I cant help but thinking there is a relationship with your leaking... if it is your spring, then pumping the brake would not help it (I assume).

 

Have you checked the fluid level in the transmission? Just because the brake and clutch hydralics share the same reservoir, doesn't mean the problems are related. Either way, both systems should be checked for saftey reasons.

You stated the car is "leaving piles of some liquid at the right behind the passenger wheel well". What color is the fluid? Is it wet at any of the brake line connections, or along any of the brake lines?

 

If you changed the slave, how is the clutch master cylinder?
You say on long trips you have less problems, do you top up the brake/clutch fluid first?
sounds like air in the clutch hydraulics to me, is the back of your pedal wet inside the car?
Could the hose to the clutch slave be damaged and squirting fluid towards the passenger side?
Tony

 

lol talk about timing my car has started behaving exactly the same way. can't get in or out of reverse or 1st when at a stop. and yes, it is fine on the highway but goes to crap after a bit of town driving. let it cool down and it'll be fine again. my mechanic tells me it's the springs/rubber centre (!) disintegrating and preventing the clutch disengaging properly. makes sense to me - if i ram it into reverse, it'll engage with a little clunk, and i can feel the whole car jerk back slightly.

 

Find the source of your leaking fluid first, get it bled, and go from there. If that doesnt solve the problem, then you get to tear into the clutch.
Ways to lose fluid:
1. Rotten hose running from the brake res to the clutch master cylinder.
2. Bad Oring on the brake pressure regulator....only squirts it out when you are stepping on the brakes....took me 3 months to find that one.
3. Bad clutch master or clutch slave
4. Bad line running between clutch master and clutch slave
5. Someone else can add something here, i am sure there are more.

edit: oh and broken brake line somewhere...had that one too

 

Clutch on its last leg, IMHO.

 

Exactly,

It sure sounds like you aren't getting proper pressure to the clutch. Its obviously a problem with the clutch, but if it works sometimes and not others, it wouldn't make much sense to blame the clutch itself. The reason it is so hard is because the power to the layshaft/gears in the transmission has not been turned off completely, which makes engaging the collar/dogteeth into the selected gear very difficult. Also, because of this I would recommend you drive the car as little as possible to avoid damaging the transmission.

When the braking lines heat up from driving the car/using the brakes, does this reduce pressure or increase pressure in the clutch system?