Mazda Repair: Clutch pedal return, clutch master cylinder, clutch pedal

Question
I have a 1989 RX-7 with 169K miles on it.  The clutch pedal doesn't return all the way and my handy man said to get a clutch master cylinder and clutch release cylinder.  Does this make sense?

Answer
Finally, a question about an Rx7! Thank you! :) Yes, your mechanic is correct. You probably need to replace either the clutch master cylinder or the slave cylinder. It is unlikely that both need replacement, but since one has already failed, it is likely that the other will fail fairly soon as well. If you want to save a little money, determine which one is bad and just replace that one. To determine whether or not either one is bad, check to see if they are leaking fluid. Check the slave first since it is exposed to more heat. The slave cylinder is mounted to the top of the transmission bell housing on the driver side. It is essentially behind the oil filter. Since this is an older car, and it has probably leaking other fluids for a long time, it may be difficult to tell if the cylinder is leaking. You can determine whether or not the fluid near the slave cylinder is coming from the slave cylinder by dabbing a tiny bit on your finger and tasting it. If it does not make you want to cut your tongue out to get rid of the taste, then it did not come from the slave cylinder. You can repeat this process on the clutch master cylinder. Usually it is easier to tell if the master cylinder is leaking though.