Clutch bleeding?

[Don Banfield <banfield@domain.elided>]

Hi,
	My 88 spider veloce (which I've only had a short while, so I'm
still learning and finding old issues) made it all the way in to work
today when the clutch seemed to stop working in the parking lot.  I
couldn't shift into reverse or back into first without a grind.  I even
tried putting it in neutral and letting the clutch out for a bit. No
change trying to go into first.

	Several questions (so I'm not stranded at quitting time):

	Is my problem some quirk of first or reverse synchros on this
alfa? (e.g., the don't exist and I just should have waited for the tranny
input shaft to stop spinning?, or mine are so ill that it only became an
issue once the tranny had warmed up?  Note that I haven't had this problem
before in about 300 miles of driving I've done on it.)

	Is it likely I need to bleed the clutch master (or slave)
cylinder?  I checked the clutch fluid reservoir and it was full, there
were no obvious drips around it.  The mechanical linkages looked OK, but
where should I look for trouble with them?  The rubber boot that covers
the return spring behind the master cylinder was split, but that seems an
unlikely culprit.  I didn't feel a big change in the clutch pressure, but
then again, I'm still getting used to this car... maybe I missed the
difference.  I also didn't crawl under in my work clothes to look for
leaks at the slave cylinder.
	If indeed I should try bleeding the clutch system, how EXACTLY
does one do that?  (My car has no owners manual, and I have a backordered
Cardisk CD coming from IAP... I'm out in the cold right now,
intellectually).

	I doubt its something more serious, but any guesses of anything
else I should be wary of in this kind of situation?

Thanks alot for the advice, and lets hope I can drive home tonight!


Don Banfield					Senior Research Associate
banfield@domain.elided                   Cornell University Astronomy
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