Alfa Romeo Repair: clutch problems -- 1991 Alfa Spider, fluid mechanic, clutch fluid

Question
Dear Stephen,

I have had this car since its original purchase in 91...Car is in pristine condition with only 22K miles...I have only done the basics (oil changes, plugs, air filter)...One day last summer I took it out and did not realize that I was low on clutch fluid...Needless to say, clutch failed to engage as all or most of fluid had been lost...Now pls. bear in mind that I never changed this fluid in all of these years...Being stuck in a very "awkward" place, I was only able to find motor oil (10W40) which is what I was forced to use under the circumstances...Only a day or so later I took it to my mechanic who apparently flushed the system and replaced it with the proper brake type fluid...Mechanic did inform me that I had a slave cylinder that had a slow leak...Needless to say that since the day that I got the car back from the mechanic, the clutch has been very hard, and currently is getting stuck in between gear shifting, making traveling a bit dangerous...Not to mention that the last time I took it out, the clutch went down and never came back up, and gear would not engage...Hence, my question, sorry I took so long...Is this just a simple matter of replacing the leaky slave cylinder? or something more serious?...Please bear in mind that I have never changed nor ever checked the differential fluid...Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated...

Thank you in advance...

Giorgio

Answer
Be sure that you drive this Alfa above 3000 rpm a lot and stay above 2000 rpm all the time after take off.

Look for fluid leaks where the axle joins the brakes and where the driveshaft comes into the differential if you cannot undo the diff plug to check the lever.

This is what to do when the clutch will not disengage.  With a warm engine, stop engine and put in first gear. Then start up in gear and when it is time to shift ease off on the throttle and move into the next gear--and so on.

The clutch master and slave cylinders seals do not like motor oil.  Either rebuild the seals in the master and slave or have them replaced and flush the lines with isopropyl alcohol.