Auto Parts: Auto parts to buy & solutions, mazda pickup, slave cylinders

Question
Dear Expert Christina Prewitt,

I have a 1989 B2200 Mazda Pickup.  There are two main issues that I would like to get some answers on.
1) Electrical problems:
[a] My parking lights stay on even though the engine is off and parking light knob is not turn on.
[b] Ignition problem.  My friend had to join two wires to a on/off switch somewhere below the steering wheel and ignition.  I'll need to turn on the switch first and then start the engine by turning the ignition with the key.    Otherwise, the engine would not stay on.
[c]Whenever using the indicator lights, I had to manually pull down or push up the indicator stick depending on which indicator light I was using at the time because the stick would not 'jump back' in place causing the light to blink continuously without stopping.

2) Clutch problem:  About every 3 - 4 months my mechanic had to replace the master and slave cylinder kit because the rubbers either swell or tear causing the clutch to stick.  He was puzzled because the brake fluid was contaminated (gets dark)days after he replaced the kit.  He even cleaned the clutch hose by passing water through it and no residues were found. Both the master and slave cylinders were in good condition; i.e., not broken or rusty.  What's wrong?

Thank you for your assistance.

Answer
Hi Brian,

Sorry it took so long for me to respond, I've been having computer problems and had to fix it.
ANyway, it sounds like you've got some serious electrical problems. My first guess would be the wiring harness in your steering column is bad- there may be a short or a broken wire, that's likely why your parking lights stay on. That's also likely why the ignition is having problems. As far as the turn signals- there's a peg that's broken inside there- when you turn the signal on, a hook catches a peg and hangs on, when you turn the wheel far enough, the hook releases the peg and allows the indicator to go back into place when you turn the wheel back. Well that peg is broken, and it's very common in vehicles with high miles or older vehicles- it just wears out after time.

With your clutch- that sounds a lot like my Kia- the problem is just a design flaw in that the clutch is too close to the exhaust, therefore it gets too hot. Mine has stuck several times, but I've never replaced the rubbers. Otherwise, there may be an air bubble in the hydraulic line. You need to bleed the slave cylinder. If it's connected to the same reservior as the brakes, it would be a good idea to bleed the brakes at the same time to make sure there's no air anywhere. If there's two seperate reserviors, then you don't need to worry about bleeding the brakes. In my opinion, he should not have used water to flush the hose, he should have used hydraulic fluid. Look at your chassis and see how close the clutch is to the exhaust, and that could be the problem there.

Christina