the slave cylinder that has gone.

The thing is I replaced both the master and slave cylinders just over four years ago, not long before I took it off the road. So these have had very little use, I would have thought they should last longer than four years? Or has leaving the car for so long prompted them to fail? They are both made by pagid, which I thought was a decent brand?

So, has leaving my car unused likely to have hastened the demise of my slave cylinder? And I know it is recommended that I change both at the same time, but as the other one isn't that old either could I get away with just changing the slave? or would this be a false economy?

[martauto]

Four years seems so low but with no use it`s possible but I would change them both as well.

Mart.

[aimlessrock]

if you change just one the other will likely fail shortly after and risks leaving you stranded.

change them both. I used it as the best time time to change the pipe to reservoir as mine was a beaten and fraying.